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Its a well-worn truism in the NFL that sometimes teams go from last to first in their division very quickly. The last few seasons havent seen the kind of huge one-season reversals that we saw 15 years ago. Its been a while since a team went from five or six wins to a Super Bowl title the way that the Rams and Patriots did around the turn of the century. Still, roughly one team per season climbs from last place into the postseason. Last year it was Washington, and while no team accomplished this feat in 2014, two teams did in 2013: Kansas City and Philadelphia.So which of last years eight last-place teams are most likely to make their way into the playoffs? One is the clear favorite: the Dallas Cowboys. It wont be a big surprise for the Cowboys to go from last to first, because last year they went from first to last.Below, weve gone through the eight teams that finished in last place in each division last season, ranked by their odds of making the postseason in 2016. These odds are based on the huge 2016 simulation that we ran for our new book Football Outsiders Almanac 2016. The system predicts each teams DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average, explained here) on offense, defense and special teams using a number of variables, including performance over the last three years, coaching experience and personnel changes. Then we simulate the season a million times to get a wide range of possibilities that account for every teams best-case and worst-case scenario.1. Dallas CowboysPlayoff odds: 50.5 percent (8th of 32 teams) Custom Ducks Jerseys .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Wholesale Custom Ducks Shirts . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. http://www.customducksjersey.com/ . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. Ducks Jerseys China . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Custom Teemu Selanne Jersey . Louis Blues. Shane Hnidy joins Brian Munz for the broadcast on TSN 1290 Radio at 7pm ct. 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.ddddddddddddFRESHMEN 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 ' ' '