LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- At the risk of borrowing from Coach Speak 101, Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana and Western Kentucky are playing the major opportunity games Saturday.
IU and WKU must win to maintain any legitimate discussion of bowl eligibility.
North Carolina State was ranked 18th last week. Although the Wolfpack tumbled to No. 28 by stumbling at Miami, the Cards can earn credibility by beating at top-30 team on the road.
The door is open for an 11-1 season and fancy bowl game for Kentucky, but not if the Wildcats tumble at Mississippi State.
Let’s call the roll for the weekend agenda.
Louisville at North Carolina State, 7:30 p.m.
- What’s To Gain: A win over N.C. State would be Louisville's best win this season. The Cards might move into second place in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference with a victory. A win would also give them to five victories, one step from bowl eligibility and would also give the team momentum when it returns for back-to-back home games. A Louisville win would also clear the path for Wake Forest to win the division.
- What’s At Risk: The Cards should get to at least six wins, but they can create a comfort zone by getting this win on the road. The Cards (3-2) can overtake N.C. State (2-2) in the ACC standings with a win.
- The History: The Cards have won four of six against the Wolfpack since joining the ACC, including two games in Raleigh. The teams did not play last season.
- The Challenge: N.C. State has the best rushing defense and the second-best scoring defense in the ACC. In fact, the Wolfpack have allowed one rushing touchdown. Georgia is the only other Power 5 team that has limited opponents to one rushing TD.
- The Odds: Wolfpack by 7.
Kentucky at Mississippi State, 7 p.m.
- What’s To Gain: The Wildcats can lock up at least a share of second place in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference with a victory. They would put themselves into position to climb from No. 12 back into the AP Top 10.
- What’s At Risk: The Sporting News projects UK in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan State. CBS has Kentucky in the Fiesta Bowl against Michigan. The Wildcats need this win for the sexier matchup like the one against the Wolverines.
- The History: The home team has won the last six games in the series, which is even at 24-24.
- The Challenge: Mississippi State is unlike any team in college football, averaging 57.7 passing attempts per game. That’s eight more than runner-up Western Kentucky and 17 more than Missouri, which is the second-most prolific passing offense in the SEC.
- The Odds: Kentucky is favored by 1.5 points.
Indiana at Maryland, noon.
- What’s To Gain: A sliver of the momentum the Hoosiers had before the season when they were ranked No. 17 and considered a cinch to make their third consecutive bowl trip. A chance to prove their 2-5 start has primarily been the result of losing to five teams currently ranked in the AP Top 20.
- What’s At Risk: Any hope of going to a bowl game. The Hoosiers are unlikely to win at Michigan next weekend, so they must beat Maryland, Rutgers, Minnesota and Purdue.
- The History: IU leads the series 7-2 and has won three of four games in College Park.
- The Challenge: Indiana’s offensive line has been a mess all season. The quarterback room has been scrambled by injuries to Michael Penix Jr. and Jack Tuttle. Transfers have emptied the running back room. Tom Allen has a lot to fix here.
- The Odds: Maryland by 5.
Charlotte at WKU, 4 p.m.
- What’s To Gain: The Hilltoppers built a two-game winning streak against lowly Old Dominion and Florida International, a pair of teams that have won one game each. With three of its final five games at home against opponents that are either 4-3 or 3-4, WKU has a shot to finish strong.
- What’s At Risk: WKU is favored by more than two touchdowns against a Charlotte program that has a win against Duke and has apparently made the cut to leave Conference USA for the American Athletic Conference. This is a chance for WKU to make people wonder if the AAC took the wrong program.
- The History: The programs have split four games, with WKU cruising to a 30-7 lead before winning, 37-19, last Dec. 6 in Charlotte.
- The Challenge: In its last game, Charlotte collapsed in the second half, allowing 31 points to Florida Atlantic and Willie Taggart’s up-tempo offense. Reports from the game were that Charlotte defenders were out of position and unprepared for the pace of play. WKU loves to play fast and should also t WKU is favored by 17.5.
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