MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — This is basically where Miami was at this time last year. Unbeaten through four games, climbing in the national rankings, feeling good going into the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play.
And then, thud.
ACC play last season for Miami started with a debacle against Georgia Tech, a contest where the Hurricanes didn’t take a knee to run out the clock and wound up giving the game away. This season’s ACC slate for No. 7 Miami starts on Friday night, at home against Virginia Tech, a game where these Hurricanes can try to continue to show that things really are different now.
“They decided a while back,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “They’ve had enough.”
Expectations were high entering the year for the Hurricanes and have climbed every week since. Quarterback Cam Ward — now the Heisman Trophy favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook — is leading one of the highest-octane offenses in the country and the Hurricanes are one of only four unbeaten teams left in the ACC.
“These games really don’t matter,” Ward said after Miami finished its four-game non-conference slate with a 50-15 rout at South Florida last weekend. “Only games that matter are ACC play.”
It’s also the ACC opener for Virginia Tech (2-2), which has two wins over Sun Belt teams and two one-score losses against Power Four opponents. The Hokies didn’t face the Hurricanes last year.
“I think it’s one of the better rivalries in college football,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said. “I’m glad that they’re back on our schedule. I think it’s good for us and good for our league and we’ve got to go down and play competitive. They’re doing their part, we got to do ours. They’ve got a load of talent.”
Virginia Tech pays tribute to former coach Frank Beamer by issuing his No. 25 jersey to a different special teams player each week. Turns out, 24 is a big number for the Hokies as well.
Since the start of 2021, Virginia Tech is 17-4 when allowing less than 24 points. When the Hokies allow 24 or more in that span, they’ve gone 1-19.
Holding Miami to 24 or less will be a big ask. The Hurricanes entered the week tied with Ohio State for third nationally in points per game (52.3), behind only Ole Miss (55.0) and Tennessee (54.0). Miami is behind only Ole Miss in yards per game (670.8 to 605).
Miami and Virginia Tech played in 31 consecutive seasons from 1992 through 2022, before not meeting last year following a change to the ACC scheduling model and the elimination of divisions.
Under that model the teams weren’t supposed to play this year, either. But that scheduling system was scrapped after Cal, SMU and Stanford joined the ACC. The current plan has the Hurricanes and Hokies meeting annually through at least 2030.
Miami enters the week as one of six power-conference teams with at least nine rushing touchdowns and nine passing touchdowns so far this season. The Hurricanes have scored 15 through the air, 12 more on the ground.
The other Power Four schools in the 9-and-9 club so far: Indiana, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Washington State and Texas. All six of those schools are 4-0 entering this week.
Virginia Tech will test Miami’s plan for balance. The Hokies have allowed eight rushing TDs but only three passing scores through four games.
It’s been nearly 20 years since Virginia Tech beat a team ranked No. 7 or higher. The Hokies topped No. 6 West Virginia 19-13 on Oct. 2, 2004; they're 0-12 against top-7 opponents since.
Miami is 152-27 all-time when ranked No. 7 or higher. But the Hurricanes are 0-3 in their last three games with such a ranking, falling to then-No. 1 Clemson in 2020, then-No. 1 Clemson in the 2017 ACC title game and unranked Pitt to close the 2017 regular season.
Miami and Virginia Tech are both heading to California next week. Virginia Tech plays at Stanford, and Miami plays at Cal — a 10:30 p.m. Eastern start for the Hurricanes, news that the fan base didn't exactly embrace.
Going to Palo Alto will be the longest trip for a regular-season game in Hokies history. Going to Berkeley won’t come close to breaking the Hurricanes’ record for travel — they played Notre Dame at Tokyo in 1979, part of a 28,000-miles-traveled season for Miami that year.
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No. 7 Miami opens ACC play against Virginia Tech, looking to keep flying after hot start
No. 7 Miami opens ACC play against Virginia Tech, looking to keep flying after hot start
Miami quarterback Cam Ward (1) scrambles away from South Florida linebacker Jamie Pettway during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — In its final years leading to the goodbye game for the Oakland Athletics, the Coliseum was known for its small crowds, run-down facilities and even the possums that populated the stadium.
But the last active stadium to serve as home for a Major League Baseball and NFL team at the same time has provided much more history ever since it opened in 1966 as the home of the Oakland Raiders.
