Cardinals Hand Canes First Loss of 2025
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – For the third straight season, the battle for the boots was a barnburner.
The Louisville Cardinals forced four turnovers, including one in the waning seconds, to hold off the second-ranked Miami Hurricanes 24-21 Friday night before a crowd of 66,573 at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Cardinals improved to 5-1 overall, 2-1 in the ACC. The Canes fell to 5-1 and 1-1 in conference play. Louisville reclaimed the Schnellenberger Trophy, a pair of bronzed boots worn by legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger, who served as the head coach for both programs.
It was Miami’s first home loss since dropping its 2023 home finale to the Cardinals.
Louisville’s defense limited the Canes to 64 rushing yards and picked off quarterback Carson Beck four times. Cardinals running back Isaac Brown rushed for 113 yards on 15 carries, and quarterback Miller Moss threw for 248 yards and two scores – both to wide receiver Chris Bell, who amassed 136 yards on nine grabs.
Beck completed 25 of 35 passes for 271 yards. Wide receiver Malachi Toney had another monster performance, hauling in nine passes for 135 yards and scoring on a 12-yard run. Fellow wideout CJ Daniels had seven receptions for 74 yards.
Cornerback Keionte Scott paced Miami with nine tackles, adding a sack, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Linebackers Wesley Bissainthe and Mohamed Toure each had six stops, and safety Zechariah Poyser recorded six tackles and a fumble recovery.
The Cardinals got the ball to start the game and quickly crossed midfield before a 28-yard burst by Brown set them up at the Miami 12. Moss threw incomplete on third down and Louisville lined up for a 22-yard field goal. But holder David Chapeau took the snap and scrambled to the one-yard line to set up first and goal. Moss snuck across the goal line on the next play and the Cardinals had an early 7-0 lead.
Aided by a personal foul, Louisville’s defense forced a three-and-out and the Cardinals took over with great field position at the UM 46. Four plays later, Moss hit Bell on a crossing route, and he outraced the Canes’ secondary for a 36-yard touchdown. It was 14-0 just 10 minutes into the game.
But on Miami’s next snap Beck found Daniels for a 30-yard reception to the Louisville 45. He followed that with a dime to Toney down the left sideline for 39 yards. In just two plays, the Canes had the ball first and goal at the six-yard line. Running back Mark Fletcher followed with three runs, the last a two-yard scoring plunge that cut the lead to seven points.
Miami forced a punt to start the second quarter and took over at its seven-yard line. Beck connected with Daniels for 13 yards to give the Canes some breathing room, but on the next snap linebacker Antonio Watts picked off his deep ball and the Cardinals got the ball back at their 32.
Louisville crossed midfield but an 11-yard sack by Scott halted the drive, and the Canes were once again pinned deep in their own territory. Miami managed one first down before Beck was intercepted again on a deep ball, this time by cornerback Jabari Mack.
Miami’s defense held, and on the ensuing drive Toney turned a short completion into a 61-yard catch-and-run all the way to the Cardinals 9. But Louisville’s defense stiffened and kept the Canes out of the end zone. Carter Davis connected on a 27-yard field goal to trim the lead to 14-10 with 1:58 left in the first half. It stayed that way heading into the locker room. It was the first time this season Miami trailed at halftime, but after racking up 121 yards on its first two drives, Louisville managed just 71 yards on its final four drives of the half.
The Canes got the ball to start the second stanza but couldn’t move the chains. Moss moved the Cardinals to the Miami 30 but the drive stalled from there. Cooper Ranvier nailed a 48-yard field goal to push Louisville’s lead back to seven.
The teams exchanged punts before the Canes took over at their 46. Beck hit wide receiver Keelan Marion for a 15-yard completion and defensive end Wesley Bailey was called for roughing the passer. Suddenly Miami was at the Cardinals 26. But the drive stalled there, and Davis booted a 41-yarder to make it 17-13 late in the third quarter.
Louisville moved the ball to the Canes 36, where the Cardinals faced a 3rd and 3. Moss found Bell over the middle and he turned on the jets, racing all the way to the end zone to give Louisville a 24-13 lead.
Beck was picked off a third time on the next drive as safety JoJo Evans gave the Cardinals the ball back at their 28. But on the ensuing snap, Scott stripped Brown and Poyser recovered and scampered 13 yards to the Louisville 12. Toney took a handoff from Beck on the jet sweep and raced to the end zone. Miami went for two and Toney took the handoff again, this time completing a pass to Daniels. Just like that it was 24-21.
The Cardinals moved the ball to the Canes 47, but Scott came up with another big play, stopping running back Keyjuan Brown for a four-yard loss. Miller threw incomplete on third down and Miami got the ball at its 15-yard line with 4:05 on the clock.
Beck converted a long third down with a 17-yard completion to Daniels. He then connected with Marion for an 11-yard gain to the Canes 43 before two consecutive passes to Toney moved the ball to the Cardinals 42.
Running back Jordan Lyle picked up a first down to the Louisville 31 and Miami called its first timeout with 36 seconds left. On the next play, Beck looked for tight end Elija Lofton, but linebacker T.J. Capers intercepted the pass. The Cardinals ran out the clock from there.
Miami returns home to Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, October 25 to face Stanford. Kickoff is 7 p.m. on ESPN.
