The ACC is surprising many college football fans after the Miami Hurricanes upset Notre Dame and Florida State upset Alabama. The conference has three teams ranked in the top 12, and Georgia Tech and Louisville football are right outside the AP top 25.
The Cardinals have a chance to emerge as an ACC dark horse, but for Louisville to return to Charlotte, one game will appear as a blockbuster showdown. Louisville will travel to Miami, Florida, and take on the No. 5 Miami Hurricanes from Hard Rock Stadium.
The latest AP Polls have the Hurricanes at No. 5, making it clear that the showdown in Week 8 is going to be the game in which Jeff Brohm and his Louisville Cardinals will have a chance to send a message to the nation.
Louisville has prime chance to shake up College Football Playoff with one key game
While college football is only entering week 3, Louisville actually has only three games before that Miami showdown. The Cardinals have their two bye weeks in the first seven weeks, as Louisville's first bye week is this week, and their other bye week is the week before their showdown with the Hurricanes.
With Miami now being ranked in the top five, Louisville will have a massive opportunity to take down one of the best teams in the nation. The Cardinals' showdown with Pitt will put Louisville on the map, and with a win, they should be inside the top 25, but a win over Miami in Hard Rock Stadium puts Louisville in the College Football Playoff conversation and will change this program forever.
The Cardinals' schedule is a gauntlet, but with Louisville's two early byes, it gives Brohm a massive opportunity to get this team ready for the Miami showdown. While it isn't ideal to have both bye weeks before Week 8, Brohm does have an impressive 10-4 record coming off a bye, making it a bit of a strength for Louisville entering that Miami showdown.
Miami has a challenging schedule ahead of its showdown with Louisville, as it will play No. 18 South Florida, Florida, and No. 10 Florida State, and then the Cardinals. Miami has a brutal four-game stretch, and Louisville, being the last game of the stretch, gives the Cardinals a chance to capitalize on the Hurricanes' brutal four-game stretch.
Louisville vs Miami isn't just going to make or break the Cardinals' College Football Playoff chances, but it might also make or break Miami's if they suffer a loss before their showdown with Louisville. The Cardinals are given a prime opportunity to spoil Miami's season, but at the same time to skyrocket their College Football Playoff odds.
Related: 5 big observations from the Louisville football win over James Madison
For all Louisville football news and updates, stay tuned.