The A's arrived two years later, leading to an impressive run at the Coliseum that featured three World Series and four AFC or AFL title games played there in a 10-year span from 1967-76.
The Raiders left for good following the 2019 season and the A's are headed out of town after this season, with their game Thursday game against the Texas Rangers the final one before they move to Sacramento for at least three years and then plan to go to Las Vegas.
Here's a look at some of the numbers that defined the Coliseum.
1 — The first baseball game at the Coliseum was played on April 17, 1968. The Orioles beat the A's 4-1 that day behind a two-hitter from Dave McNally. The first hit at the stadium was a solo homer by Boog Powell against Lew Krausse in the second inning.
3 — The number of AFC and AFL title games won by the Raiders at the Coliseum with them going to the Super Bowl after wins there in the 1967, 1976 and 2002 seasons. Oakland lost title games at home in 1969, 1974 and 2000.
6 — Titles won by the main tenants of the building with the A's winning three straight World Series from 1972-74 and then again in 1989. The Raiders won Super Bowls in the 1976 and 1980 seasons when they called the Coliseum home.
12 — Games when teams allowed no hits to the opposition, trailing only Fenway Park (14) and Dodger Stadium (13) for the most no-hitters for any stadium. Nine of those games were individual no-hitters with the last being a perfect game by the Yankees' Domingo German on June 28, 2023. Catfish Hunter (1968) and Dallas Braden (2010) also threw perfectos there for the A's, making the Coliseum one of two stadiums to host three perfect games. The original Yankee Stadium also had three.
17 — World Series games played at the Coliseum, including clinchers by the A’s in 1973 against the Mets and 1974 against the Dodgers. The A's lost the final game of the Series at home in 1988 to the Dodgers and in 1990 to the Reds.
61 — The number of postseason games played at Coliseum, the fifth most of any stadium. Only Houston's Minute Maid Park (64), Fenway Park (91), Dodger Stadium (105), and the original Yankee Stadium (161) have hosted more.
80 — The number of wins by Hall of Famer Catfish Hunter at the Coliseum, the most for any player. Hunter won 77 of those for the A's and three more for the Yankees.
155 — The number of saves by Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley at the Coliseum, the most for any player.
166 — The number of home runs by Mark McGwire at the Coliseum, the most for any player.
203 — The number of wins by the Texas Rangers at the Coliseum, the most for any visiting team.
.309 — Jason Giambi's average at the Coliseum. Giambi is the only player with at least 750 plate appearances at the Coliseum to bat .300 or better. Two visiting players had better marks but both only had exactly 521 plate appearances: Ichiro Suzuki (.354) and Rod Carew (.314).
310 — The number of NFL regular-season games played at the Coliseum by the Raiders. They won 178.
484 — The number of walk-off wins for the A's at the Coliseum, the most for any team at any stadium since they moved to Oakland in 1968.
895 — The number of hits Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson had at the Coliseum, the most for any player.
1,088 — The number of A's who suited up for games at the Coliseum. Henderson played the most with 854 games there for Oakland and 32 more as a visitor.
2,492 — The number of regular season wins for the A's at the Coliseum, the eighth most for any team at any stadium in baseball history.
4,493 — The number of regular-season baseball games played at the Coliseum, the 10th most at any stadium, according to Baseball Reference. The only active stadiums to host more games are Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium.
7,301 — The number of major professional sports games played at the Coliseum complex in the regular season and playoffs. The site was once home for four teams with the NBA's Warriors and the Golden Seals of the NHL playing at the arena right next to the Coliseum. The breakdown of games is 4,454 for the A's, 2,070 for the Warriors, 350 for the Golden Seals and 327 for the Raiders.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Fans react during a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Fanjoy)
A sign is raised by a fan at a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Fanjoy)
Fans attend a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Fanjoy)
A view of the stadium scoreboard at the Oakland Coliseum is seen, Sept. 2, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Michael Liedtke)
A sign in an empty bar inside the Oakland Coliseum still included the team's former slogan, "Rooted in Oakland" is seen on May 1, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Michael Liedtke)
FILE - Fans pour onto the field at the Oakland Coliseum after the Oakland A's beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 and won their third straight World Series, Oct. 17, 1974, in Oakland. (AP Photo, File)
Cars wait to enter the Oakland Coliseum parking lot before a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Fans at the Oakland Coliseum watch during the second inning of a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Fans at the Oakland Coliseum watch during the third inning of a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
