Louisville football looks to keep things on the right track as it hits the road to take on NC State.
It’s time to change the narrative.
First Down: What to know
Who: Louisville at NC State
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium | Raleigh, North Carolina
When: October 30th, 2021 at 7:30 PM
TV: ACCN
Radio: 790 WKRD AM in Louisville
Pregame on 93.9 FM in Louisville
Last Meeting: Louisville won 34-20 on November 16th, 2019
Series: Louisville leads 7-3
Spread Check: NC State -6 | O/U 56
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Second Down: What to Watch for
The Turnover Battle
The difference between a blowout victory and a much closer result for Louisville football against Boston College lied with the number of giveaways by the Cards.
Louisville had two fumbles and quarterback Malik Cunningham threw two interceptions against the Eagles.
If the Cards want to secure a victory in Raleigh, they are going to have to flip the script on the Wolfpack.
That’s easier said than done. NC State has gone 14 quarters without turning the ball over. Its last turnover was a fumble in the 2nd quarter against Clemson on September 25th.
NC State has committed 6 turnovers all season. Louisville has committed 5 in the last two games.
Can NC State contain Malik Cunningham?
If Louisville football can hold onto the ball, this is the story of the game.
Cunningham has been electric in the open field as a ball carrier this season, notching 13 rushing touchdowns and 5.3 yards per carry. Despite some notable issues for the Cards, Cunningham is in the middle of his best season yet.
On the other side of the ball, NC State has struggled to defend mobile quarterbacks in 2021.
Players like Austin Kendall of Louisiana Tech, Tyler Van Dyke of Miami, Cade Fortin of USF, and DJ Uiagalelei of Clemson have had their way on the ground with the Wolfpack. None of these players are even close to being comparable to Cunningham’s speed and elusiveness.
Additionally, State will be without its two starting linebackers on Saturday night. Team leaders Payton Wilson and Isaiah Moore are both sidelined, leaving a vacant spot at the position charged with spying on and stopping Cunningham.
Look for Louisville football to try to rush Cunningham early and often, including in the traditional option sets that have been successful of late.
Third Down: What they’re saying
“We have our work cut out for us again this week like we have every week. We look forward to the challenge, but these guys are a really good football team, and they’re coached really well.”
– Louisville DC Bryan Brown
“Louisville has always had good skill on the perimeter, and they do again. Their tight ends are really good players. They move them around. They use shifts and motions for misdirection. Their o-line is athletic. The run game, there’s not a lot to it but they’re really good at it. The wide-zone stretch, stretch lead, and then the inside zone and split zones. They have great play-action pass series that come off their run game, and a naked series that allows the quarterback to be an athlete with the pass game. They protect him well. They’ve only been sacked one time per game. But they’re running the ball well. They rushed for 331 yards last week against Boston College. That’s hard to do against a BC team. They’ve rushed for over 200 yards in three straight games. It’s a great opportunity to play a very physical, good football team here. Their defense leads the conference now with nine interceptions. They give you a lot of looks, a lot of pressures, multiple fronts. They play hard. Their kicking game is very sound. They’re a physical opponent.”
– NC State HC Dave Doeren
“I think part of it is, we’re starting to get the outside zone rolling. That’s a funny play, boy. Sometimes it takes a long time to really get a clickin’, and when you can, it can be a dangerous play. And it takes everybody. It takes the running backs, takes the tight end, takes the o-line. But I really feel like that’s been part of it, to help us with the run game, for sure. Let’s face it, we had a couple of heartbreaking losses there, two weeks in a row, and you kind of have a choice. Either go backward and feel sorry for yourself, or you get mad. I think our guys kind of got mad, and kind of have a chip on their shoulder.”
– Louisville OL coach Jack Bicknell
“They’re still very, very good. I know they lost (Isaiah Moore), a great player, I feel bad for him. But they’ve got some great players. The thing that they do is play a little bit of a different scheme, but they pressure a lot, which kind of puts the pressure on the offense to be able to pick that up, and to be able to keep the quarterback upright, basically. We got a big challenge ahead of us. I know they’re number one in total defense in the league. I think they’re only giving up like 17 points a game, or whatever it is. I don’t really always know the stats. But I know what I can see on film, and they’re an excellent defense, and it’s gonna be a huge challenge for us going down to their place.”
– Louisville OL coach Jack Bicknell
“The technique and the determination, that was our problems. Like I stated at the beginning of the season that you know, it hurt looking at the film. Just as soon as some of the big plays we could have had and could have created, if we were using our right technique, and having the determination that we have now. Now, we see guys doing the right technique, doing what coach is asking us to do, and guys are coming off the ball. We’re winning the ball on the other side, we’re playing on the defensive side, which is great as an offensive line. It’s definitely that the technique has improved, and our ‘want to’ has gotten better.”
– Louisville OL Caleb Chandler
Fourth Down: Predictions
Spencer Brown: Louisville 35, NC State 32
Madison Wood: Louisville 31, NC State 27
Matt McGavic: NC State 38, Louisville 35
Alan Thomas: Louisville 28, NC State 27
Jacob Lane: NC State 38, Louisville 35
Nick Conner: Louisville 28, NC State 26
Brian Trent: NC State 31, Louisville 21
Presley Meyer: Louisville 41, NC State 31
Next: Nick’s Picks Week 9
