Miami @ Virginia preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 7, 2015 ) Virginia 21, Miami 27

Miami (Fla) is a double-digit favorite over host Virginia on Saturday, but it has lost three in a row to the Cavaliers in Charlottesville, which suggests that it's likely that earning a win won't be a breeze for the Hurricanes. Coach Bronco Mendenhall's team is suffering through a frustrating four-game losing streak that includes surrendering fourth-quarter leads the past two weeks against No. 6 Louisville and Wake Forest.

The Hurricanes ended their own four-game losing streak with a 51-28 victory over Pittsburgh last weekend in which junior Brad Kaaya threw for 356 yards and four touchdowns thanks in large measure to the offensive line, which allowed only one sack after giving up 13 in the previous two games and also opened up holes for running back Mark Walton (125 yards on 14 carries). "The offensive line showed up and played great football, opened up some good cut-back lanes for our running backs" Kaaya told reporters after the game. "They gave me some good time to get the ball out of my hand fairly fast. ... I think it just came together on the right day." In Virginia's 27-20 loss to Wake Forest, the Cavaliers led 20-17 before junior quarterback Kurt Benkert threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter, the first one setting up a field goal and the second being returned 39 yards for the winning score. "My job is to acknowledge we're at the very beginning of what I think is going to be a great program," Mendenhall, who is suffering through his first losing season as a head coach after 11 years at BYU, told reporters after the game. "At BYU, I had the advantage of being an assistant coach for two years prior to being the head coach and seeing two years of losing."

TV: 2 p.m. ET, RSN. Line: Miami -10.5

ABOUT MIAMI (5-4, 2-3 ACC): The most dependable target for Kaaya (2,340 yards, 62.8 percent, 17 touchdowns, 6 interceptions) has been senior Stacy Cooley (45 receptions, 10.9 yards per catch, 8 touchdowns), but Miami's most explosive weapon has been freshman Ahmmon Richards, who is averaging 20.4 yards per reception and broke his own freshman school record by totaling 144 yards on eight catches against Pitt. A 55-yard touchdown run by Walton capped the scoring and the big day for the offensive line, which limited Pittsburgh star Ejuan Price (9 sacks) to one tackle. The Hurricanes' young defense, No. 2 in the FBS in tackles for loss (9.0 per game) and 17th in points allowed (19.9 per game), forced a couple of key turnovers, including and end-zone pick by safety Rayshawn Jenkins.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (2-7, 1-4): The Cavaliers' offense revolves around do-it-all senior running back Taquan Mizell, who leads the team in rushing (642 yards, 5.1 yards per carry, 4 touchdowns) and receiving (42 receptions, 334 yards, 2 TDs). Benkert, a junior, has thrown for 2,287 yards and 19 touchdowns and has some good targets in wide receivers Keeon Johnson (40 receptions, 3 TDs) and Olamide Aaccheaus (39, 6 ), but his 11 interceptions have been a problem, as was the case against Wake Forest. The defense is ranked No. 100 in FBS in yards allowed (444.5 yards) but does have a couple of big-play defenders in inside linebacker Micah Kiser (102 tackles) and safety Quin Blanding (90), who rank 1-2 in the ACC in total tackles.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Miami PK Michael Badgley made three field goals against Pitt, including kicks of 46 and 48 yards, making him 17-for-17 from between 40 and 49 yards in his career.

2. Mizell needs 10 receiving yards to become the first player in ACC history to reach the 1,500-yard mark in both rushing and receiving yards.

3. Miami leads the series 7-6, but the Cavaliers have won four of the past six meetings.

PREDICTION: Miami 35, Virginia 24