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No favorite is ever safe in the Coastal Division. ... Thursday night  Miami (4-3, 1-2) at Virginia Tech (4-3, 1-2), 8 p.m., ESPN. Line: Miami by 2.5. A little surprised Miami is favored in this game, considering the history. Virginia Tech has won four of its last five meetings with the Canes, and is 11-4 in Thursday night home games. Plus, Miami is 0-3 on the road this season. But on the flip side, the Hokies have not inspired much confidence since their upset win over Ohio State in Week 2. After that victory, Virginia Tech is just 2-3, including a loss at Pittsburgh last Thursday night. The Hokies have an ineffective run game and a quarterback that makes too many mistakes (sound familiar) plus a defense that is missing several injured players. Maybe all that works in Miami's favor. Or maybe Virginia Tech bears down at home, jump starts its run game with Marshawn Williams back in the lineup and uses an aggressive, physical defense to flummox freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya.
Saturday North Carolina (3-4, 1-2) at Virginia (4-3, 2-1), noon, ESPN3. Line: Virginia by 7. We saw Virginia in a nutshell last week in a loss to Duke. If its defense cannot create pressure or turnovers, the offense cannot win games on its own. So how the defense handles suddenly unstoppable Marquise Williams is going to be the biggest key in this game. Williams has 901 yards of offense and nine total touchdowns in the last two games and now, the Tar Heels have a bit of confidence going for them. They have won four straight in the series. And oh by the way, Williams had a rushing, passing and receiving touchdown in a 45-14 win in this game a season ago. That victory got UNC to four wins. A win here could get UNC to four wins. Georgia Tech (5-2, 2-2) at Pitt (4-3, 2-1), 3:30 p.m., ESPNU. Line: Pitt by 3.5. Georgia Tech has dropped two straight, while Pitt had a big win over Virginia Tech -- does that mean the script has been flipped and the Panthers are now one of the favorites in the Coastal? Nobody can be declared a favorite in the most unpredictable division in America. Georgia Tech handled Pitt well in a 21-10 victory a year ago, and brings a far more effective run game to Pittsburgh than Virginia Tech did. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels did far more damage through the air in a win over the Jackets last week. Pitt has no real passing game outside Chad Voytik to Tyler Boyd, ranking No. 13 in the ACC in pass offense. So the matchups here could work in Georgia Tech's favor.
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