No. 6 Miami (6-0, 2-0 ACC) visits No. 22 Louisville (4-2, 2-1) this Saturday at 12 p.m. ET, broadcasted on ABC.
According to BetMGM, Miami is favored by 5 points, and historically, they lead the series against Louisville with an 11-4-1 record.
As for the implications of the matchup, Miami is coming off a bye week and remains one of three teams in the ACC with a 2-0 record, vying for the top position currently held by Clemson.
The Hurricanes are looking to produce a more comprehensive performance after narrowly winning their recent games against Virginia Tech and California, in which they managed to erase a 25-point deficit.
Meanwhile, Louisville aims to build on their recent comeback win against Virginia, ending a two-game losing streak.
The Cardinals will also be hoping to maintain possession of the Schnellenberger Trophy, dedicated to the renowned coach known for rejuvenating both football programs.
In terms of key player matchups, Miami boasts the nation’s top-ranked offense, averaging nearly 584 yards and 48 points each game, demonstrating strength both in passing and rushing.
The Hurricanes have an impressive rushing average of 183.8 yards per game and have recorded at least 39 points against three Power 4 rivals this season.
Conversely, Louisville has faced difficulties in tackling, leading to vulnerabilities against explosive plays; however, they rank fifth in ACC scoring defense, allowing just 19.7 points per game, and sixth in total defense, yielding about 336 yards.
The Cardinals notched three sacks last week against Virginia and have limited opponents to an average of 119.5 rushing yards per game.
Fans should keep an eye on some standout players in the game.
For Miami, quarterback Cam Ward has emerged as a standout, positioning himself as a serious Heisman Trophy contender.
He leads the nation in total offense per game and points responsible for; additionally, he ties with others for the most touchdown passes in the FBS with 20.
Ward is also the second leading passer with 2,219 yards and has consistently thrown for over 300 yards in each of this season’s six games.
On the Louisville side, running back Isaac Brown is stepping up as the team’s main offensive threat, accumulating 508 rushing yards and becoming the first freshman since Lamar Jackson in 2015 to achieve three 100-yard games.
He is coming off a strong performance against Virginia, where he recorded 146 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, currently ranking eighth in the ACC with an average of 84.7 rushing yards per game.
As for some interesting statistics, top-six ranked teams in the AP Top 25 have an impressive record of 23-4 this season when facing unranked teams.
Miami holds a notable all-time record of 141-24 when ranked in the top six; however, they have only managed to secure one win in their last three such games, dating back to one in 2005 and two in 2017.
The Hurricanes had previously dominated the early series against the Cardinals, going 9-0-1 in their first ten meetings, but have since gone 2-4 against them.
Additionally, Louisville has not allowed a touchdown in the third quarter during the current season, leading to a remarkable scoring differential of 59-12 in the same period.