BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech football travels to South Florida for a matchup with Miami (Fla.) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on ACC Network.
The last time the Hokies played at Hard Rock Stadium, they won a 42-35 game in which they scored three first quarter touchdowns. Although the Hurricanes lead the all-time series between the teams 23-15, the Hokies hold a slim 9-8 advantage since the teams joined the ACC. Tech (5-5, 3-3 ACC) and Miami (5-5, 3-3 ACC) are currently tied in the ACC Coastal division standings and both need just one more win to become bowl eligible. To view the full series history between the two teams, click here.
Last week's top performers:
- The Hokies' offense was not messing around last week as Tech beat Duke 48-17. It was the most points scored in a game by Tech since putting up 62 versus William & Mary (Sept. 8, 2018).
- Tech also recorded 573 yards of total offense, its most in a game since racking up 600 at Old Dominion (Sept. 22, 2018).
- QB Braxton Burmeister threw a career-high three touchdown passes along with 215 yards in the game.
- RB Raheem Blackshear recorded 12 carries for 117 yards with a 20-yard TD. It was the fourth 100-yard rushing performance of his career and the first in a Tech uniform. Blackshear also registered a 13-yard TD reception.
- RB Keshawn King had a 47-yard TD reception, the first of his career, and a four-yard rushing TD. It was the first time since at least 1985 that two Tech players (Blackshear, King) recorded both a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game.
- WR Kaleb Smith recorded his first touchdown of the 2021 season on a 30-yard reception. Smith also hauled in a career-high 34-yard reception in the game.
- DT Norell Pollard registered a nine-yard strip sack which DE TyJuan Garbutt recovered and returned 16 yards for a touchdown. It was the third non-offensive touchdown for the Hokies this season.
- OL Tyrell Smith wore the No. 25 jersey during pregame and started at right tackle, his first start of his career, in his final game at Lane Stadium.
- Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke completed 25 of 47 passes for 316 yards and four TDs in the Hurricanes loss at Florida State last week.
- 'Canes WR Charleston Rambo led the team in receiving, hauling in six receptions for 95 yards.
- Defensively, Miami LB Corey Flagg, Jr. led the team in tackles with eight in the game while DL Jahfari Harvey recorded a team-high 2.0 TFL.
What to watch for Saturday:
- Tech has posted 200-yard rushing games in three of its last four outings, including a 297-yard effort against Duke (Nov. 13). That marked Tech's best rushing performance since gaining 350 rush yards vs. BC (Oct. 17, 2020).
- WR Tré Turner can jump into the top five in both career receptions and career receiving yards in Tech history with five receptions and 25 yards at Miami.
- With six receptions, WR Tayvion Robinson will move into 11th place on Tech's career receptions list and pass Ricky Scales (113).
- Turner already has the most receiving yards in a season with 631 since Damon Hazelton's 802 yards in 2018.
- QB Braxton Burmeister is Tech's first player to amass over 2,000 total yards in a season since Ryan Willis had over 3,000 in 2018.
- If the season ended today, P Peter Moore would have the third-highest punt average since at least 1951 as his 44.7-yard average this season trails only Oscar Bradburn's school record 46.5-yard average in 2019 and Jimmy Kibble's 45.1-yard average in 1997.
- Robinson leads the country in punt return yards this season with 329. He is 47 punt return yards away from cracking the top 10 in Tech history for most punt return yards in a season. Only six players in Tech history have ever recorded 400 punt return yards in a single season, with Eddie Royal most recently accomplishing the feat in 2007.
- Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke is fifth in the ACC in passing yards per game with a 274.1-yard average. Tech is second in the conference in pass defense, allowing just 186.3 passing yards per game this season.
- Miami WR Charleston Rambo is second in the conference in receptions per game, averaging 6.4 this season.