LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville and Clemson will meet for the sixth time Saturday at Cardinal Stadium, and U of L still looking for its first win against the national power.
The first three games were very competitive. The last two, not as much.
It's a series that has been a pretty good gauge of the direction of each program.
2014: Clemson 23-17
The 2014 game went down to the final play at Clemson. Will Gardner's fourth down pass at the goal line was knocked down as the Tigers held on for a 23-17 victory, prompting a field storming. Clemson finished 10-3 while Louisville went 9-4 in its first season in the ACC.
2015: Clemson 20-17
In 2015, sophomore Deshaun Watson threw a pair of touchdown passes, and Clemson held off Louisville, 20-17, dropping U of L to 0-3 on the season. The Cards regrouped to go 8-5 and win the Music City Bowl. Clemson went 14-1, losing to Alabama, 45-40, in the college football playoff national championship game.
2016: Clemson 42-36
It was a top-five match-up in 2016 with early playoff implications. In the final seconds, James Quick caught a pass from Lamar Jackson but came up just short of the first down marker as No. 3 U of L dropped a 42-36 thriller to the fifth-ranked Tigers. Louisville dropped its last three games to finish 9-4 but had the Heisman Trophy winner in Lamar Jackson. Clemson was 14-1 and won the national title, 35-31, over Alabama
2017: Clemson 47-21
The Cardinals were less competitive in 2017. No. 3 Clemson had its way with 14th-ranked Louisville, 47-21, in the third game of the year. Louisville finished 8-5. Clemson went 12-2 and finished fourth in the country.
2018: Clemson 77-16
And we think 2018 was as bad as it gets, an early November shellacking to the tune of 77-16 for the No. 2 Tigers. That was the sixth of nine consecutive losses to end the season for U of L, which finished 2-10. Clemson finished 15-0 with another national title.
The Cardinals are still a three-plus touchdown underdog Saturday but trending back in a positive direction. It's a noon start at Cardinal Stadium. The 4-2 Cards trying to end Clemson's 21-game win streak.
Related stories:
Copyright 2019 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
