Miami Football: Forget Florida State, Virginia Tech Is the Game of the Year

Miami went to Florida State looking for a win on the gridiron last Saturday night, fell way short and truth be told, none of it really matters.

Not this year, at least.

Beating the Seminoles is always a season goal for the Hurricanes, but this is no longer the 1980s or 1990s. Knee-deep in a rebuilding project, Miami must baby-step its way back to national prominence, and that starts first with conference relevancy and then supremacy.

Miami joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004 and has yet to reach the ACC title game. From the get-go, the Hurricanes were thinking Charlotte this year, not Pasadena.

Until that elusive ACC title is won, it's foolish to daydream on a national level.

Virginia Tech defected from the Big East the same season as Miami. Since then, the Hokies have claimed four conference championships and topped the Coastal Division six times over a nine-year span. Their record against the Hurricanes since the conference jump sits at 6-3.

Still want to debate that Florida State was Miami's "Game of the Year"?

Miami's road to an ACC title game berth runs through Virginia Tech. It's been the Hurricanes' same roadblock every year, as the Hokies have taken care of business while the Canes have been tripped up or got in their own way.

Virginia Tech has played Miami tough since 1995, when the Hokies earned their first win over the Hurricanes. Since that inaugural victory, Virginia Tech is 12-6 against Miami—having taken five of the past six meetings prior to UM's home win last year.

Miami running back Duke Johnson is on the shelf the rest of the season after breaking his ankle in Tallahassee. Challenging as that loss is for the Hurricanes in a normal week, it weighs even heavier against Miami with the Hokies and defensive coordinator Bud Foster on tap next.

Foster has often shut down Miami's offense. Between 2006 and 2009, the Hurricanes didn't score more than 17 points in any game against Hokies. Now, without Johnson's breakaway ability, Foster's job just got a little bit easier for Virginia Tech.

Three losses aside, Virginia Tech will bring a fight to Miami. Neither squad backs down from the other and both aim to deliver their best. The Hokies got the most out of their talent over the past decade, but with Al Golden at the helm for the Hurricanes, overachievement has replaced underperformance and "The U" will aim to do the same. 

2012	Miami 30, Virginia Tech 12
2011	[#21] Virginia Tech 38, Miami 35
2010	[#16] Virginia Tech 31, Miami 17
2009	[#11] Virginia Tech 31, [#9] Miami 7
2008	Miami 16, Virginia Tech 14
2007	[#10] Virginia Tech 44, Miami 14
2006	[#23] Virginia Tech 24, Miami 10
2005	[#5] Miami 27, [#3] Virginia Tech 7
2004	[#10] Virginia Tech 16, [#9] Miami 10
2003	[#10] Virginia Tech 31, [#2] Miami 7

Virginia Tech is 3-2 in the ACC with games against Maryland and Virginia remaining. Miami, 3-1 after its loss to Florida State, has Duke, Virginia and Pittsburgh left on its docket after this weekend.

With a win over the Hokies, the Hurricanes would take command of the division and send Virginia Tech to a crippling third conference setback. If the Hurricanes slip at home, things will be even in the "L" column with Miami dropping the tiebreaker should both teams wind up knotted at two losses apiece.

For Miami, the one-game-at-a-time approach sets up the next "Game of the Year" at Duke next week should the Hurricanes dispatch Virginia Tech.

The Blue Devils sit at 6-2 overall and 2-2 in the ACC. Conference realignment has sent Virginia Tech to Miami two straight seasons, but the downside for the Hurricanes is back-to-back trips to Durham, N.C.

Miami survived a 52-45 shootout at Wallace Wade Stadium last November. Next week, it will take on a Duke squad that knocked off Virginia Tech in Blacksburg in late October. Duke forced quarterback Logan Thomas into four interceptions, dominated the time of possession (39:27 to 20:33) and grinded out a 13-10 upset. The win was Duke's first over a ranked foe since a 1971 victory over Stanford. 

Before even thinking about the Blue Devils, however, the Hurricanes have to find a way to shake off a 41-14 loss to the Seminoles, as well as a season-ending injury for the game-changing Johnson.

Nothing would derail Miami's dream season faster than letting Florida State beat it twice—courtesy of a week-long hangover resulting in a loss to struggling Virginia Tech.

A win in Tallahassee would've been a miracle. This week in Miami Gardens, it's merely about survival.

Follow Chris Bello on Twitter @allCanesBlog