|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE | |
MIAMI (Ticker) -- If top-ranked Miami is looking to make up ground in the Bowl Championship Series rankings, a win over West Virginia on Thursday will only go so far. The top-ranked Hurricanes seek their 16th straight win when they host the struggling Mountaineers in a Big East Conference battle of first-year coaches. Miami (5-0, 2-0 Big East) is just fourth in the BCS poll, which sets the pecking order of championship contenders, due to a weak schedule that ranks 92nd out of 117 schools. The Hurricanes must finish either first or second in the poll to advance to the title game in the Rose Bowl. "I think the BCS is more for the end of the season than now," Miami coach Larry Coker said. "I think the main thing we have to do is stay focused and do our job and win football games. If we do that, hopefully things will take care of themselves." West Virginia (2-4, 0-2) will do little to enhance the Hurricanes' strength of schedule component. The Mountaineers have allowed 101 points in losing their last three games under coach Rich Rodriguez. Miami has had little trouble under Coker, winning each of its games by at least 22 points. The Hurricanes have not played since rolling to a 49-27 win over Florida State on October 13. Ken Dorsey threw three touchdown passes and the Hurricanes scored a pair of TDs on special teams and another on defense. Dorsey remains in strong contention for the Heisman Trophy and a solid performance before a national cable audience will not hurt his cause. The junior plays relatively mistake-free football, throwing 11 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. Dorsey threw for 291 yards in a 47-10 rout of West Virginia last season. Miami has won the last three games against the Mountaineers since a 28-17 loss in 1997. The Hurricanes have found numerous ways to score. Thirteen touchdowns and 89 points this season have come off defense and special teams. West Virginia relies on Avon Cobourne, who ran for 169 yards, including a 60-yard TD run, in a 34-24 loss at Notre Dame on October 13. The Mountaineers have lost all seven times they have played the top-ranked team in the country. The most recent setback was a 34-17 decision to Ohio State in 1998. Miami's 15-game winning streak is second only to a 20-game run for Oklahoma. The Hurricanes are 5-1 in Thursday night games, including a 43-21 rout of Pittsburgh in September.
|
