Miami's perfect season hopes are dashed as Beck throws 4 interceptions in loss to Louisville

Miami's hopes for a perfect season are gone, after the second-ranked Hurricanes — they'll surely drop when the new AP Top 25 is released Sunday — lost 24-21 to Louisville. Beck took the blame afterward, after becoming the first Miami quarterback in 12 years to be intercepted four times.

“I have to protect the ball better. That can’t happen," Beck said. "It’s unacceptable. Again, credit to them. They made some really good plays and played really hard. But at the same time, a lot of those mistakes ... didn’t have to happen.”

His numbers were solid, except for that very important column showing the four interceptions. He was 25 of 35 passing — a 71.4% completion percentage — for 271 yards. He got hit a few times but was never sacked. That formula typically is good enough to win.

And Louisville didn't score off any of Beck's giveaways, either. Thing is, the Cardinals (5-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) didn't need any more points. Wasting four drives in a one-score game was just too much for Miami (5-1, 1-1) to overcome.

“When you play really good teams, and you're playing conference football, the margins are really small,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “One-possession games reign supreme at this time of year. And if you give away plays, it's going to get you. You know what? Tonight, it got us. Lesson has to be learned and we have to go do something about it. Talking about it ain't going to do anything.”

Beck was 17-0 as a collegiate starter in home games (including his time at Georgia as well) and was 24-0 when he played against unranked opponents. He was intercepted four times in his final 30 passes on Friday night — after being intercepted four times in his previous 316 passes over a 12-game span.

“He's an NFL quarterback,” Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said.

Beck simultaneously pointed the finger at himself and lauded the way Louisville's defense played. Of his first three interceptions, Beck said one was simply a great play by the Cardinals and two were mistakes on his end. And the last pick, with inside of a minute left and Miami in field-goal range down by three points, came on a play where the Hurricanes didn't execute.

“I think there was a miscue or miscommunication of the play and the routes that were supposed to be run," Beck said. "And then the guy was able to undercut it because we weren’t in the right place. It is what it is. ... We had a good play called.”

All is not lost for Miami. The Hurricanes have six regular-season games remaining and all six of those teams had at least two losses entering Saturday. None is currently ranked, which means Miami would figure to be favored in all six of those contests.

Then again, the Hurricanes were double-digit favorites against Louisville. Nothing is guaranteed.

“It’s a good thing that we play 12 games and not just one," Beck said. “We have six more opportunities. And this game doesn’t define us. Just because this game went bad doesn’t just throw away the first five games that we had.”

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