Louisville Report

Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Miami Hurricanes

The Cardinals return home for a matchup with the undefeated Hurricanes.

Matthew McGavic

Nov 18, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver Jamari Thrash (1) runs with the football for a touchdown against Miami Hurricanes linebacker K.J. Cloyd (23) during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium.
Nov 18, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver Jamari Thrash (1) runs with the football for a touchdown against Miami Hurricanes linebacker K.J. Cloyd (23) during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
In this story:

No. 6/6 Miami Hurricanes (6-0, 2-0 ACC) at RV/RV Louisville Cardinals (4-2, 2-1ACC)

- Kickoff: Saturday, October 19 at 12:00 p.m. EST
- Location: L&N Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
- Weather Conditions: Sunny. High 73F. Winds light and variable.
- How To Watch: ABC
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Miami -5.0
- All-Time Series: Miami leads 11-4-1
- Last Meeting: Louisville won 38-31 on Nov. 18, 2023 (Hard Rock Stadium - Coral Gables, Fla.)

Game Notes

Louisville

  • Louisville snapped its two-game losing streak with a come-from-behind 24-20 win at Virginia last Saturday. Tyler Shough connected with Jamari Johnson on a five-yard touchdown pass with 1:55 remaining in the game — the first touchdown reception of Johnson’s career.
  • Shough completed 18-of-31 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown — his sixth-straight game of throwing at least one touchdown throw.
  • Shough led the Cardinals on an 11-play, 67-yard drive to win the game, the first game-winning score in the final two minutes since Blanton Creque booted a 41-yard field goal with 1:02 remaining to lift the Cards to a 41-39 win.
  • Isaac Brown led all rushers with 20 carries for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brown has 508 yards rushing this season, the third highest total by a true freshman in program history.
  • Brown is the second true freshman in Louisville history to have three 100-yard rushing games, joining Lamar Jackson who had five 100-yard rushing games as a quarterback in 2015.
  • Ja’Corey Brooks led Louisville receivers with 5 receptions for 83 yards. Brooks caught a 61-yard pass for his fourth reception of at least 40 yards this season and second of at least 60 yards.
  • Caullin Lacy, who played in his third career game with the Cardinals, caught four passes for 50 yards — the second time he’s caught four or more passes in a game this season.
  • After going 20-straight games without allowing a touchdown on the opening drive, Louisville has allowed the opposition to score a touchdown on the first drive for the third-straight contest.
  • Louisville maintained its streak of allowing no third-quarter touchdowns this season. The Cardinals have outscored its opponents 59-12 in the third quarter this year.
  • Ashton Gillotte had three tackles, one solo tackle, a sack, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hurries in the win.
  • Gillotte moves into a tie with Marcus Smith for 7th on the Louisville career sack list with 24. and into a tie with Smith for 8th on the Louisville career tackle for loss list with 33.
  • Ramon Puryear played in his 58th game in the win over Virginia — sixth most on the Louisville career list — and had five tackles, including four solo tackles and his first sack of the season to take his career sack total to 7.5.
