The University of Louisville Football team will take the field with interim head coach Lorenzo Ward for the 1st time vs. North Carolina State on Saturday. The Cards will also wear the Hard Knox jersey for the 1st time.
NC State has lost 3 of its last 4 with its lone victory in the stretch being against the Florida State Seminoles (Losses: Clemson, Syracuse, Wake). The Wolfpack’s Ryan Finley is probably the 2nd best Quarterback in the ACC and is virtually impossible to sack (only 5 sacks on the season) and Louisville gets less than a sack per game. So don’t expect Finley to be sacked Saturday. But NC State isn’t great at running the ball, and their pass defense is atrocious.
But, Louisville will take the field as one of worst teams (statistically) in the country. Will they respond after the removal of Bobby Petrino as head coach, Ryan Beard as Linebackers coach, LD Scott as Defensive Line Coach and Nick Petrino as Quarterbacks coach. UofL will be short-handed on coaches, and it’s a pure guess as to how the roster will respond and how that might translate onto the field.
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130 teams in College Football
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| Louisville | NC State | |
| Strength of Schedule (Sagarin) | 23rd | 57th |
| Scoring Offense (ppg) | 21.7 (118th) | 31.4 (47th) |
| Total Offense (ypg) | 351.5 (112th) | 453.0 (30th) |
| Passing Offense (ypg) | 229.7 (71st) | 328.6 (6th) |
| Rushing Offense (ypg) | 121.8 (115th) | 124.44 (113th) |
| Scoring Defense (ppg) | 42.1 (126th) | 25.7 (57th) |
| Total Defense (ypg) | 468.3 (117th) | 402.1 (67th) |
| Passing Defense (ypg) | 186.0 (22nd) | 305.3 (129th) |
| Rushing Defense (ypg) | 282.30 (128th) | 96.78 (8th) |
| Punt Returns (ypr) | 16.42 (10th) | 9.63 (61st) |
| Kickoff Returns (ypr) | 22.97 (32nd) | 21.07 (52nd) |
| Opponent Punt Returns (ypr) | 10.91 (98th) | 6.33 (42nd) |
| Opponent Kickoff Return (ypr) | 20.25 (63rd) | 20.97 (76th) |
| Punting (ypp) | 40.03 (83rd) | 40.81 (73rd) |
| Field Goal % | 88.9% (10th) | 85.0% (21st) |
| Opponent FG % | 71.4% (58th) | 80.0% (98th) |
| First Downs (per game) | 19.6 (95th) | 24.1 (23rd) |
| Opponent First Downs (per game) | 22.2 (91st) | 20.1 (61st) |
| Penalties (ypg) | 65.9 (100th) | 51.2 (48th) |
| Turnover Margin (season) | -12 (129th) | 0 (67th) |
| Time of Possession | 30:07.10 (63rd) | 32:51.78 (14th) |
| Sacks (Per Game) | 0.9 (128th) | 3.22 (11th) |
| Tackles for Loss (Per Game) | 3.8 (125th) | 6.78 (38th) |
| Sacks Allowed (Per Game) | 3.8 (129th) | 0.56 (2nd) |
| Tackles for Loss Allowed (Per Game) | 7.8 (121st) | 5.78 (59th) |
| Interceptions Gained (season) | 4 (117th) | 5 (102nd) |
| Passes Defended (per game) | 2.00 (130th) | 4.78 (57th) |
| Fumbles Recovered (season) | 7 (55th) | 7 (55th) |
| Fumbles Forced (season) | 5 (107th) | 9 (48th) |
| Fumbles Lost (season) | 9 (95th) | 5 (30th) |
| Interceptions Lost (Season) | 14 (123rd) | 7 (51st) |
| Kick/Punts Blocked (season) | 2 (27th) | 1 (65th) |
| 3rd Down Conversion % | 37.76% (87th) | 48.00% (10th) |
| 4th Down Conversion % | 40.00% (112th) | 58.33% (40th) |
| Opponent 3rd Down Conversion % | 50.00% (129th) | 37.10 (50th) |
| Opponent 4th Down Conversion % | 58.33% (89th) | 50.00% (56th) |
| Red Zone Conversion % | 86.67% (45th) | 85.42% (60th) |
| Red Zone TD Conversion % | 70.00% (26th) | 54.17% (111th) |
| Red Zone Trips | 30 (103rd) | 48 (12th) |
| Opponent Red Zone Conversion % | 87.5% (97th) | 75.76% (20th) |
| Opponent Red Zone TD Conversion % | 72.92% (114th) | 48.48% (16th) |
| Opponent Red Zone Trips | 48 (119th) | 33 (53rd) |
| Kickoffs (ypk) | 60.2 (92nd) | 61.4 (68th) |
| Plays | 688 (78th) | 672 (93rd) |
| Yards Per Play | 5.11 (109th) | 6.07 (49th) |
| Plays +10 Yards | 143 (64th) | 147 (54th) |
| Plays +20 Yards | 42 (91st) | 51 (49th) |
| Plays +30 Yards | 17 (100th) | 21 (65th) |
| Plays +40 Yards | 9 (82nd) | 7 (110th) |
| Opponent Plays +10 Yards | 137 (58th) | 130 (44th) |
| Opponent Plays +20 Yards | 53 (93rd) | 50 (85th) |
| Opponent Plays +30 Yards | 31 (115th) | 21 (66th) |
| Opponent Plays +40 Yards | 16 (105th) | 9 (41st) |
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