BLACKSBURG -- Looking for Virginia Tech's football team Thursday night?

Here's one hot search tip: The Hokies are guaranteed to be planted in front of a TV set somewhere.

Already the recipient of one huge break, courtesy of Maryland's upset over North Carolina last Saturday, the Hokies will be looking for another reprieve in the ACC's Coastal Division chase when Miami and Georgia Tech clash Thursday evening in Atlanta.

If Miami (7-3, 4-2) wins, Virginia Tech (6-4, 3-3) is toast in the division race. If Miami loses, Tech can steal the Coastal with wins in its final two regular-season games at home -- against Duke on Saturday and Virginia on Nov. 29.

"Front door, back door, it doesn't matter which door we get in as long we get in," Hokies rover Dorian Porch said Tuesday.

"I didn't watch the game Saturday, but when I heard Maryland won, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. We need Georgia Tech to come out and take care of business, and I feel like they can. As a player, you can kinda tell by a team's demeanor what their intentions are when they come on the field. Hopefully, from the first kickoff, Georgia Tech will set the tone for us the rest of the game."

Tech coach Frank Beamer will be among the Yellow Jackets' biggest cheerleaders.

"I'm pulling for Georgia Tech on Thursday," Beamer said. "You want that to happen. But I think what we need to do right now is put all our concentration on Duke, getting ready to play the best we possibly can."

Defensive end Jason Worilds said the Hokies shouldn't have put themselves in this position to start with. Tech controlled its destiny before losing 16-14 at Miami last Thursday.

"If it happens, it happens. It will be good for us. I really hope it does," Worilds said. "But, personally, I feel like we had our chance. We missed on it this year, so we've just gotta keep getting better."

Computer illiterate

When asked if he sent his close friend, Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, an e-mail saying "thanks" for the Terps knocking off UNC, Beamer laughed during his Monday teleconference.

"I don't even know where to start," Beamer confessed.

Blown opportunity

Things may have turned out differently for the Hokies at Miami if they would have converted a fourth-and-1 at the UM 18 on the game's opening drive. Tailback Darren Evans was stopped for no gain on the play, and Tech got no points.

"We needed to set a tone right there," Beamer said. "It all got back to the tight end didn't get off the ball. I asked him this morning and he said he couldn't hear, couldn't hear the cadence.

"We've got to talk louder and hear and get off on the snap, particularly on a short-yardage situation."

Quick slants

Beamer confirmed that QBs Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon are both healthy. He refused further comment on which one will start or whether both will play. ... The third quarter continues to be a bugaboo for the Hokies. They have been outscored 14-0 by Florida State, 10-3 by Maryland, and 6-0 by Miami in the third period the past three games. ... Cory Holt, who bailed the Hokies out at quarterback when Glennon and Taylor were hurt at Florida State on Oct. 25, is getting some practice reps at wide receiver this week, Beamer said.