By Vinny Porco

For the first time in the history of Louisville football, the Cardinals hold ownership of a unique accolade.

Defeating the second-ranked Miami Hurricanes Friday, Oct. 17, U of L’s football team bolstered itself into the AP Top 25 and snatched a program-defining top-five win.

However, one particular aspect of this win causes it to stand out from others in Louisville’s history, such as the 2016 beatdown of second-ranked Florida State and the 2013 Sugar Bowl against Florida.

U of L, for the first time in program history, possesses the College Football MacGuffin, a curious accolade tracked by zealous college football fans.

Merriam-Webster defines a “MacGuffin” as “an object, event, or character in a film or story that serves to set and keep the plot in motion despite usually lacking intrinsic importance.”

In 2022, college football influencer Tyler Budge, known by his online username CFBudge, introduced fans to the concept.

The Holy Grail in Arthurian legend is an example of a MacGuffin.

Budge creatively applied this concept to college football, retroactively creating a system to track the holder of the CFB MacGuffin transferred from team to team since the first college football game ever between Rutgers and Princeton.

Rutgers won that first game on Nov. 6, 1869, and immediately lost the MacGuffin to that same opposing Princeton team the following week.

In the years since, 91 unique teams have held the CFB MacGuffin, including the rival Kentucky Wildcats in 2010.

The Cardinals became the 92nd unique holder of the CFB MacGuffin on Friday night, taking it from the Miami Hurricanes.

University of Miami has, including this most recent stint, held the MacGuffin seven different times.

This piece of college football internet fandom, although not recognized by the NCAA or any conferences, has begun to garner some media attention.

Local media member Mike Rutherford wrote in a game recap for SB Nation affiliate Card Chronicle, “After 156 years of waiting, The MacGuffin — college football’s mythical championship belt — is now finally in U of L’s possession.”

On Sept. 10, Rob Weaver of Miami’s own SB Nation affiliate State of the U released a preview of the MacGuffin matchup against South Florida, the 91st unique team to hold it.

As a concept, the MacGuffin continues to become more widespread in the world of college football.

Fast forward to this week, U of L looks to not only deepen their ACC resume, but also defend the coveted MacGuffin from Boston College, another team to never have held it.

The Cardinals face off against the Boston College Golden Eagles Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7:30pm.

Feature Photo / Harrison Plank