With Notre Dame win, would Louisville be Miami's biggest ACC threat or is it Clemson?

Especially after how things ended at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Friday night, the ACC is at the front of everyone's mind in college football this week. While the defending champion Florida State Seminoles are going to need a miracle to get to Charlotte, the upper half or third of this league could conceivably get two teams into the playoff. One of those teams to keep an eye on is Louisville.

Last season, the Cardinals made it to the ACC Championship Game in Jeff Brohm's first season back leading his alma mater. Louisville may have had a soft schedule, and was ultimately exposed vs. a far more talented Florida State team. However, there is a chance this team did not arrive a year early; there is a chance Louisville may just be good. We will have a better idea after the Notre Dame game.

Even though Notre Dame is not an ACC football school, the Fighting Irish play a wide array of ACC teams every year as part of their scheduling contractual agreements with the Power Four conference. Notre Dame may not be all it is cracked up to be this season, but beating the Irish on the road would be a huge win for a Louisville program that is trying to do something special. So how special are they?

The right question to ask is if they are Miami's biggest ACC threat? Is it Clemson, or someone else?

Would a Notre Dame win change our perception on Louisville football?

Entering Week 5, Louisville was one of four undefeated teams still left in the ACC. Miami improved to 5-0 after holding on vs. Virginia. The other two teams are Duke and Pittsburgh... While the Blue Devils and the Panthers may end up being in this at season's end, Louisville has the higher ceiling over those two teams. I do not think it in the same vicinity as Miami's, but they feel right up there with Clemson.

The good news is if both teams won out through October, we will definitely know by Nov. 2 when they face off head-to-head. Interestingly, there is plenty of runway for Miami to potentially slip up between now and then. Do I expect for Miami to remain at or near the top of the ACC for the rest of this season? Yes, but I also feel the Clemson-Louisville winner might be the other team going to Charlotte.

The best part about this game for Louisville is if they win, the Cardinals will be validated for it. Should they lose, it may not be the most punitive loss in the world. Yes, they would probably fall out of the AP Top 25, but keep in mind that it is not an ACC game. They could win all of their conference games and get to Charlotte at 11-0 (8-0) with a real chance of making it into the playoff, no matter the outcome.

All I know is if Louisville wins this game, we must have serious playoff conversations about the team.