No. 9 Louisville tops Miami, clinches spot in ACC title game vs. FSU

MIAMI GARDENS — Jack Plummer threw three touchdown passes, the last of them a 58-yarder to Kevin Coleman with 4:17 remaining, and No. 9 Louisville clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game by beating Miami 38-31 on Saturday.

Coleman ended up wide open after Miami defenders Te’Cory Couch and Jaden Davis collided at full speed as the play was developing, and he went down the right sideline with the go-ahead score for the Cardinals (10-1, 7-1 ACC, No. 10 College Football Playoff).

Louisville made the ACC championship game for the first time after 10 years in the league and will play Florida State in Charlotte on Dec. 2 for the title.

Miami had a fourth and goal from the Louisville 3 with 1:29 left, but Tyler Van Dyke’s pass sailed just out of Jacolby George’s reach in the end zone. The Hurricanes had one last chance and Van Dyke’s deep pass was batted around and caught by Xavier Restrepo at the 5-yard line, but he was tackled with no time left.

Mark Fletcher rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns for Miami (6-5, 2-5 ACC). Van Dyke, back in the starting role after freshman Emory Williams got hurt in last week’s loss to Florida State, completed 24 of 39 passes for 327 yards.

Miami wide receiver Xavier Restrepo (7) catches a pass from quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (9) during the first half. [ WILFREDO LEE | AP ]

Restrepo caught eight passes for 197 yards and a score for Miami, which also got a rushing touchdown from Brashard Smith.

Plummer finished 24 of 37 for 308 yards for the Cardinals, those catches getting made by 12 different receivers. Offensive lineman Trevonte Sylvester had a touchdown catch, as did Nate Kurinsky.

Isaac Guerendo had 93 rushing yards and a score for Louisville, and Evan Conley — a quarterback who hasn’t thrown a pass since 2021 — came in to score on a keeper for the Cardinals.

The added bonus for the Cardinals: possession of the new Schnellenberger Trophy, a pair of actual cowboy boots that Howard Schnellenberger — who coached both Miami and Louisville — wore during his career.

The takeaway

Louisville: The Cardinals were the second FBS team this season to miss a field goal of closer than 30 yards and an extra point in the same game; Kansas State did it against UCF on Sept. 23. Louisville kicker Brock Travelstead missed a 24-yarder, then had a PAT blocked, both in the second quarter. Nick Lopez came on in the third quarter and kicked a 40-yard field goal for a 23-21 lead.

Miami: Kam Kinchens, an All-American last season after intercepting six passes, got his fifth interception of the year on Saturday. The 11 interceptions in Kinchens’ career tie for eighth-most in Hurricanes history and are the most by a Miami player since Sean Taylor had 14 picks from 2001 through 2003.