Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Clemson Tigers

The Cardinals stay on the road and head to Death Valley for a matchup with the Tigers.

Nov 12, 2022; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham (3) runs by Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry (5) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

Louisville Cardinals (5-3, 3-2 ACC) at No. 11 Clemson Tigers (6-1, 5-0 ACC)

- Kickoff: Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m. EST
- Location: Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C.
- Weather Conditions: Mostly cloudy skies. Low 60F. Winds light and variable.
- How To Watch: ESPN
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Clemson -10.5
- All-Time Series: Clemson leads 8-0
- Last Meeting: Clemson won 31-16 on Nov. 12, 2022 (Memorial Stadium - Clemson, S.C.)

Game Notes

Louisville

• The Cardinals rebounded from a 20-0 deficit — the fourth-largest deficit in school — to win 31-27 Friday night at Boston College to snap their losing streak at one game and win their second-straight ACC road contest. The Cardinals snapped a 47-game losing streak when trailing by 10 or more points heading into the fourth quarter by outscoring the Eagles 14-0 in the fourth quarter and 24-7 in the second half.
• The Cards are looking for their first-ever win at Death Valley this weekend after losing their first four appearances in a series that dates back to 2014.
• 7 straight wins when not allowing a sack, last losing in a 34-33 loss to Virginia during the 2021 season. Tyler Shough threw 38 passes without being sacks.
• 4 300-yard passing games for quarterback Tyler Shough. The senior threw for 332 yards and two scores in the win over Boston College.
• 9 game losing streak snapped when having a turnover margin of -3 or worse. Louisville turned the ball over three times on Friday
• 8 straight wins for the Cards under head coach Jeff Brohm when allowing 30 points or less since taking over in 2023.
• There is no question the Cardinals have played until the end under head coach Jeff Brohm in his two seasons leading the program. In 22 games, the Cardinals have played in 11 one-score games under Brohm, with the Cards posting a solid 7-4 record in those contests.
• Louisville opens up the month of November against Clemson. The Cards are 163-175-5 all-time in November, including a 101-81-2 at home and 62-94-3 on the road.
• The Cardinals are looking for their fourth-straight ACC road win, and the first at Clemson, when facing the Tigers on Saturday. The Cards are 2-0 in league play on the road this year and defeated Miami 38-31 last season. Louisville’s last ACC road loss was a 38-21 decision at Pittsburgh — the first loss of the 2023 season.
• The Cardinals are 0-3 against opponents who were ranked at some point during the season in losses to Notre Dame, SMU and Miami — all losses by a combined 21 points — and face their fourth-ranked foe this weekend versus Clemson. Despite the losses, the Cardinals have been productive on the offensive side of the ball, averaging 434.7 yards per game and are averaging 32.0 points per game.
• Ja’Corey Brooks and Isaac Brown couldn’t be further apart in their collegiate careers, but the duo are closing in on history. Brooks and Brown are closing in on becoming the fourth duo to record 1,000 yards receiving and 1,000-yards rushing in the same season. Brooks needs just 201 yards over the next four games and Brown is 351 yards short of reaching the 1,000-yard mark on the ground.
• After recording 461 yards of total offense against Boston College, the Cardinals have totaled at least 350 yards of total offense in 18 of the last 22 games under head coach Jeff Brohm and have recorded over 400 yards in 14 of those 22 contests.
• Head coach Jeff Brohm has been pretty balanced on offense when it comes to the amount of rushing and passing plays he has called this season. Overall, the Cardinals have rushed 244 times and have scored 14 touchdowns compared to 246 passing plays and 18 touchdowns.
• After scoring first in 12 of 14 games during last season’s 10-4 season, the Cardinals have only scored first in three of eight games. They are being outscored 66-55 in the first quarter this season. Boston College held a 20-0 lead at the half before Louisville mounted its comeback. The Cardinals have trailed after the first quarter in five-straight game, losing three of those five contests.
• Tyler Shough, who is off to a 5-3 start as the starter, has been the catalyst for the success in the offense this season. The seventh-year player has thrown for a career high 2,348 yards and
  20 touchdowns through the first eight games. Shough will make his ninth start of the season on Saturday against Clemson — the most in his career as a collegiate quarterback.
• The Cards lost both of their running backs to the NFL, and were going to have to rely on a trio of freshmen in Isaac Brown, Keyjuan Brown and Duke Watson. While all freshmen, the three have combined to run for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns in their first full seasons.
• The Cardinals turned the ball over a season high three times in the 31-27 win over Boston College on Friday night. Louisville got into a 20-0 hole behind two first miscues that led to a pair of BC touchdowns. While not accounting for a turnover, the Eagles capitalized with a touchdown after a missed field goal. Louisville ended a nine-game losing streak when it has a turnover margin of -3 or worse. It’s last win also came against Boston College with a 17-14 win in 2015.
• Placekicker Brock Travelstead has moved into the top 10 on Louisville’s career list for field goals made with 26 after hitting from 23 yards in the win over Boston College He currently stands in ninth place.
• Defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte has been a sack machine and added one to his total in the win over Virginia. Gillotte added one sack to up his total to 24, which moves him into a tie for seventh place all-time with Marcus Smith on the school’s all-time sacks.
• Teams are starting to learn to not throw the football in the direction of cornerback Quincy Riley. In 53 career games at Middle Tennessee and Louisville, Riley has registered 14 career interceptions after recording one in the win over Jacksonville State — the seventh since transferring to Louisville for the 2022 season.
• T.J. Quinn has moved back into the team lead with 45 stops after recording 16 tackles in the last two games. The junior has five or more tackles in six of the eight games this season. Over the last two seasons, Quinn has recorded 137 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss in 22 consecutive starts.
• The Louisville defense has been under a lot of fire in recent weeks after facing a couple of the nation’s top offensive units. In taking on No. 20 SMU, Virginia and No. 6 Miami, the Cardinals yielded an average of 36.7 points per game, 489.3 yards of total offense and 303.7 yards passing in losing two of those three contests. Quarterbacks also completed 66.0 percent of their passes during the span. Facing a must-win at Boston College, the Cardinals received a big-time performance from the defense in a 31-27 win over the Eagles. The Cardinals limited BC to 318 yards of total offense and limited Thomas Castellanos to 13-of-28 passing for just 164 yards — a completion percentage of 46.4
  percent.

