Friday night college football doesn’t get any better than this. The football gods decided to pull a rabbit out of the hat, and Miller Moss was the man of the show. After a year full of pressure, transfers, and doubt from his USC days, Moss finally caught a break and stunned No. 2 Miami in a 24-21 showdown.

Moments after the game, Moss dropped a quote that perfectly summed up the night.“It’s kind of funny,” he said. “One of my closest friends from back home earlier this week sent me a picture from Rocky IV of Rocky going into Russia and fighting Drago. And that’s kind of what this felt like. We just had to keep taking hits, kept taking hits, and kept stepping forward. I couldn’t be more proud of this team.” He’s basically compared Louisville to Rocky Drago—the underdog who just refuses to fall—and Miami to Ivan Drago, the unbeatable favorite (5-0 prior to this game). And like Rocky, Moss and the Cards kept swinging until the bell rang.

If you look a bit deeper into this, it actually resembles pretty good. The Cardinals were +13.5 underdogs (+425 moneyline) heading into this game—nearly identical to Rocky’s own betting odds. According to Fox Sports’ 2024 analysis, even Rocky Drago was a +450. Obviously, on paper, Miami was supposed to steamroll them on their home field. Instead, Louisville marched into “Mother Miami” and pulled off their first-ever road win against a top-five program — the No. 2 ranked Miami Hurricanes. The Cardinals took an early lead in the first half, and just like Ivan Drago, the Hurricanes kept punching back and kept it close until the end.

Moss was throwing bombs, completing 23 of his 37 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns, and he even had a rushing touchdown. He wasn’t alone; his whole offense cooked too. Wide receiver Chris Bell snagged nine catches for 136 yards and both of Moss’s touchdowns, also his third 100-yard game of the season. And their running back? Isaac Brown chipped in with 113 yards on 15 carries.

Louisville’s defense once again proved why they’re ranked No. 1 in the ACC, robbing Carson Beck of his Heisman dreams with four interceptions and shutting down Miami’s run game to just 63 yards on 24 attempts. Despite the lead, the Hurricanes showed grit — with three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Miami had possession deep in Cardinals territory, but the defense clutched up and sealed the win with a fourth interception off Carson Beck.

This win was a huge deal for Louisville. It broke Miami’s long 10-game home winning streak and marked the first time the Cardinals had ever beaten an AP top-five team on their own turf. They were 0-18 against top-10 teams in true road games before Friday. Games like this are what make college football worth losing sleep over. It was a gritty win that showed what happens when you just refuse to quit. However, this isn’t the first time Miller Moss has compared the situation.

Miller Moss throws stray at USC

Miller Moss didn’t hold back when reflecting on his new journey with Louisville after leaving USC. Back in September, after making his debut with the Cardinals, Moss opened up about how different the energy felt compared to Los Angeles. He praised the support he’s been getting from the Louisville fanbase while subtly hinting that things weren’t quite the same at USC. That small comment quickly made waves among Trojan fans, especially considering Moss spent four years in the program before transferring.

Talking about the atmosphere at his new school, Moss said, “I played my earlier parts of college football in a place that has a lot of different attractions around the city, and so it is not a place that is necessarily focused on the college team in that area. So, I think being in a situation where that is the case is really, really cool. To see the support from the city and how they get up to support the team has been awesome.” It was clear Moss appreciated the way Louisville fans lived and breathed football—something he implied wasn’t always the case in Southern California.

Still, many USC fans weren’t too happy with the jab. They felt Moss’s comments overlooked what it means to play for one of college football’s biggest brands. At USC, the expectations are sky-high, and the spotlight burns brighter than almost anywhere else. Moss’s career in L.A. had flashes of potential but also plenty of inconsistencies. And while his time there didn’t end the way he hoped, his words showed just how much he’s enjoying the fresh start in a city where college football truly runs the show. Tonight showed.