  • After being held without a sack for the second time in the last three games versus SMU, Louisville responded with 3.0 sacks — the second-most sacks in a game this year.
  • The Cardinals are looking to avoid their first two-game home losing streak since the
    2018-19 season where they lost six games over those two seasons. Louisville fell to SMU 34-27 on Oct. 5.
  • Quarterback Tyler Shough, who will reach his career high with his seventh start, has surpassed his career-best totals for passing yards (1,674) and touchdowns (14). The graduate senior has thrown a touchdown pass in all six games and is completing 63.4 percent of his passes.
  • The Cardinals rank 22nd nationally in total offense, averaging 461.8 yards per game and totaling over 400 yards in four of six games.
  • The Cardinals are 13th nationally in yards per play at 7.2 and stand tied for second in the country with 14 plays of 40+ yards and eight of 50+ yards this season.
  • Running back Isaac Brown is the team’s top rusher with 508 yards and ranks eighth in the ACC as a true freshman.
  • His 508 yards rushing this season is the third highest total by a true freshman in program history. He trails Lamar Jackson who had 960 yards in 2015 and John Brewer who had 573 yards in 1948.
  • Brown is the second true freshman in Louisville history to have three 100-yard rushing games, joining Lamar Jackson who had five 100-yard rushing games as a quarterback in 2015.
  • Brown’s 508 rushing yards are the most by any freshman in the country and is one of two freshman backs with 500 yards rushing (Ahmad Hard, La.-Monroe, 500 yards).
  • Brown ranks seventh in the country with an 8.6 per carry average. He owns 16 rushes for 10 or more yards and five of 20 or more yards.
  • Brown is also second on the team in receiving with 14 catches for 92 yards.
  • Wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks leads the ACC with six receiving touchdowns and is second with 572 receiving yards.
  • Brooks ranks fourth in the conference in yards per reception at 19.1 yards a catch which ranks 31st in the country. Brooks’ 19.1 yards per catch is tops in the nation for receivers with 30 or more receptions.
  • Jeff Brohm’s teams are 9-2 at home in two seasons as the head coach.
  • Since missing the first three games, Caullin Lacy is tied for third on the team with 13 catches for 122 yards after catching four passes for 50 yards against Virginia. He made his UofL debut with five catches for 71 yards in a loss at Notre Dame.
  • With a pair of completions of over 40 yards, Shough ranks third in the ACC and 14h nationally with an average of 14.4 yards per completion.
  • Shough stands third in the country with nine completions of over 40 yards and five of over 50 yards. The native of Chandler, Ariz., also has two completions of over 60 yards after he connected with Ja’Corey Brooks for a 61-yard reception.
  • Shough is on pace to pass for 3,348 yards, which would be the most yards since Lamar Jackson threw for 3,660 yards in 2017.
  • Safety M.J. Griffin has moved up to second on the team in tackles with 31 after registering nine tackles against SMU and eight against Virginia.
  • After being held to one sack in the last three games, the Cards responded with three in the 24-20 win at Virginia.
  • The Cards beat Virginia for the second year in a row after trailing in the fourth quarter. It was head coach Jeff Brohm’s third fourth-quarter comeback in his 20 games as the UofL leader.

