Louisville Shocks No. 2 Miami with Fast Start and Clutch Finish
The Cardinals earned a historic victory on Friday night, pulling off a stunning 24-21 upset over second-ranked Miami at Hard Rock Stadium—marking the highest-ranked road win in program history.
In a nationally spotlighted primetime matchup, Louisville (5-1, 2-1 ACC) came out firing, scoring touchdowns on their opening two drives. They then leaned on their defense to hold off Miami (5-1, 1-1 ACC), sealing the win with a game-ending interception by linebacker T.J. Capers with just 32 seconds remaining.
The win was a big bounce-back after Louisville’s overtime loss to Virginia. It also marked head coach Jeff Brohm’s first top-five victory with the Cardinals and improved his career record to 4-2 against top-five AP teams since 2018.
Wide receiver Chris Bell was the star on offense, hauling in nine catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Isaac Brown added 133 yards on 15 carries, while quarterback Miller Moss threw for 248 yards and two scores and also ran in another touchdown.
Louisville totaled 367 yards of offense and forced four interceptions from Miami quarterback Carson Beck. Defensive backs Jabari Mack, JoJo Evans, Antonio Watts, and Capers all recorded picks in a standout performance by the Cardinals’ secondary.
The Cardinals struck early, scoring against a Miami defense that had yet to allow a first-quarter touchdown all season. Moss pushed in a one-yard score to cap the opening drive, followed by a 35-yard touchdown catch-and-run from Bell.
Miami responded with a touchdown of its own on the next drive, and although Louisville’s offense slowed down the rest of the half, the defense picked up the slack. Watts and Mack grabbed back-to-back interceptions, and Miami was held to a field goal just before halftime, giving Louisville a 14-10 edge at the break.
After halftime, Cooper Ranvier added to the lead with a 48-yard field goal. Miami matched it with a kick of their own, but early in the fourth quarter, Bell struck again—this time with a 36-yard touchdown reception.
Louisville appeared to have iced the game with an interception by JoJo Evans, but a quick fumble by Brown handed the Hurricanes the ball back at the 12-yard line. Miami capitalized on the mistake instantly with a touchdown, cutting the lead to three.
The Hurricanes got the ball back once more with just over four minutes to play, but Louisville’s defense stood tall. Capers’ interception near the red zone secured the win.
The Cardinals now head home to face Boston College at L&N Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 25, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. EST.
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