We have finally arrived at game week!
The Miami Hurricanes had another bye week after defeating the Florida State Seminoles, and now it is full steam ahead from here on out.
Miami currently ranks second
in the AP Poll and has everyone praising the team’s greatness, and rightfully so. The Canes arguably have the best resume in college football right now and are possibly the best team in the country.
With that being said, this is the time of year when Miami can hurt itself and drop one of these ACC conference games.
With Louisville coming into town for a Friday night game, this would be a game where everyone is a bit worried about how Miami can respond and continue its dominance.
We’ve seen how crazy Friday Night games are in college football, and this one has the potential to be one of those games. If Miami can focus and win these three matchups, the team will be in good shape.
Miami’s Offensive Line vs. Louisville’s Defensive Line
Pro Football Focus (PFF) has Louisville graded out as the 13th-best overall team in the country, and a reason for this is their pass rush.
PFF has an elite grade of 91.6 for the Cardinals’ pass rush, which ranks second in college football. They have a better grade than the Hurricanes’ pass rush, which is saying a lot, given how dominant they have been.
Miami’s offensive line will need to show why they are one of the top units in the country on Friday night.
They will look to contain their top pass rusher, Clev Lubin. He leads Louisville in sacks (5.0) and total pressures (24). The Cardinals have three other players with three sacks each.
A great way to contain their pass rush is to win on early downs (1st and 2nd down) and run the ball effectively. Future first-round pick Francis Mauigoa will need to set the tone for the rest of his line mates and dominate this game.
If Miami can win this side of the line of scrimmage, where I still believe they do, the game on Friday night becomes easier for Miami.
Sounds simple and straightforward, but these are the types of games where the Canes need to lock into their assignments and not drop a game like this.
Miami’s Secondary vs. WR Chris Bell
Miami will be going against one of the best receivers in college football, as Chris Bell has been phenomenal for the Louisville Cardinals.
His season totals thus far consist of 35 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns. Just in the last two games, he has recorded 22 receptions for 305 yards and three touchdowns.
Bell is going to be a threat all game and will get his numbers against Miami. Louisville does a great job of scheming him open and force-feeding him the ball. It’s now the Canes’ job to contain him and not make him beat them.
It’ll be a combination of Xavier Lucas, Ethan O’Connor, and OJ Frederique Jr. that’ll be tasked to contain Bell. These three corners have played the most on the outside, which is where Bell primarily lines up for the Cardinals.
Lucas primarily lines up on the outside with only one snap in the slot and 159 snaps on the boundary. He’ll probably see Bell the most, but O’Connor and Frederique see a lot of snaps there as well.
The corners have been good this season, but many still believe they haven’t been tested enough. While I beg to differ, they will be tested against Miller Moss and this Louisville offense.
This will be one of the matchups that not only determines the game but is also fun to watch unfold on Friday night.
DC Corey Hetherman vs. The Brohm Brothers
You read that right, the coaching brothers of Louisville are a force.
Jeff Brohm is the head coach, and Brian Brohm serves as the offensive coordinator. They have been great at Louisville with their offenses and making the most out of what they have.
The brothers have a quarterback, Miller Moss, who has been great for them. He has recorded over 1,300 passing yards for seven touchdowns while completing 67% of his passes. I have a high opinion of how the Brohm brothers run their offense and operation at Louisville, and it can present some problems for Miami.
Fortunately, the Canes have Corey Hetherman, who has his defense playing lights out.
There is an argument to be made that Hetherman is the best defensive coordinator in the country, and the tape proves it. His simulated pressures and ability to get his most dominant players in advantageous positions are what make Miami great on defense.
Louisville will look to air it out against the Hurricanes, but there is one area where they are really struggling.
The offensive line.
PFF has the Cardinals’ pass-blocking grade at 57.0, which ranks as the 33rd-worst in the country. Hetherman will get Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor in great positions to win their matchups and wreck the game.
This play-calling matchup between Miami’s defense and Louisville’s offense will be crucial to how this game unfolds.
At the end of the day, I do believe Hetherman has the advantage here, and so does his incredibly talented defense against the Cardinals’ offense.