Clemson

• Clemson attempting to start 6-0 in conference play for the seventh time under Dabo Swinney (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022). It would be Clemson's 13th such start since joining the ACC in 1953.
• Tight end Jake Briningstool (107) needing six receptions to break the Clemson career record for receptions by a tight end (Jordan Leggett, 112). Briningstool (1,177) needing 79 yards to pass John McMakin (1,255 from 1969-71) for second on Clemson's all-time career receiving yardage leaderboard for tight
  ends. Briningstool (14) continuing to chase Jordan Leggett (18 from 2013-16) for the school record for career receiving touchdowns by a tight end. Briningstool presently stands alone in second place. Briningstool (three) seeking to add to his school
  record for career 100-yard receiving games by a tight end. Briningstool (two touchdowns vs. App State) and Olsen Patt-Henry (two touchdowns vs. Virginia) each attempting to become the first Clemson tight end to catch multiple touchdown passes in multiple games in a single season since Brandon Ford in 2012 (two).
• Linebacker Barrett Carter needing 2.0 tackles for loss to reach 30 for his career.
• Cornerback Ashton Hampton (one) attempting to join Arlington Nunn (three in 1990) and Dorian O'Daniel (two in 2017) as the only Clemson players since 1950 to record multiple interception returns for touchdowns in a season.
• Kicker Nolan Hauser (72) needing seven more points to break the Clemson record for points by a true freshman held presently by Sammy Watkins (78 in 2011). Hauser (72) needing 28 more points to become the first Clemson freshman (true or redshirt) to score 100 points since redshirt freshman Greg Huegel in 2015 (137). Hauser (12-of-14) needing seven more field goals to tie or eight more field goals to break Chris Gardocki's school record for field goals made by a true freshman (19 in 1988). Hauser (one) attempting to become the second player in school history to record multiple career games with five field goals (Nelson Welch, three).
• Quarterback Cade Klubnik (15-6) attempting to tie Kelly Bryant (16-2 from 2015-18) and Cullen Harper (16-9 from 2005-08) for the 15th-most wins as a starting quarterback for Clemson since World War II. Klubnik attempting to throw for 300 yards in a third
  straight game to tie the school record for consecutive 300-yard passing games set twice by Tajh Boyd in 2013. Klubnik attempting to become the first Clemson quarterback to throw multiple touchdown passes in six straight games since a nine-game streak by Trevor Lawrence in 2019. Klubnik (20) needing two touchdown passes to enter the Top 10 in touchdown passes in a single season in Clemson history (No. 10 DJ Uiagalelei, 22 in 2022). Klubnik (41) needing two touchdowns to pass Cullen
  Harper (42 from 2005-08) for fifth on Clemson's all-time leaderboard for career passing touchdowns. Klubnik (5,377) chasing No. 8 DJ Uiagalelei (5,681 from 2020-22), No. 7 Nealon Greene (5,719 from 1994-97) and No. 6 Cullen Harper (5,762 from 2005-08) on Clemson's all-time leaderboard for career passing yardage. Klubnik (773) needing 27 pass attempts to become the eighth player in school history to throw 800 career
  passes. Klubnik (497) needing three completions to become
  the seventh player in Clemson history to throw 500 career
  completions. Klubnik (497) needing 22 completions to pass Cullen Harper (518 from 2005-08) to enter the Top 5 in school
  history in career pass completions. Klubnik entering the game ranked tied for seventh in the nation in touchdowns responsible for (24 — 20 passing, four rushing). Klubnik (24) needing one touchdown of any kind (including passing) to record the 14th season in school history in which a player has been responsible for 25 or more touchdowns (all categories including passing). He needs six more combined touchdowns to tie No. 10 Cullen Harper's 2007 campaign to enter the Top 10 in school history in single-season touchdown responsibility. Klubnik (51) needing three touchdowns of any kind to pass C.J. Spiller (53) for seventh in school history in career touchdown responsibility. Klubnik (5,925) needing 75 combined rushing and passing yards to become the ninth player in school history to reach 6,000 career yards of total offense. Klubnik (5,925) needing 172 combined rushing and passing yards to pass Steve Fuller (6,096 from 1975-78) for eighth in school history in career yards of total offense. Klubnik (four) needing one more rushing touchdown to set a new single-season career high in rushing touchdowns. Klubnik (10) chasing No. 9 Homer Jordan (11 from 1979-82) and No. 8 Rodney Williams (12 from 1985-88) on Clemson's all-time leaderboard for career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
