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.Game Information
Louisville Cardinals v Houston Cougars
Thursday, November 17th on ESPN (American Time/Date)
5:00 PM PST - 7:00 PM CST - 8:00 PM EST - 1:00 AM UTC
John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX
Match Preview
The recent shakeup at the top of the College Football Playoff rankings has brought the Louisville Cardinals back into the mix... They’re currently ranked fifth in the country and have a legitimate shot of moving into the top four over the next couple of weeks... Also, they can still win the ACC Atlantic division if Clemson loses one of its two remaining games.
Thursday nights can definitely get interesting... We’ve seen a lot of upsets before, as teams are not accustomed to the short week and the different atmosphere... This game against the Houston Cougars could be very tough for Louisville. It’s their third away game in the last four weeks and the Cougars have a lot to prove after two surprising losses this season against the Navy and SMU.
This has great potential to be a high-scoring game, but it is on a Thursday night, so anything can happen...
Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals have been dominating opponents this year, largely because of the talent of the sophomore quarterback, Lamar Jackson. He’s the current favorite for the Heisman Award, and deservedly so. Jackson has piled up 46 total touchdowns this season – 27 passing and 19 rushing. He has almost 2900 yards passing and over 1300 yards on the ground. He is currently the sixth leading rusher in the NCAA FBS division.
His ability to exploit defenses at quarterback has allowed Jackson’s teammates to shine as well. Jackson and senior running back, Brandon Radcliff, are both averaging over seven yards per carry this season. Radcliff is coming off of a 141-yard and three touchdown performance last week against Wake Forest. The Cardinals have the ninth-best rushing attack in the country.
Jackson has done a great job at spreading the ball around to his receivers. Three of them each have over 30 catches and 500 yards so far this season. Three receivers also have six touchdowns each. His ability to find open receivers for big yards has helped Jackson earn a passer rating of 160.7, despite completing less than 60% of his passes. His low interception total (6) also contributes to that, and he’ll need to be careful with the ball again this week with a Houston defense that can quickly capitalize on mistakes.
On defense, the Cardinals are one of the best in the country in yards allowed, giving up only 285 yards per game. Their rushing defense is ranked sixth in the country and should be able to stop the struggling Houston ground game. If they can force Houston to play from behind for most of the game, the Louisville defense that already has 28 sacks and 13 interceptions on the season will have the advantage.
Their one loss against Clemson earlier this season was a road loss. Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals will do everything they can to stay alive for the playoff race. Jackson may need to put the team on his back and carry them to victory once again, which is a role he seems comfortable filling.
Houston Cougars
This year has been fairly disappointing for the Cougars. After winning the AAC with a 12-1 record last season and beating Florida State in the Peach Bowl, Houston has struggled this year, losing twice in a three-game span. They’ll need a lot of help to repeat as AAC champions again this year and they’re unlikely to get it. Senior quarterback Greg Ward Jr. and the rest of the Cougars will be looking to make a statement this week.
Ward’s statistics in the passing game haven’t differed much from last year. He has over 2600 yards and he’s completing over 68% of his passes, giving him a passer rating over 147. But on the ground, his production has fallen off. After rushing for over 1100 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2015, Ward has only 429 yards and nine touchdowns this season. More importantly, he is only averaging three yards per carry, versus 5.6 a year ago. Houston has a corps of running backs, all with similar stats and relatively low output. The dynamic rushing game that Tom Herman’s offenses are known for has been missing for most of the 2016 season. They’ll need to find an answer this week against a Louisville defense that is one of the best in the nation at stopping the run.
The Cougars have three very good receivers in Bonner, Allen, and Dunbar. They’ll need to have a great game in order to keep up the pace with Louisville’s explosive offense. Greg Ward Jr. will need to be very careful with his throws against the Cardinal’s secondary. If he can keep up with Lamar Jackson on the other side of the field, the Cougars may have a shot to steal this game.
Houston's defense will have their hands full. They have a great rush defense (93 yards per game), they’re overall defense is ranked 9th in the country in total yards allowed, and they’re only giving up 21 points per game, but Lamar Jackson has been nearly unstoppable for Louisville. The Houston defense has scored five times this season, which is third-best in the country. They may need some scores from their defense again this week – and maybe their special teams as well – if they want to keep up with Louisville, which holds the top spot in the country in total offense.
Betting Lines
| Team | Spread |
|---|---|
| Louisville Cardinals | -14.5 |
| Houston Cougars | +14.5 |
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