By Anirudh Kannan

The Miami Hurricane’s Anirudh Kannan previews Miami football before they face off against the Louisville Cardinals

If this year’s matchup between the Cardinals and the Hurricanes is anything like last year’s, supporters from both sides could be treated to another high-scoring thriller between the two ACC powerhouses.

Miami comes into this one off of their second bye in the last three weeks, with the Hurricanes’ last game being a narrow six-point victory against FSU in week 6.

UM looked dominant in the first three quarters against the Seminoles and had a 25-point lead going into the fourth, but appeared to take their foot off the gas as Florida State stormed back into the game with 19 unanswered points.

Regardless, Miami was able to take care of business against FSU and now sits at 5-0 and No. 2 in the AP college football rankings.

Louisville rattled off four straight wins against unranked teams to begin their 2025 season, but dropped their last game against Virginia in a disappointing overtime loss.

The Cardinals rallied in the fourth quarter to erase a 10-point deficit against the Cavaliers, but came up just short as Virginia handed Louisville their first loss of the season.

While Louisville looks to rebound against Miami this week to improve their record to 5-1, the ‘Canes will be trying to go undefeated in their first six games for the second consecutive year. Here’s what to expect from the Hurricanes’ side of the field.

Miami X-Factor of the Week: Reuben Bain Jr. 

Bain has had a historic season for the Hurricanes in his junior season, pressuring opposing quarterbacks at will. And while his raw statistics don’t necessarily jump off the page, his impact for the UM defense has been invaluable. 

In addition to the two turnovers he’s responsible for on the stat sheet, Bain has forced countless more through his unrelenting pressures.

If Bain can continue his success into this week’s matchup, it may be a rough day for the Cardinals, who conceded both an interception and fumble return for touchdowns against Virginia.

Louisville could keep this one close in what many are considering to be a “trap” game for Miami, but if Bain is firing, it could be a long night for the Cardinals.

UM’s Keys to the Game:

Finish strong

As successful as Miami’s season has been, a major point of criticism for the Hurricanes this year has been their inability to finish games strong.

In addition to last week’s matchup against FSU where they were outscored 19-0 in the fourth, UM even looked lackluster in the third quarter against Florida, putting up just 45 yards of offense in the period.

Miami had similar issues against their home opener against Notre Dame where they were outscored 17-6 in the fourth quarter and turned what could have been a dominant victory into a tight nail-biter of a game.

The Hurricanes inability to close out games with dominance has yet to truly cost them this season, but they may be playing with fire against a hungry Louisville team if they continue their late game struggles.

Contain Chris Bell

Miami’s secondary has been on an absolute heater, with no quarterback eclipsing three touchdowns or three hundred yards through their first five games of the season.

However, Louisville’s star wideout Bell poses a significant threat to the Miami defense with back-to-back games over 100 yard games and over 500 receiving yards on the year.

Even at well over 200-pounds and six-foot-two, Bell has incredible top end speed and an ability to torch corners at will. Miami’s secondary has been outstanding up to date, but they will certainly have to be on their A-game if they don’t want Bell to get loose.

Get Malachi Toney and CJ Daniels Involved Early

Miami has a two-headed monster at the receiver position with LSU-transfer Daniels and true freshman Toney. 

Daniels has shown immense prowess as a physical jump ball receiver who also has tremendous speed, putting up over 250 yards and an impressive five touchdowns in Miami’s first five games.

Toney, on the other hand, does his best damage from the slot position with yards after the catch. He is currently the Hurricanes receiving yards leader with 375 yards on the season in addition to three touchdown receptions.

Louisville has yet to concede five receptions to any receiver in their 2025 campaign and has allowed just one to break the 100 yard mark. Therefore, it will be crucial for Miami to get their receivers involved early to set them up for monster plays in the later phases of the game.

If UM can get Toney and Daniels settled into the rhythm of the offense in the first half, it could pay dividends when they need it most against a stingy Louisville secondary.

Miami vs Louisville: A Quick History

  • The first matchup between Miami and Louisville was on Nov. 11, 1933, in which the Hurricanes blew out the Cardinals in a dominant 33-7 performance.
  • It took 73 years for Louisville to beat UM, with the Cardinals getting their first victory in a 31-7 victory at home in 2006.
  • In the last 11 matchups between the two teams, at least one has scored north of 30 points.
  • Ever since 2023, the Cardinals and ’Canes have competed for the Schnellenberger Trophy, which honors former Louisville and Miami head coach Howard Schnellenberger.
  • The all-time series between Miami and Louisville is 12-4-1 in the Hurricanes’ favor.

Photo by Vinny Porco / The Louisville Cardinal