ERST LESEN! » for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated

Longtime rivals Miami and Virginia Tech look to get their season headed back in the right direction when they square off Thursday night in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup.The Hurricanes (4-2, 1-2 ACC) have lost two in a row and have fallen out of the Top 25, but have never lost to the Hokies (4-2, 2-1) in their previous three Thursday night games.Virginia Tech has also tumbled out of the Top 25 after a 31-17 loss at Syracuse last Saturday.The Hokies have long embraced the opportunity for the exposure a Thursday night game offers. They played 30 Thursday night contests under Frank Beamer, second only to Georgia Techs 32, but this will be the first under new coach Justin Fuente.I always enjoy the challenge every week, but the short weeks are certainly different, he said. I told my wife when I got home, `Its going to be a long, short week. Thats just the way it is, but weve got two hungry football teams that are going to play out here. Theyre very well-coached, obviously have a fine tradition and history.The challenge also is new for first-year Miami coach Mark Richt.Southeastern Conference teams play some Thursday night games, but his former school, Georgia, does not. Richt said it was administration policy, and if he had his way, college teams wouldnt play on such short rest.He also said he doesnt like the idea of Miami getting home around 5 a.m. Friday.The five-day turnaround, in my opinion, I dont think its very good even though both teams are doing it, Richt said. If you have one team with an open date, and one team with five days, thats not fair. As far as what makes sense for TV, Im sure it makes sense for TV. But what makes sense for the student-athletes?I dont think its a good idea. I think its a bad idea.---Here are some other things to watch when Miami visits Virginia Tech:STAKES: The ACCs Coastal Division is a wide open race at this point with every team having at least one loss, the Hokies having beaten current leader North Carolina (3-1) and with games against the Hurricanes and Pittsburgh (2-1 in the division) still ahead. The next two weeks will likely help sort the contenders and pretenders.FRESHMEN STARTERS: Theres a chance that Miami could have five true freshmen starting on defense against the Hokies. Shaquille Quarterman, Michael Pinckney and Zach McCloud are the starting linebackers, and because of a rash of injuries, Miami might be forced to start Joe Jackson and Pat Bethel on the defensive line as well. Its been an unusual year, theres no doubt, with guys being in and out of the lineup, Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. But well see. Well have 11 the first play of the game Thursday night.NUMBERS GAME: Miami has the edge both in scoring average (36.7 ppg to the Hokies 35.7) and defensive scoring average (14 ppg allowed to the Hokies 18.2), but the Hurricanes also didnt play a Power Five conference school until the fourth game of the year, which could skew the numbers. Miami has won the last two meetings, and three of the last four, and is 3-0 against their former Big East Conference rival when they meet on Thursday night.PASSING FANCY: Since fumbling three times in a loss to No. 18 Tennessee, Hokies quarterback Jerod Evans has been very good about protecting the ball. For the season Evans has 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions, and hes the fourth-rated passer among Power Five schools. Miamis Brad Kaaya is 2-0 against Virginia Tech, but still working his way back from a shoulder injury that caused the Miami coaches to shut him down for a few days.COMMON GROUND: Richt and Fuente have plenty in common -- they are both quarterbacks successfully recruited out of high school by Howard Schnellenberger. Richt played for Schnellenberger at Miami, and Fuente signed with Oklahoma to play for Schnellenberger (though the coach resigned after Fuentes redshirt season there).---AP sports writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report---Online: The APs college football page: http://collegefootball.ap.org---Follow Hank on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hankkurzjr Cheap Custom Patriots Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Nick Buoniconti Jersey . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. http://www.custompatriotsjersey.com/custom-john-david-crow-jersey-large-1061f.html . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Lamar McHan Jersey . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm. Richard Dent Jersey . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is back in the starting lineup for the banged up New York Yankees.Ellsbury is second in Wednesday nights batting order against Tampa Bay. Ellsbury missed two games with a bruised right knee, the result of sliding into the wall while attempting to make a catch Saturday at Boston.Third bbaseman Chase Headley was out of the lineup for the third straight game due to back spasms but hopes to play Thursday night.ddddddddddddSecond baseman Starlin Castro remains out with a strained right hamstring. ' ' '