LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- One of the best additions to the University of Louisville schedule over the last decade is the team the Cardinals will face Saturday for the fifth time in program history: Notre Dame.
With both teams ranked in the top 20 — Louisville is 15th in the AP poll with the Irish one spot behind — this game will inspire national attention.
After losing to Northern Illinois three weeks ago, Notre Dame cannot afford another burp if coach Marcus Freeman expects to direct the Irish to the national playoff.
For Louisville, this is an opportunity to climb in the rankings and cement its status with Miami and Clemson as the top teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Enjoy.
The Time: Saturday, 3:30 p.m., Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Ind.
How to Watch/Listen: TV — Peacock (Paul Burmeister, play by play; Jason Garrett, analyst; Zora Stephenson, sidelines). RADIO — U of L Sports Properties (Paul Rogers, play by play; Craig Swabek, analyst; Jody Demling, sidelines).
The Line: Point Spread — Notre Dame favored by 6.5; Over/under total points 46.
The Last Time: The Cards upset No. 10 Notre Dame, 33-20, last Oct. 7 at L&N Cardinal Stadium.
The Series: Both teams have won twice and the series is also even in both venues. The Cards won their first trip to South Bend in 2014 but were beaten 12-7 during the 2020 COVID season.
The Records: The Cards are 3-0 with an average victory margin of 36.3 points. Notre Dame has wins over Texas A&M, Purdue and Miami (Ohio) as well as that puzzling loss to Northern Illinois.
Player to Watch for Louisville: Receiver Ja’Corey Brooks. His 17 receptions are nearly triple the total of any other Cardinal receiver. With Jadon Thompson sidelined by a knee injury and Caullin Lacy likely still out with a broken collarbone, Brooks will remain the go-to guy for Cards’ quarterback Tyler Shough. Brooks has delivered at least 80 receiving yards every game, but Notre Dame has one of the best defensive secondaries in the nation.
Player to Watch for Notre Dame: Quarterback Riley Leonard ranks sixth in the nation among QBs in rushing yards at 80.5 per game. Leonard has rushed for 100 yards in Notre Dame’s last two games. He’s been less productive as passer, with two interceptions and only one TD throw.
Sideline Storylines:
- It’s the first road game for Louisville, which will play four of its final five games away from home.
- Louisville’s Tyler Shough is one of two starting quarterbacks in the ACC who has yet to throw an interception. Shough has eight TD passes and he ranks fifth in the league in passing yards per game at 283.3 per game.
- Shough has 75 passing attempts. The only U of L quarterbacks to start their careers with more attempts before throwing their first interceptions are Johnny Unitas (78) and Mike Watkins (83).
- Louisville has completed at least one pass to eight different receivers in each of its first three games.
- Notre Dame has limited its last two opponents — Purdue and Miami (Ohio) — to three conversation in 24 attempts on third down.
- The Irish are dealing with more injuries than Louisville. Eleven ND players have already been declared out for the season and four others will miss the Louisville game.
- Notre Dame ranks sixth in the nation in pass efficiency defense and eighth in interceptions with six in four games.
The Quote: Marcus Freeman discussing the strength of the U of L defense, which limited the Irish to 44 yards rushing last season:
"I think they're an aggressive, attacking defense. They are going to challenge you, (going to try) to stop the run. That's something that they take a lot of pride in doing and try to make you throw the ball over the top."
The Pick: Notre Dame 24, Louisville 17.
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