Louisville will host the #3 Clemson Tigers on Saturday at Cardinal Stadium. The defending national champions are loaded with talent starting with Quarterback Trevor Lawrence who is 101-161 on the year with 1301 yards, 11 TDs and 6 INTs. Running Back Travis Etienne is averaging 7 yards per carry and wide receivers Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross are the best WR combo in the country.
Louisville & Clemson share a similar schedule strength according to Sagarin, like you might expect with the two teams being in the same conference division. However, the two teams only share one common opponent: Florida State.
The Tigers are coming off a 45-14 win over FSU. The Noles inexplicably played James Blackman more than Alex Hornibrook at QB but Clemson handled Florida State easily and the Cards lost 35-24 in Tallahassee.
On paper Clemson and Louisville actually look a lot alike offensively with the Cards and Tigers giving back and forth statistical edges. But it’s defensively that Clemson really sets itself apart not only from UofL, but the rest of college football. Brent Venables is EXCELLENT and keeps rolling despite the talent that leaves the program each year.
| – | Louisville | Clemson |
| Strength of Schedule (Sagarin) | 46th | 42nd |
| Scoring Offense (ppg) | 37.3 (24th) | 39.2 (14th) |
| Total Offense (ypg) | 489.0 (16th) | 497.0 (12th) |
| Passing Offense (ypg) | 262.0 (47th) | 258.2 (52nd) |
| Rushing Offense (ypg) | 227.0 (22nd) | 238.83 (15th) |
| Scoring Defense (ppg) | 31.5 (97th) | 12.3 (6th) |
| Total Defense (ypg) | 434.7 (101st) | 254.8 (3rd) |
| Passing Defense (ypg) | 264.8 (104th) | 150.3 (2nd) |
| Rushing Defense (ypg) | 169.83 (80th) | 104.5 (22nd) |
| Punt Returns (ypr) | 11.82 (33rd) | 6.50 (83rd) |
| Kickoff Returns (ypr) | 30.46 (4th) | 21.13 (65th) |
| Opponent Punt Returns (ypr) | 4.57 (34th) | 4.5 (32nd) |
| Opponent Kickoff Return (ypr) | 23.08 (101st) | 14.56 (5th) |
| Punting (ypp) | 41.31 (79th) | 42.17 (60th) |
| Field Goal % | 77.8% (47th) | 60.0% (102nd) |
| Opponent FG % | 40.0% (4th) | 100% (130th) |
| First Downs (per game) | 21.8 (56th) | 25.2 (12th) |
| Opponent First Downs (per game) | 22.0 (92nd) | 12.7 (3rd) |
| Penalties (ypg) | 59.0 (82nd) | 46.7 (28th) |
| Turnover Margin (season) | -1 (76th) | 1 (56th) |
| Time of Possession | 31:44.83 (32nd) | 30:22.17 (59th) |
| Sacks (Per Game) | 2.17 (69th) | 3.67 (10th) |
| Tackles for Loss (Per Game) | 6.5 (51st) | 7.83 (15th) |
| Sacks Allowed (Per Game) | 2.33 (82nd) | 0.67 (3rd) |
| Tackles for Loss Allowed (Per Game) | 9.5 (130th) | 3.83 (11th) |
| Interceptions Gained (season) | 3 (108th) | 8 (11th) |
| Passes Defended (per game) | 4.67 (48th) | 4.83 (38th) |
| Fumbles Recovered (season) | 5 (28th) | 4 (54th) |
| Fumbles Forced (season) | 7 (20th) | 4 (70th) |
| Fumbles Lost (season) | 6 (102nd) | 4 (50th) |
| Interceptions Lost (Season) | 3 (26th) | 7 (108th) |
| Kick/Punts Blocked (season) | NA | NA |
| 3rd Down Conversion % | 40.24% (62nd) | 42.67% (41st) |
| 4th Down Conversion % | 63.64% (39th) | 42.86% (88th) |
| Opponent 3rd Down Conversion % | 35.29% (47th) | 29.47% (13th) |
| Opponent 4th Down Conversion % | 27.27% (13th) | 33.33% (20th) |
| Red Zone Conversion % | 91.30% (26th) | 84.00% (61st) |
| Red Zone TD Conversion % | 73.91% (21st) | 68.00% (37th) |
| Red Zone Trips | 23 (56th) | 25 (38th) |
| Opponent Red Zone Conversion % | 81.82% (63rd) | 69.23% (15th) |
| Opponent Red Zone TD Conversion % | 81.82% (123rd) | 38.46% (6th) |
| Opponent Red Zone Trips | 22 (73rd) | 13 (9th) |
| Kickoffs (ypk) | 62.37 (53rd) | 64.60 (7th) |
| Plays | 423 (53rd) | 434 (41st) |
| Yards Per Play | 6.94 (13th) | 6.87 (17th) |
| Yads Per Play Allowed | 5.82 (80th) | 4.00 (5th) |
| Plays +10 Yards | 97 (35th) | 100 (32nd) |
| Plays +20 Yards | 40 (16th) | 32 (43rd) |
| Plays +30 Yards | 22 (6th) | 14 (47th) |
| Plays +40 Yards | 15 (3rd) | 9 (26th) |
| Opponent Plays +10 Yards | 96 (104th) | 55 (8th) |
| Opponent Plays +20 Yards | 30 (83rd) | 13 (4th) |
| Opponent Plays +30 Yards | 14 (82nd) | 8 (22nd) |
| Opponent Plays +40 Yards | 6 (62nd) | 5 (47th) |
| Rushing Plays +10 Yards | 42 (17th) | 45 (13rd) |
| Rushing Plays +20 Yards | 15 (11th) | 8 (67th) |
| Rushing Plays +30 Yards | 9 (6th) | 3 (62nd) |
| Passing Plays +10 Yards | 55 (64th) | 55 (64th) |
| Passing Plays +20 Yards | 25 (26th) | 24 (29th) |
| Passing Plays +30 Yards | 13 (15th) | 11 (35th) |
| Passing Plays +40 Yards | 10 (6th) | 6 (28th) |
| Opp Rushing Plays +10 Yards | 34 (93rd) | 21 (31st) |
| Opp Rushing Plays +20 Yards | 7 (57th) | 4 (17th) |
| Opp Rushing Plays +30 Yards | 4 (74th) | 3 (54th) |
| Opp Passing Plays +10 Yards | 62 (104th) | 34 (5th) |
| Opp Passing Plays +20 Yards | 23 (97th) | 9 (2nd) |
| Opp Passing Plays +30 Yards | 10 (82nd) | 5 (18th) |
| Opp Passing Plays +40 Yards | 6 (97th) | 4 (58th) |
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