• Running back (four) Phil Mafah attempting to add to his single-season career high in 100-yard rushing games. Mafah (2,454) needing 46 rushing yards to become the 13th player in school history to reach 2,500 career rushing yards. Mafah (2,454) needing 118 rushing yards to pass Buddy Gore (2,571 from 1966-68) for 12th on Clemson's all-time leaderboard for career rushing yardage. Mafah attempting to become the first Clemson player to rush for multiple touchdowns in three straight games
  since Will Shipley across the first three games of the 2022 season. Mafah (26) needing two rushing touchdowns to tie or three rushing touchdowns to pass Terry Allen (28 from 1987-89) for 10th in school history in career rushing touchdowns. Fred Cone (29 from 1948-50) presently sits in ninth place. Mafah (26) needing four rushing touchdowns to become the ninth player in school history to score 30 career rushing touchdowns. Mafah (six) needing four more rushing touchdowns this season to join Travis Etienne (four straight from 2017-20), James Davis (three straight from 2006-08), Will Shipley (2021-22), Wayne Gallman (2015-16), Tajh Boyd (2012-13), Andre Ellington (2010-11), Woodrow Dantzler (2000-01), Travis Zachery (1999-2000) and Terry Allen (1988-89) as the 10th Clemson player since 1960 to post back-to-back seasons with double-digit rushing touchdowns. Mafah (six) needing four rushing touchdowns to extend Clemson's streak of consecutive years with at least one player with 10 or more rushing touchdowns to 10 straight years. Clemson's current nine-year streak is the longest active streak in the nation.
• Defensive end T.J. Parker (5.5) needing one sack to surpass his single-season career high set last season (5.5).
• Offensive lineman Walker Parks (2,431) needing 69 more offensive snaps to become the 26th Clemson player on record to play at least 2,500 career snaps from scrimmage. Fellow offensive lineman Blake Miller (2,387) needs 113 more snaps from scrimmage to join that group as well.
• Tight end Olsen Patt-Henry attempting to become the first Clemson player to catch multiple touchdown passes in back-to-back games since Tee Higgins caught multiple touchdowns in three straight games against Wake Forest, South Carolina and Virginia in 2019.
• Wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. (two) attempting to record his third 100-yard receiving game of his debut campaign to join Sammy Watkins (five in 2011), Artavis Scott (four in 2014), DeAndre Hopkins (three in 2010) and Justyn Ross (three in 2018) to become the fifth Clemson true freshman with three or more 100-yard receiving games since the NCAA instituted permanent
  freshman eligibility in 1972. Wesco and T.J. Moore entering the game as one of only two freshman duos nationally with 250 or more receiving yards each. Clemson (Wesco and Moore) and
  Auburn (Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons) are the only teams to have two different freshmen each eclipse 250 receiving yards this season.
• Wide receiver Antonio Williams (five) attempting to add to his single-season career high in touchdown receptions.
• Linebacker Wade Woodaz (three) seeking to force two more fumbles to match the school record for caused fumbles in a single season (five by Brandon Maye in 2009).

Depth Charts

Here are the depth charts for both teams ahead of their matchup: Louisville vs. Clemson

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Tigers, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of the Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Clemson

Uniform Report

Louisville will be wearing black helmets and pants with white jerseys; while Clemson has yet to announce their uniform combination.

⚫️⚪️⚫️#GoCards pic.twitter.com/3cOTdS7C6e

— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) October 30, 2024

Additional Coverage

• Final Thoughts and Observations on Louisville vs. Boston College
• Watch: Jeff Brohm, Ron English and Louisville Players Preview Clemson
• ACC Football Power Rankings: 2024 Week 10
• Louisville Football Redshirt Tracker: Week 10
• Louisville Football CFB25 Preview: Game 9 at Clemson
• Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for All Clemson Tigers' Zach Lentz
• Points of Emphasis: Louisville vs. Clemson
• From The Pink Seats: Boston College Recap, Clemson Preview

(Photo of Malik Cunningham: Ken Ruinard - Imagn Images)

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