Miami at Louisville should produce explosive plays from both teams

Miami is first and Louisville fifth in the ACC in points per game and total offense. The Hurricanes and Cardinals are also two of the most explosive offenses in the conference. Miami is first in the ACC with 53 plays for 20 or more yards and Louisville is second with 43.

Expect Louisville and Miami to each have several explosive plays on Saturday. Louisville has struggled in the secondary in 2024. Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus previewed "Matchup to watch when Miami (FL) has the ball (Dalton): Miami’s passing attack vs. Louisville’s secondary."

Wasserman expects quarterback Cam Ward and the Miami receivers to have a favorable matchup versus Louisville's secondary. Pro Football Focus grades Ward with the highest passer grade nationally, while Miami is third in the country in receiving grade. Louisville is 93rd nationally and 12th

According to Wasserman, no Louisville cornerback has a coverage grade of 70. The Cardinals have the fourth most missed tackles in coverage nationally. In the ACC, Louisville ranks 11th, allowing 11 completions of 30 yards or more. The middle of the field has been particularly problematic for Louisville.

Louisville has the fifth-worst PFF coverage grade against attempts of 10 plus yards in power four and the sixth-highest completion percentage. The Cardinals are 69th nationally allowing 216.5 yards per game, 75th with a 132.38 passer rating against and 113th permitting opponents to complete 65.2 percent of their pass attempts.

Louisville has allowed the highest percentage of passes to be caught in the middle of the field among Power Four teams per Wasserman and is 54th out of 70 in coverage grade. That could mean a big day for Miami slot receiver Xavier Restrepo and tight end Elijah Arroyo.

Restrepo leads the ACC with 585 receiving yards, is second with five touchdown receptions and sixth with 43 receptions. Restrepo is first in the ACC with 24 receptions of 10 or more yards and tied for first with Miami native Ja'Corey Brooks of Louisville with 11 catches for 20 or more yards.

Arroyo is second in the ACC and leads TEs in the conference averaging 20.43 yards per reception on 14 catches for 286 yards and is tied for sixth with four TDs. Arroyo is tied for eighth in the ACC with seven receptions of 20 or more yards. That is tied for second among ACC TEs.

Ward has excelled on long passes this season. Per PFF, Ward is third in FBS with a 94.7 grade on throws of 10 plus yards and has a 90.7 grade on throws to the middle of the field. Miami has the best receiving grade nationally on pass attempts of more than 10 yards.

Ward leads the ACC in 2024 with 90 completions of 10 plus yards, 41 for 20 or more and 12 of 30 or more. Louisville QB Tyler Slough is first in the ACC in 2024 with nine completions of 40 or more yards and five of 50 or more. Brooks leads the ACC with four receptions of 40 or more yards, three of 50 or more and two of 60 or more.

Brooks leads the ACC with six TD receptions on 30 catches for 572 yards in 2024. No other Louisville receiver poses a major threat. Louisville is fourth in the ACC averaging 291.3 passing yards per game. Miami leads the ACC averaging 400.0 passing yards per game. It should be a day of big plays in Louisville on Saturday.