Game Day Notes: Miami Hurricanes at Louisville … how to watch, start time, game notes & more

NO. 6 MIAMI (6-0, 2-0 ACC) VS. LOUISVILLE (4-2, 2-1 ACC)

GAMEDAY INFO

Date: Sat., Oct. 19, 2024
Time: 12 p.m. EDT
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Stadium: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium (60,800)
Television: ABC
Talent: Joe Tessitore, Jordan Rodgers, Stormy Buanontany
Radio: 560 WQAM
Talent: Joe Zagacki, Don Bailey, Jr., Josh Darrow
Series History: Miami leads, 11-4-1
Miami / Miami Gardens: Miami leads, 6-1-1
Louisville: Miami leads, 5-2
Neutral Site: Louisville leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Miami lost, 31-38 (November 18, 2023)

GAMEDAY NOTES

QUICK HITS

• The Miami Hurricanes continue their third season under the direction of head coach Mario Cristobal on Sat., Oct. 19 at Louisville. Kickoff from L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium is set for 12 p.m.

• Miami is off to a 6-0 start for the first time under Cristobal’s direction. Trailing by 25 points in the second half, the Hurricanes came back to top Cal, 39-38, and move to 2-0 in ACC play last time out on Oct. 5.

• Over the last 20 years, ACC teams were 1-401 facing a 25-point deficit – the lone exception being a NC State victory (down by 27) vs. Maryland in 2011.

• QB Cam Ward became the first Hurricanes quarterback in history to open his career with six straight performances of 300 passing yards or more; last time out, Ward threw for a season-high 437 yards.

• Miami is looking to start a season 7-0 for the first time since 2017, when it started the season 10-0.

NOTEABLE

• Miami is looking to continue a strong start to Atlantic Coast Conference play when it travels to play Louisville on Sat., Oct. 19. The Hurricanes are looking to start 3-0 in ACC play for the first time since 2017, when it started 10-0 overall and 7-0 and finished with a 7-1 ACC record.

• Bolstered by the addition of several impressive newcomers and anchored by a talented group of returning veterans, Miami was ranked No. 19 in both preseason polls – and checked in at No. 6 in both the Associated Press poll and LBM Coaches Poll on Oct. 13.

• Among Miami’s top newcomers is QB Cam Ward, who was named ACC Preseason Player of the Year in a poll of media at the conference’s annual media day in Charlotte, N.C. Selected to nearly every major award watch list, Ward became the first quarterback in Miami Hurricanes history throw for 300 yards and three or more touchdowns in his first six starts of the year.

THE MATCHUP

• #6/#6 Miami continues the 2024 season – its third under head coach Mario Cristobal – on Sat, Oct. 19 at Louisville. Kickoff for UM’s third ACC game of the year is set for 12 p.m. from L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium.

• The Hurricanes are traveling to play the Cardinals for the first time since 2020, when it topped host Louisville, 47-34, in a match-up of two top-20 teams. The ninth-ranked Cardinals knocked off Miami, 38-31, in last year’s visit to Hard Rock Stadium. Miami carries an 11-4-1 all-time lead in series history, including a 5-2 lead in road games.

• Miami is looking to start the season 7-0 for the first time under Cristobal and first time since 2017 (10-0).

A LOOK BACK: 25-PT DEFICIT ERASED IN 39-38 ‘W’

• For the second straight week, the Miami Hurricanes overcame a challenging start and delivered fourth-quarter dramatics, this time topping host California, 39-38, despite trailing by 25 points in the second half on Oct. 5.

• QB Cam Ward put together an eye-popping fourth quarter to help Miami erase the sizable deficit. Ward produced 277 yards of offense in the fourth quarter – the most of any player in the last seven years. He had 340 total secondhalf yards. He finished with 437 yards on 35-for-53 passing with two touchdowns and one interception.

• Ward is tied for the national lead with six games of 300 yards, encompassing all of 2024. His six-game streak of at least 300 yards and three TDs is the longest since Tyler Van Dyke had six straight such games to end 2021. He won ACC Quarterback of the Week honors for the third straight week following the comeback win over Cal.

• WR Xavier Restrepo had 163 yards on seven catches in the win, including a career-long catch of 77 yards. With his performance, Restrepo moved into fourth place in UM’s star-studded all-time receiving yards leaderboard.

