Miami football ACC Coastal chances after Pitt win over North Carolina
The 30-23 victory in overtime by Pittsburgh over North Carolina continues to put the Panthers in the driver’s seat for their second ACC Coastal Division title in four seasons. Pittsburgh hosts Virginia next week and plays at Syracuse to finish the regular season. The Miami football. team needs Pittsburgh and Virginia to lose.
Pittsburgh leads the ACC Coastal with a 5-1 record. Virginia is 4-2 and Miami 3-2. The Hurricanes own the tiebreaker over Pittsburgh with their win at Heinz Field two weeks ago. Virginia owns the tiebreaker over Miami with its victory at Hard Rock Stadium in September. Virginia hosts Notre Dame on Saturday.
The Cavaliers finish the season next Saturday at Pittsburgh and hosts Virginia Tech on November 30. A lot can still happen in the ACC Coastal Division in the last three weekends. North Carolina rallied from a 17-0 deficit to force the overtime. Pittsburgh scored on its first OT possession and stopped UNC on their’s for the win.
A few plays in almost every game involving Coastal Division teams. The last five Miami football games have come down to one possession. The Hurricanes season could come down to the loss to Virginia. Kicker Andres Borregales hit the upright on the last play with Miami trailing 30-28.
If Miami had defeated Virginia they would be in control of their own destiny. The loss to North Carolina would also put Miami in control of their own destiny, but would still give Virginia the tiebreaker over the Hurricanes. If Pittsburgh wins the division it will be the third time in a row Miami defeated the Coastal Champion.
The 2020 season did not have divisions in the ACC with an odd number of teams due to the one-year addition of Notre Dame. Miami defeated Virginia during their 2019 ACC Coastal Division title year and Pittsburgh in 2018. With Miami winning the division in 2017, the Hurricanes have not lost to the Coastal champion since 2017.
Next. Miami needs to slow Florida State pass rush. dark
With Pittsburgh and Virginia playing next weekend, Miami needs the winner to lose the final weekend of the regular season. Syracuse if 5-4 overall and with the game at the Carrier Dome, anything is possible. Virginia has lost 16 out of the last 17 games to Virginia Tech. Miami needs to continue to win out.