Saturday, October 24, 2020, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, 8 p.m. ET
Cavaliers at Hurricanes Betting Preview: Cavaliers (+11.5), Hurricanes (-11.5)
Virginia Cavaliers
The Cavaliers (1-4, 1-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) have lost their last three games, each by at least 17 points, as coach Bronco Mendenhall continues to seek an answer at quarterback.
They have played four different quarterbacks already and are not sure that three-game starter Brennan Armstrong will be available. He was going through concussion protocol early in the week after sitting out the 40-23 loss to Wake Forest.
Armstrong has completed 55.7 percent of his 97 pass attempts over three games for 596 yards and five touchdowns, but he also has six interceptions. Lindell Stone, who started against Wake Forest, has similar numbers with a 56.7 percent completion rate for 426 yards with three picks against a like number of touchdowns.
Iraken Armstead and Keytaon Thompson have combined for one completion in four attempts for nine yards. The have rushed for a combined 117 yards in averaging better than 7.1 yards per carry.
The Cavaliers have gotten in the habit of slow starts and have been outscored 48-3 in the first quarter.
“I don’t know what it is, honestly,” linebacker Charles Snowden said. “I don’t think guys are going out with the wrong mindset. If I knew that answer, we wouldn’t be getting off to the slow starts.”
Miami Hurricanes
Miami bounced back from the thumping it took at Clemson with a 31-19 win over Pittsburgh, but there is somewhat of a caveat in that the Panthers were playing with a freshman quarterback with starter Kenny Pickett out injured.
Miami’s D’Eriq King tossed a season-high four touchdown passes, two of them to backup tight end Will Mallory, but also had two interceptions and was sacked four times — it wasn’t necessarily a sterling performance.
The Hurricanes averaged just 2.6 yards per rush attempt, punted six times, and failed on nine of their 13 third-down chances against Pitt.
The return of tight end Brevin Jordan should pick things up in the passing game. He missed the Pitt game with a shoulder injury.
Starting right tackle Jarrid Williams also returns for Miami after missing last week with a hand injury, but running back Donald Chaney Jr. is questionable with a shoulder injury.
Cavaliers at Hurricanes Betting Pick for October 24, 2020
The Cavaliers could be shorthanded in the secondary with starting safeties as Joey Blount and Brenton Nelson and corner De’Vante Cross all left the last week’s game with injuries. Mendenhall did not give an update on their availability. With Miami’s Jordan returning and King getting some confidence back, that’s bad news for the Cavaliers, good news for the Hurricanes’ passing game.
Cavaliers at Hurricanes Pick:
Hurricanes 42, Cavaliers 20
Cavaliers at Hurricanes Best Bet for October 24, 2020
The Hurricanes may not have been all that impressive in their win over Pittsburgh, but they did show a little life with King going 16 of 31 passing for 222 yards. Miami’s wide receivers aren’ giving King much help. Only three were credited with receptions against Pitt with Mark Pope leading with five catches for 46 yards. Michael Harley and Keyshawn Smith added three catches for 63 yards.
Cavaliers at Hurricanes Best Bet: OVER 58.5
–Field Level Media
