UNC's best (last?) hope

Virginia Tech plays at Miami tonight and if you're a UNC football fan, you better have your Sebastian beak on and waddle like Elton John because this might be your last chance at winning the Coastal Division.

Virginia Tech, 3-2 in the ACC, has to lose once in the final three games for UNC to be able to take the Coastal. After tonight, Virginia Tech plays Duke and Virginia at home.  Do you see the urgency?

The good news is Miami is a mile better than the team UNC beat in September. The Canes still haven't settled on a quarterback — Randy Shannon insists on starting Robert Marve when Jacory Harris is better, saving them against Duke and Virginia — but the young team has won four straight to improve to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the division.

The bad news is not only Virginia Tech a juggernaut on Thursday nights, but the Hokies may have finally found their formula in beating Maryland, 23-13 last week, which was on a Thursday, naturally.

VT's 15-3 on Thursdays, all three losses are to Boston College, two of which came at the hands of Matt Ryan. The Hokies' offensive line finally put it together against Maryland last week, clearing the way for 253 yards for Darren Evans. Sean Glennon, who was starting for Tyrod Taylor for the first time since the opener against ECU, was competent. He didn't turn the ball over and threw for a touchdown to tight end/Hokie back Greg Boone.

Evans isn't going to crack 200 again but the Hokies will look to play the same game against Miami as it did against Maryland.

Miami's no slouch on Thursdays, either. The Canes are 12-1 on ESPN's showcase (how bad was the Big East in the '90s?). Miami kept its division title hopes alive with a fourth-quarter comeback at Virginia.

Interesting, before the UNC-UVa game we all talked about UNC's losing streak at Charlottesville and Al Groh said it would have no bearing whatsoever on the game.

Yet, in a close fourth-quarter game with UNC, the Virginia players fought to get the game to overtime and continue a 27-year tradition.

Against Miami, a game with no history, the players watched Miami rally, behind Harris, for a late touchdown and then win the game in overtime.

Just saying, history matters.

The Hokies have their own history tonight. With a win, they're all but division champs for the third time in four years and would be one step closer to playing for their third ACC title in five years.