Miami

  • The Miami Hurricanes continue their third season under the direction of head coach Mario Cristobal on Sat., Oct. 19 at Louisville. Kickoff from L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium is set for 12 p.m.
  • Miami is off to a 6-0 start for the first time under Cristobal’s direction. Trailing by 25 points in the second half, the Hurricanes came back to top Cal, 39-38, and move to 2-0 in ACC play last time out on Oct. 5.
  • Over the last 20 years, ACC teams were 1-401 facing a 25-point deficit - the lone exception being a NC State victory (down by 27) vs. Maryland in 2011.
  • QB Cam Ward became the first Hurricanes quarterback in history to open his career with six straight performances of 300 passing yards or more; last time out, Ward threw for a season-high 437 yards.
  • Miami is looking to start a season 7-0 for the first time since 2017, when it started the season 10-0.
  • Miami is looking to continue a strong start to Atlantic Coast Conference play when it travels to play Louisville on Sat., Oct. 19. The Hurricanes are looking to start 3-0 in ACC play for the first time since 2017, when it started 10-0 overall and 7-0 and finished with a 7-1 ACC record.
  • Bolstered by the addition of several impressive newcomers and anchored by a talented group of returning veterans, Miami was ranked No. 19 in both preseason polls - and checked in at No. 6 in both the Associated Press poll and LBM Coaches Poll on Oct. 13.
  • Among Miami’s top newcomers is QB Cam Ward, who was named ACC Preseason Player of the Year in a poll of media at the conference’s annual media day in Charlotte, N.C. Selected
    to nearly every major award watch list, Ward became the first quarterback in Miami Hurricanes history throw for 300 yards and three or more touchdowns in his first six starts of the year.
  • Following an open date last time out on Oct. 12, Miami held firm to their No. 6 spot in both the Associated Press top 25 and the LBM Coaches Poll released on Oct. 13. UM jumped to No. 6 in the Oct. 7 polls after a win at Cal.
  • The Hurricanes’ offensive line was one of 22 groups named to the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award honoring the nation’s top unit. Despite missing two players who started Miami’s season opener at Florida, the Hurricanes made the cut for the second straight year. Mario Cristobal’s OL won the award at Alabama in 2015.
  • With a 39-38 victory over California last time out, the Hurricanes improved to 6-0 to start the season for the first time since 2017, when they started 10-0. Prior to 2017, the Hurricanes last started a season 6-0 in 2013 (7-0).
  • Miami is ranked No. 1 in FBS in plays of 20-or-more yards (53) and No. 2 in plays of 10-or-more yards (128). Of the 53 plays of 20-or-more yards, 43 are passing - most in FBS. Of the 128 plays of 10-or-more yards, 97 are passing. The Canes had only 48 passing plays of 20-or-more yards and 129 of 10-or-more pass yards in 2023.
  • Miami is ranked No. 1 in FBS in scoring differential in second halves; Miami’s +20.0 average point differential in is ahead of No. 2 Ohio State (+18.17). UM’s best stanza is the fourth quarter (+11.00) - which leads all of FBS.
  • Entering Week 8, the Hurricanes rank No. 1 in the nation in “defensive mayhem” - plays on defense featuring a a tackle for loss, an interception or a gained fumble. Despite no fumbles gained, Miami has a 16.33% mayhem rate on defense; the Hurricanes have a 9.66% sack rate, a 13.47% tackle-for-loss rate and a 5.35% interception rate. UM ranks No. 7 in FBS in team sacks (3.33), No. 12 in team tackles for loss (7.8) and No. 5 in interceptions (10).
  • A season after the entire group finished with 154 receiving yards and one touchdown in 2023, Miami’s tight ends have emerged as go-to options for QB Cam Ward in 2024. In the season opener vs. Florida, Elijah Arroyo had a
    career-best 89 yards on four catches, Cam McCormick opened the game’s scoring with his first touchdown as a Hurricane, and freshman Elija Lofton had two catches for 38 yards vs. the host Gators in a lopsided win.
  • Miami is one of just six teams to rank in the top 15 of both total offense (#1) and total defense (#14) entering Week 8, joining Texas (#7/#1), Indiana (#4/#6), Ohio State (#7/#4), Tennessee (#9/#2) and Penn State (#14/#8)
  • While Miami’s offense has been among the most prolific in the country through the first half of the season, the Hurricanes have also methodically controlled the clock this year. Miami is one of just five teams whose average
    time of possession is more than 34 minutes per game - 34:08, the fourth-highest mark in all of FBS.
  • Miami ranks No. 40 nationally in passing yards allowed (192.8), No. 14 nationally in passing yards per completion (14.55), No. 5 nationally in passes intercepted (10) and No. 10 in FBS in team passing efficiency defense (106.25).
  • One of the top kickers in the country for the entirety of his career with the Miami Hurricanes, K Andy Borregales is enjoying a senior year that could leave him atop the Miami record books among the best kickers in history. In a win over VT, Borregales kicked a career-long 56-yard field goal just before halftime - it was tied for the fourthlongest field in Miami Hurricanes history. It was his 62nd career made field goal - the fourth-most in UM history.

Depth Charts

Here are the depth charts for both teams ahead of their matchup: Louisville vs. Miami

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Mustangs, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of the Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Miami

Uniform Report

Louisville will be wearing black helmets (with the Cards script), jerseys and pants; while Miami will be wearing white helmets, jerseys and pants.

Additional Coverage

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You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X

Published
Matthew McGavic
MATTHEW MCGAVIC

McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic

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