The Miami Hurricanes’ October 19th game against Louisville is seen as a pivotal point in their 2024 football schedule, especially with a major clash against Florida State at Hard Rock Stadium on October 26. Andy Staples from On3 highlighted the Miami-Louisville game in his “Pivot Point games: The matchups that can make or break your college football team’s season.”
Historically, Louisville has dominated recent matchups, winning four of the last six games since 2006, after Miami initially went 8-0-1 against the Cardinals. Several other games in 2024 could also be turning points for Miami. The season opener against Florida, for instance, is expected to provoke strong reactions from the losing fan base.
The game against Florida State could potentially secure Miami a spot in the ACC Championship if the Hurricanes avoid major upsets. Entering the 2024 season, Miami is favored in every game except against Florida State. A bye week before the Louisville matchup could prove crucial for Miami’s season.
Miami’s schedule includes hosting Florida A&M on September 7 for the home opener, facing Ball State a week later, traveling to South Florida for the final non-conference game, and playing at California before the bye week. The Hurricanes are expected to be 2-0 in the ACC heading into the Louisville game. Staples offered a brief preview of the Miami-Louisville matchup:
“The trip to Louisville comes at a critical spot. Louisville played for the ACC title last year and reloaded in the transfer portal. The Cardinals may pose as much of a threat to Miami’s College Football Playoff aspirations as the rival Seminoles. Miami likely needs to at least split the Louisville-Florida State games to stay on track for the ACC title game.”
Louisville boasts the top-ranked transfer portal class, while Miami ranks 17th according to On3 team rankings. Louisville added 31 transfers during the 2024 offseason, compared to Miami’s 15. A key player to watch is edge rusher Tyler Baron, who joined Miami after participating in spring practice with Louisville.
After Florida State, Miami’s schedule becomes more manageable. The Hurricanes host Duke on November 2, travel to Georgia Tech, have a bye week, then face Wake Forest at home and end the regular season at Syracuse. Miami is well-positioned to contend for the ACC title.
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