No. 2 Miami vs. Louisville
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
TV: ESPN
Coaches: UM’s Mario Cristobal 27-17 (89-77 overall), Stanford’s Frank Reich 3-4 (3-4 overall).
Line: Miami is favored by 30.5 points.
Weather: 80 degrees, 39 percent chance of rain.
Quick slant: The Hurricanes are looking to get back on track after falling to Louisville for their first loss of the year. But the Cardinal, facing Miami for the first time in program history, is aiming to keep the momentum going after upsetting Florida State at home last week.
About No. 9 Miami (5-1, 1-1 ACC): Miami had numerous struggles in its loss to Louisville. Carson Beck threw four interceptions, the run game could not do much and the defense missed two dozen tackles. The Hurricanes hope to correct those this week as a heavy favorite.
About Stanford (3-4, 2-2 ACC): The Cardinal has picked up three wins under coach Frank Reich, who is spending one year at the helm in Palo Alto while Stanford alum Andrew Luck, the program’s general manager, looks to rebuild the football program. The Cardinal ranks low in most major statistical categories but picked up a major upset last week.
Three things to watch
1. Carson Beck had maybe the worst game of his career against Louisville, throwing four interceptions. The last pick ended Miami’s last chance at a comeback. The veteran quarterback particularly struggled on deep throws, getting picked off three times when throwing 20 or more yards downfield. How Beck responds will play a big role in this game, as the Hurricanes need him to protect the ball. Fortunately for Miami, Stanford has the third-worst pass defense in the nation, allowing nearly 305 yards per game with only one interception all season.
2. Miami’s running game also struggled against the Cardinals, forcing Beck to try to push the ball downfield. The Hurricanes rushed for a season-low 63 yards with only 2.63 yards per carry last week, failing to get enough push on the line to make things happen in the ground game. Without a good running attack, the offense stagnated. Although Stanford has struggled against the pass, it has done well against runs, allowing 117.3 yards per game — 32nd nationally.
3. Malachi Toney has been one of the Hurricanes’ most important players so far this year. The freshman American Heritage alum set his career high with 135 receiving yards against the Cardinals, and he also ran in a 12-yard touchdown and tossed the two-point conversion pass. The talented freshman leads UM in receiving yards, and he is proving to be a dynamic athlete.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/10/23/um-stanford-gametime/