• Three different Canes recorded a rushing score, with RB Mark Fletcher leading the way with 81 yards with a TD.

• An interception from LB Francisco Maugioa in the final minute sealed the win. DL Simeon Barrow, Jr., had two tackles for loss and one sack, while DL Rueben Bain marked his return after a four-game absence with 1.5 TFLs.

MIAMI RANKED SIXTH IN BOTH MAJOR CFB POLLS

• Following an open date last time out on Oct. 12, Miami held firm to their No. 6 spot in both the Associated Press top 25 and the LBM Coaches Poll released on Oct. 13. UM jumped to No. 6 in the Oct. 7 polls after a win at Cal.

• Following a 56-9 win over Florida A&M on Sept. 7, the Hurricanes cracked the top-10 of the Associated Press poll on Sept. 8 at No. 10. It was the first time Miami has been ranked in the AP top 10 since Dec. 6, 2020 (No. 9).

• Bolstered by the addition of several impressive newcomers and anchored by a talented group of returning veterans, the Hurricanes were ranked in the top 25 of both preseason polls – checking in at No. 19 in both polls.

• Mario Cristobal’s highest-ranked team as head coach came in the final 2019 polls, when Oregon was No. 5/5.

• The Hurricanes were not ranked in the 2023 preseason polls, but were ranked in the 2022 preseason polls in Cristobal’s first year as head coach, checking in at No. 16 in that year’s coaches poll and No. 17 in the AP top 25.

• Miami spent four weeks in the top 25 of 2022 (preseason, Sept. 6, Sept. 11, Sept. 18 polls) and also cracked the top 25 rankings of both polls for four weeks in 2023 (Sept. 10, Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1). It has been in the rankings of both polls for the first four weeks of 2024.

RESTREPO NOW FOURTH ALL-TIME IN RECEIVING

• With a six-catch, 99-yard performance vs. USF on Sept. 21, WR Xavier Restrepo became the 10th Hurricane in program history to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards. Over his career, Restrepo has now totaled 2,302 yards.

• With 163 yards at Cal last time out, Restrepo soared into fourth place in Miami history in all-time receiving yards. He moved past Mike Harley (No. 8), Leonard Hankerson (No. 7), Stacy Coley (No. 6) and Lamar Thomas (No. 5) into the top-five. Restrepo needs 122 yards to pass No. 3 Michael Irvin (2,423), 209 yards to pass No. 2 Reggie Wayne (2,510) and 246 to pass Miami’s all-time leading receiver, Santana Moss (2,547).

• Earlier this season against Florida A&M (104 yards), the eighth 100-yard game of Restrepo’s career moved him past Andre Johnson (1,831) and Allen Hurns (1,891) into 10th place in program history in career receiving yards.

• With his ninth career 100-yard performance last time out at Cal, Restrepo move past Andre Johnson for the most games with 100 receiving yards by a Cane since 2000. Restrepo, who tied Johnson with a 100-yard game earlier in the season, had already moved past Santana Moss and Phillip Dorsett (7 each) this season.

NEW HURRICANES SIGNAL CALLER: QB CAM WARD

• Miami added one of the top quarterbacks in the country in the January transfer window, signing QB Cam Ward after two dominant years at Washington State. Ward, who began his career at FCS program Incarnate Word in 2020, started all 25 games of his Washington State career across 2022 and 2023. He finished his time at Wazzu with 6,963 passing yards and 48 passing touchdowns compared to 16 interceptions, and also added 13 rushing touchdowns in his two years with the Cougars.

• In a win over USF on Sept. 21, Ward became the 13th player to surpass 15,000 career passing yards in college – he now has 16,095 yards. He became the first ACC player since Miami joined (2004) with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdowns in each of their first five games and the first Miami quarterback to ever do so.

• Ward’s 1,035 yards through the air in his first three games were the second-most in program history over a three game start to the season, trailing only Craig Erickson’s 1,126 in 1990. He passed Gino Torretta’s 1991 start (989) with 346 in a 62-0 win over Ball State. Ward exited the first four games early with UM sporting substantial leads.

