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How it happened: Louisville stuns No. 2 Miami

IMG_6080 3by: William McDermott10/18/25804derm
Oct 17, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss (7) celebrates after winning the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss (7) celebrates after winning the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

University of Louisville football got off to a sizzling start offensively in the wire-to-wire 24-21 upset victory at No. 2 Miami on Friday.

It was a picture-perfect drive for quarterback Miller Moss and the Cards, one that ended on a one-yard Moss sneak into the end zone. But all that was set up by several nifty multi-qb packages, wildcat formations, and a fake field goal that set Louisville at the Miami one.

After leading 14-0, Louisville never looked back. Moss played a clean game with no turnovers and completed 23-of-37 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns.

As a team, the UofL outgained the Canes 367-334, added six more first downs, and ran nine more plays.

It seemed like the Cardinals were headed for another disaster down the stretch as running back Isaac Brown fumbled the football, setting the Hurricanes up inside the 15-yard line. But, Louisville’s defense eventually made the plays necessary to pull off the upset.

Brown had his best game of the season on the ground, and despite dealing with some injuries, he seems to be finding his footing after the bye week. The sophomore is a native of southern Florida and ran for 113 yards on 15 carries, averaging 7.5 yards a pop. As a team, it was the Cards’ best ground game in ACC play up until this point, and it was against a run defense that was giving up under three yards a carry coming in.

Chris Bell continues to emerge as the top receiver in the conference and put up his third consecutive 100-yard game against Miami. Bell caught nine balls for 136 yards and two touchdowns. He is on pace for one of the best seasons in school history.

While the Cards’ offense did enough to win the game, it was the defense that consistently kept Louisville at arm’s length. The Cards forced four interceptions (Antonio Watts, JoJo Evans, TJ Capers, Jabari Mack) and consistently prevented Miami quarterback Carson Beck from getting into a rhythm. While three of the interceptions set the tone over the course of the game, Capers made the game-winning pick with under a minute to play. The Hurricanes had the football in field goal range with a chance to tie it. Capers is also a Miami native.

Head coach Jeff Brohm now has four career wins vs top-5 teams; this is his first at Louisville. All have come while being unranked.

Louisville moves to 5-1, 2-1 in the ACC and will host Boston College this coming weekend.

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