Effective offenses face top defenses as Louisville meets No. 2 Miami

Louisville and second-ranked Miami have had their share of shootouts over the years. Both teams can still score, but the Friday matchup in Miami Gardens, Fla., also will feature the Atlantic Coast Conference's top two defenses.

Since 2019, the teams have combined to score 326 points in their past four meetings, including a 52-45 victory by Miami last season in Louisville. Entering Friday, the Cardinals (4-1, 1-1 ACC) are scoring 36 points a game, one more than the Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0).

Those offenses will be tested. The Cardinals have the nation's 12th-best defense and lead the conference, yielding just 262 yards per game. Right behind them in the ACC are the Hurricanes, whose 276.4 yards rank 16th nationally.

Louisville's offense, however, has not been a smooth-running machine all season.

The Cardinals have turned the ball over at least once in each game, and quarterback Miller Moss has thrown pick-sixes in each of the past two games.

On top of that, a botched pitch to running back Isaac Brown led to a scoop-and-score by Virginia in Louisville's last game two weeks ago. The two defensive scores were key to the Cavaliers beating the Cardinals 30-27 in overtime even though Virginia gained only 237 total yards.

Louisville also has a banged-up offensive backfield. As a result, a ground game considered a strength for the Cardinals entering the season has been limited to 107 yards on 61 carries through two conference games.

The backs now face a Miami defense that has held opponents to 87.4 yards a game, the 14th fewest nationally, and 2.8 yards per carry, tied for 12th best.

"We need to find ways to run the ball more effectively and be able to put some pressure on the defense that way, instead of having to throw the ball quite as much," Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm said.

Still, Louisville has been able to put points on the board as Moss, a transfer from Southern California, has thrown for 984 yards on 90-of-131 passing over the past three games.

Injuries in the running game have set up more opportunities for receivers. Senior Chris Bell has set career highs in receptions and yards in back-to-back games, most recently catching 12 passes for 170 yards and two scores against Virginia. Caullin Lacy, who has punt-return touchdowns 75 and 93 yards, ranks second nationally with an average of 151.4 all-purpose yards per game.

If Brown can return to top form from a lower leg injury he has nursed for about a month, he also would provide big-play capabilities. He has scored three touchdowns, with the shortest of those going for 31 yards.

"They've got probably more of an abundance of proven playmakers on their football roster right now, and certainly, they find a way to get them the ball," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.

Miami, too, has a bevy of playmakers, including quarterback Carson Beck. The Georgia transfer, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, tops the ACC and ranks fifth nationally with a 73.4% completion rate. He has thrown for 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns with only three interceptions, but he is set to face the country's eighth-best passing defense that is allowing just 150.4 yards per game.

Freshman receiver Malachi Toney is coming off his best game, a seven-catch, 107-yard, two-touchdown performance the last time the Hurricanes played, a 28-22 win at Florida State two weeks ago.

--Field Level Media