No. 6 Miami vs Louisville: A Sudden Death in the ACC Championship Quest This Saturday

No. 6 Miami has had a week to regroup from a second consecutive comeback win that helped the Hurricanes remain unbeaten and in the mix for the ACC championship. More urgency looms on Saturday for Miami and host Louisville, which faces a daunting challenge in staying relevant in its divisional race.

Miami, trying to complete a difficult task with a rare win at Louisville, knows what is at stake - get the win and remain on track for an ACC championship bid, slip up and risk falling behind in a competitive Coastal Division. Although Louisville faces a higher-ranked challenger than they did in their previous match-up against a top-10 Notre Dame team, the stakes are higher for the Hurricanes.

Louisville is playing to salvage a season, potentially build momentum for a potential bowl appearance, and claim the Schnellenberger Trophy that was introduced in 2013 to recognize the annual match-up between the Hurricanes and Cardinals. Miami and Louisville have not fared well in trying to keep possession of the iconic award as Miami leads the series 9-4 but has lost each of the past two meetings.

It's imperative for the Hurricanes to capitalize on their strong first half and end their season on a strong note.

ACC rivals are aware that a resurgent Louisville football program is a thorn in every ACC competitor's race for relevance in NCAA football.

Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield has taken a more serious approach by utilizing his experience calling defensive sets to help better position this Louisville squad and defend the Schnellenberger trophy. Playing for something tangible could alter the perception that the team has plateaued in their improvement over the season so far.

With this massive collision about to take place, football fans around the ACC can barely contain their excitement for a battle between two storied teams.