ULVT Brohm and Plummer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- You have questions about what the University of Louisville football team must do to lock down its spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

So do I.

So do other media members, people I encounter at grocery stores and fans who send emails. America's top litigators are confused.

So is one other person: Jeff Brohm, the Cards' head coach.

"I think probably everybody's looked at the internet and all those scenarios," Brohm said. "When I try to look at it, I can't figure it out."

Enter Kelly Dickey, master statistician and keeper of UofL history, who explained it in complete detail on X (which many will always call Twitter).

I'll keep it brief: If North Carolina loses at Clemson or North Carolina State, Louisville will play Florida State for the ACC title.

If Virginia Tech loses to N.C. State or Virginia AND one of five other things happen, Louisville will play the Seminoles on Dec. 2 in Charlotte, North Carolnia

Better to strive for simplicity:

Beat Miami Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium and No. 9 Louisville can delete the rest of the story.

"I think it's important to try to win the football game, no matter what," Brohm said.

The chatter surrounding the game is fascinating. Although Louisville is 9-1 and the Hurricanes are 6-4 with losses to Georgia Tech and N.C. State, teams Louisville defeated, the Cards were only a 1.5-point favorite on Monday afternoon at DraftKings.

The Hurricanes lead the series, 11-3-1. Louisville is 0-7 in the games played at Miami.

The Hurricanes have averaged 50,501 fans over six home games, about 77% capacity of Hard Rock Stadium, according to NCAA statistics.

Miami fans are famously fickle. With a noon kickoff, forecasts of 80 degrees and a team that will not achieve its preseason expectations, the Cards won't walk into an intimidating atmosphere, like the one at Clemson.

"Of course, road games are going to be tough," UofL defensive back Devin Neal said. "All you've got is just your team, your energy, that you're bringing with you.

"I feel like the thing we've got to bring is our own energy. So I'd say whenever we're on the field, we're all that we've got."

Miami has lost two straight. The Hurricanes have uncertainty at quarterback. Tyler Van Dyke started at quarterback the first five games, gave way to freshman Emory Williams. UM coach Mario Cristobal went back to Van Dyke against Virginia and N.C. State.

Williams started and threw two touchdown passes in a loss at Florida State Saturday but left with a shoulder injury in a game that Van Dyke finished.

Williams had surgery on his left shoulder and is out for the season. Will Cristobal and former UK offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson return to Van Dyke (who is second in the ACC with a dozen interceptions) or switch to third teamer Jaccuri Brown, a sophomore who started two games last season?

In other words, the Miami quarterback situation in muddled in mediocrity.

Quick history lesson: Pittsburgh's quarterback situation was muddled in an equal serving of mediocrity when Louisville visited the Panthers last month.

All Pitt backup What's His Name (Christian Veilleux) did was pass for 200 yards and two TDs to give Louisville's its only defeat.

Pitt lost its next four. What's His Name has four more TD passes and six interceptions. Except for that game, Veilleux has been What's His Name.

You have been warned. I asked UofL defensive coordinator Ron English what he expected from Miami at quarterback. English, to be sure, is one guy who has not forgotten what occurred at Pittsburgh — and likely never will.

"(Van Dyke) has been criticized," English said. "And I think when you're criticized as a human being, particularly in the sports world, you're going to go one of two ways.

"You're either going to be harmed by it and get better at what you're doing or you're going to fold up.

"I expect this guy to be harmed by it and play his best football."

Remember: The recruiting gurus are aligned with Las Vegas. They believe Miami is the more talented team — because their rankings say the Hurricanes are the more talented team,.

According to 247Sports, starting with the 2020 class, Louisville's last 4 recruiting classes ranked No. 43, 40, 50 and 31.

In the same period, the Miami classes ranked No. 17, 11, 16 and seven. Four- and five-star live at Miami.

With shrewd work in the transfer portal, excellent player development, a savvy coaching staff and a willingness to coach to the strength of his team, Brohm has enabled Louisville to outperform expectations that his first team would finish 8th in the ACC.

In July, when media members gathered in Charlotte for ACC Football Media Day, voters picked the Hurricanes to finish fifth.

The Hurricanes are 10th, ahead of Syracuse, Pitt, Virginia and Wake Forest.

But they are still the team Louisville has to go through to get to its first ACC championship game this weekend.

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