• In his first start as a Hurricane, Ward threw for 385 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 26-for-35 passing in a road win over Florida. The 385 yards were the most by a Hurricane quarterback in the first start of his Miami career in the modern era of Hurricanes Football (since 1979). He added 33 rushing yards on three carries.

• Ward became the first Hurricane player in program history to throw for 300 yards in his first two starts when he tossed for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions against Florida A&M. He also rushed for a touchdown in the victory to help propel Miami to a 2-0 start.

• He was the first Miami quarterback to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a season opener since Ken Dorsey did so at Penn State in 2001. Ward was named ACC Quarterback of the Week and Maxwell Award National Player of the Week for his performance against the Gators. He was also named Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week, a member of the Davey O’Brien Award “Great Eight” and a Manning Award Star of the Week.

• He passed for 2,260 yards and an FCS-leading 24 touchdowns against four interceptions with two rushing touchdowns in six games during the shortened 2020–21 FCS season, which was played in spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He won the Jerry Rice Award as the most outstanding freshman in Division I FCS.

• Ward was named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year in a poll of conference media at the league’s annual “ACC Kickoff” event in Charlotte. Before transferring to Washington State, Ward was named Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year in his final year at UIW (2021), totaling 4,648 passing yards and 47 touchdowns.

• A native of West Columbia, Texas – with a population of 3,700 – Ward was a “zero star” recruit out of high school. Though he starred in high school, he threw for only 1,070 yards as a junior and had 12 passing attempts per game as a senior due to the program’s focus on running the football.

• Among active players entering the 2024 season, Cam Ward’s career total yardage of 14,140 at the FBS / FCS level far surpassed No. 2 Will Rogers (11,999), No. 3 Seth Henigan (11,483), No. 4 Grayson McCall (11,118) and No. 5 Shedeur Sanders (10,293). Since 2020, Ward and former Auburn / Oregon QB Bo Nix (14,110) were the only players to have surpassed 14,000 yards of total offense (pass and rush). He added 413 yards Week 1 vs. UF.

O-LINE NAMED JOE MOORE AWARD HONOR ROLL

• The Hurricanes’ offensive line was one of 22 groups named to the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award honoring the nation’s top unit. Despite missing two players who started Miami’s season opener at Florida, the Hurricanes made the cut for the second straight year. Mario Cristobal’s OL won the award at Alabama in 2015.

UM STARTS 6-0 FOR 4TH TIME SINCE JOINING ACC

• With a 39-38 victory over California last time out, the Hurricanes improved to 6-0 to start the season for the first time since 2017, when they started 10-0. Prior to 2017, the Hurricanes last started a season 6-0 in 2013 (7-0).

• Miami has only started 6-0 four times since joining the ACC – 2004 (6-0), 2013 (7-0), 2017 (10-0) and 2024 (6-0).

MIAMI OFFENSE RANKS #1 IN PLAYS OF 20-PLUS

• Miami is ranked No. 1 in FBS in plays of 20-or-more yards (53) and No. 2 in plays of 10-or-more yards (128). Of the 53 plays of 20-or-more yards, 43 are passing – most in FBS. Of the 128 plays of 10-or-more yards, 97 are passing. The Canes had only 48 passing plays of 20-or-more yards and 129 of 10-or-more pass yards in 2023.

CANES TOP TEAM IN SECOND HALVES – +20.0 PPG

• Miami is ranked No. 1 in FBS in scoring differential in second halves; Miami’s +20.0 average point differential in is ahead of No. 2 Ohio State (+18.17). UM’s best stanza is the fourth quarter (+11.00) – which leads all of FBS.

Team Q3 Differential Q4 Differential Second Half 1) Miami +9.00 +11.00 +20.00 2) Ohio State +14.67 +3.50 +18.17 3) Indiana +5.83 +10.50 +16.33 T-4) Ole Miss +8.50 +7.67 +16.17 T-4) Texas +9.33 +4.00 +13.33

HURRICANES RANK AMONG ACC & NATION’S BEST

• Through the first seven weeks of 2024, the Hurricanes rank among the nation’s elite on both sides of the ball.

