Virginia Tech treated their fans in Blacksburg on Saturday to a victory over one of the hottest teams in college football. With a win, Miami would have taken a large first-place lead in the competitive ACC. Unfortunately for them, Virginia Tech came in prepared and eager to please their hometown crowd. Their defense was able to control Miami’s star quarterback Jacory Harris, sacking him three times and forcing one interception. More importantly, Hokies quarterback Tyrod Taylor ran the ball very well, receiving excellent pass coverage to the tune of 75 yards. Running back Ryan Williams was also vital, racking up two touchdowns and 150 yards on 34 carries and two receptions. Hard to believe he’s just filling in for the injured Darren Evans.

After saying this week he looked forward to playing in front of a hostile crowd, he fumbled as he was being sacked on his fifth play, setting up a Hokies touchdown, and his day never got much better.

Harris threw an interception that set up another score and pushed the Hokies lead to 31-7 lead. By then the fans who had braved the horrid conditions wanted to stay and enjoy every minute.

Harris and the Hurricanes did drive 46 yards in five plays for a touchdown just 1:43 into the third quarter, pulling them within 21-7. After Miami forced the Hokies to punt, they drove to the Virginia Tech 30 with a chance to make the quieting crowd really nervous.

Instead, with the help of two drops by Jimmy Graham, Miami faced a fourth-and-13 from the 33, went for it and Harris’ 9-yard completion to Dedrick Epps came up four yards short.

Before this game, Miami found themselves ranked in the top 10 for the first time since 2005. It’s been a grueling road as Virginia Tech was their third ranked opponent in as many weeks. Fans have high hopes for Jacory Harris and company as the Miami football program is suddenly important once again. We’ll see if they can take something from this loss and rebound next week against Oklahoma.

Here’s a quick look at the top 10 action this week in college football.

No. 1 Florida at Kentucky, 6:00PM ET
The Gators have beaten the Wildcats 22 straight times by an average margin of victory of 28.8 in the past 15 contests. But up to six Florida players missed practice this week due to the flu and this is the first time the Gators hit the road in ’09. Will Kentucky keep things close?

UTEP at No. 2 Texas, 2:45PM ET
The Longhorns are 25-1 against teams outside the Big 12 since the start of the 2004 season, while the Miners have lost 10 straight against top 25 teams. There should be no letdown in Austin today for Colt McCoy and company.

Arkansas at No. 3 Alabama, 3:30PM ET
The Crimson Tide rank No. 3 in the nation in total defense, but will be tested by Ryan Mallett and Bobby Petrino’s spread offense, which ranks second in the nation. The key to this game will be whether or not the Razorbacks can stop Alabama’s balanced attack.

Iowa at No. 5 Penn State, 8:00PM ET
The Nittany Lions saw their national title hopes dashed last year in Iowa, so PSU will have revenge on its mind today. The Lions have won 24 straight home games against unranked opponents.

No. 6 Cal at Oregon, 3:30PM ET
With wins over Utah and Purdue the past two weeks, the Ducks have bounced back nicely after losing to Boise State in embarrassing fashion in their opener. But can they slow down Heisman candidate Jahvid Best? Nobody has yet.

No. 7 LSU at Mississippi State, 12:00PM ET
The Tigers have won nine in a row against the Bulldogs, outscoring them 374-105 since 1999. Mississippi State owns the 20th best rushing attack in college football, which will be a great test for LSU’s stingy defense.

No. 8 Boise State at Bowling Green, 7:00PM ET
Bowling Green will host a top 10 team for the first time in school history. Boise State will be without running back D.J. Harper (who suffered a torn ACL), although Jeremy Avery is more than capable of taking over as the Broncos’ primary back.

No. 9 Miami at No. 11 Virginia Tech, 3:30PM ET
The top matchup this week in college football takes place in Blacksburg. Miami is averaging 35.5 points and leads the ACC with 465 yards of total offense per game. The Canes will play their third consecutive game against a top 25 opponent for the first time since 2001. Can quarterback Jacory Harris led the Canes to another victory and get this team closer to an ACC title?

For Week 4 point spreads click here and for Week 4 picks and predictions click here.

Odds makers have released the point spreads for Week 4 in college football. Below are a list of odds for the top 25 teams and a quick-hit look at some of the marquee matchups.

No. 9 Miami at No. 11 Virginia Tech, Saturday 3:30PM ET
Quarterback Jacory Harris and head coach Randy Shannon have made the Canes relevant again in college football. Following wins over two ranked opponents (Florida State and Georgia Tech, respectively), Miami gets another challenge this week in Blacksburg. In their meeting last year, the Canes edged the Hokies 16-14 at Dolphin Stadium, but the last time these two programs squared off in Blacksburg, VA Tech rolled to a 44-14 victory.
Opening Odds: Miami –2.5.

Illinois at No. 13 Ohio State, Saturday, 3:30PM ET
The Buckeyes open their Big Ten schedule on Saturday when they host the Illini in Columbus. OSU rebounded from their loss to USC two weeks ago by dropping Toledo 38-0 last weekend. Illinois earned its first win of the year by trouncing Illinois State 45-17, although Missouri handed the Illini a 37-9 beating the week prior. The last time these two teams met in Columbus, Illinois shocked Ohio State 28-21 thanks to quarterback Juice Williams’ four touchdown passes.
Opening Odds: Ohio State –14.5.

No. 1 Florida at Kentucky, Saturday, 6:00PM ET
Is this a letdown week for the Gators? The No. 1 team in the nation will make its first road trip of the season after starting the year 3-0 at home. Florida will take on a 2-0 Kentucky team that has a lot of confidence after beating Louisville in a thrilling 31-27 contest in Lexington last Saturday. The Gators hammered Rich Brooks’ Wildcats 63-5 in Gainesville last season, although Kentucky made things respectable with Florida two years ago in Lexington before falling 45-37.
Opening Odds: Florida –22.

Read the rest of this entry »