Offensive Stats Average/Total ACC Rank National Rank Third Down Conversion 60.3 1st 1st Passing Offense 400.0 1st 1st Scoring Offense 47.7 1st 1st Total Offense 583.8 1st 1st First Downs 168 1st 2nd Yards Per Play 8.1 1st 2nd Team Passing Efficiency 182.0 1st 6th Fumbles Lost 1 T-2nd T-5th Completion Percentage .705 2nd 11th

Defensive Stats Average/Total ACC Rank National Rank Total Defense 282.5 1st 14th Passes Intercepted 10 2nd T-5th Team Sacks 3.33 2nd 7th Passing Efficiency Defense 106.25 3rd 10th Team Tackles For Loss 7.8 3rd 12th Third Down Conversion .307 2nd 13th Turnovers Gained 10 5th 26th Red Zone Defense .769 4th 34th

GUIDRY’S DEFENSE RANKS #1 IN CAUSING MAYHEM

• Entering Week 8, the Hurricanes rank No. 1 in the nation in “defensive mayhem” – plays on defense featuring a a tackle for loss, an interception or a gained fumble. Despite no fumbles gained, Miami has a 16.33% mayhem rate on defense; the Hurricanes have a 9.66% sack rate, a 13.47% tackle-for-loss rate and a 5.35% interception rate. UM ranks No. 7 in FBS in team sacks (3.33), No. 12 in team tackles for loss (7.8) and No. 5 in interceptions (10).

MACKEY CANDIDATE ARROYO, TE GROUP SHINING

• A season after the entire group finished with 154 receiving yards and one touchdown in 2023, Miami’s tight ends have emerged as go-to options for QB Cam Ward in 2024. In the season opener vs. Florida, Elijah Arroyo had a career-best 89 yards on four catches, Cam McCormick opened the game’s scoring with his first touchdown as a Hurricane, and freshman Elija Lofton had two catches for 38 yards vs. the host Gators in a lopsided win.

• Through six games, Miami’s tight ends have totaled 529 yards on 31 catches with seven touchdown receptions.

MIAMI ONE OF JUST SIX IN TOP 15 OF TOTAL O&D

• Miami is one of just six teams to rank in the top 15 of both total offense (#1) and total defense (#14) entering Week 8, joining Texas (#7/#1), Indiana (#4/#6), Ohio State (#7/#4), Tennessee (#9/#2) and Penn State (#14/#8).

CONTROLLING THE CLOCK: CANES IN TOP 5 IN FBS

• While Miami’s offense has been among the most prolific in the country through the first half of the season, the Hurricanes have also methodically controlled the clock this year. Miami is one of just five teams whose average time of possession is more than 34 minutes per game – 34:08, the fourth-highest mark in all of FBS. Team Average TOP 1) Oregon State 36:10 2) Utah 34:58 3) Army 34:27 4) Miami 34:08 5) Memphis 34:02

• The Hurricanes, on average, average 13.5 more offensive plays per game than their opponents (71.67 / 58.17).

PFF RANKS BALLHAWK SECONDARY #14 IN FBS

• The Hurricanes’ secondary lost four of five starters from a season ago, including both safeties (Kam Kinchens, James Williams), one starting cornerback (Jaden Davis) and its starting nickel (Te’Cory Couch). Despite the personnel losses, Miami ranks as the No. 14 performing secondary in FBS by pass coverage by PFF (90.7 grade).

• Miami ranks No. 40 nationally in passing yards allowed (192.8), No. 14 nationally in passing yards per completion (14.55), No. 5 nationally in passes intercepted (10) and No. 10 in FBS in team passing efficiency defense (106.25).

UM RANKS AMONG BEST IN FBS IN “MIDDLE EIGHT”

• In the “middle eight” rankings – which tracks the scoring in the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half, widely considered the most critical juncture of the game – Miami was No. 16 in FBS in the first two years under Mario Cristobal.

• The Hurricanes have remained steady this year; Miami is ranked No. 16 in FBS in middle eight this year (+5.0). From 2014-2019, teams that won the “middle eight” minutes of the game at the FBS level won 74% of the time.

OFFENSE HAS THREE STRAIGHT 50-POINT GAMES

• Miami scored 50 points for the third straight game on Sept. 21, topping USF 50-15. The last time Miami had a season featuring three offensive outputs of at least 50 points was 2001 – when it won the national title. Miami had never scored 50 points in three consecutive games prior to this season. UM is No.1 in FBS in scoring offense.