Syracuse (4-6, 2-4 Atlantic Coast) visits Louisville (6-4, 3-4) on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff from Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. The Orange is coming off three consecutive losses, while UofL has won two of its last three. Both SU and UofL have lost to Wake Forest by double digits.

Ahead of the matchup, Cardinals beat writer Jake Lourim of the Louisville Courier-Journal addressed Saturday’s game.

The Daily Orange: Given how up and down Louisville’s season has gone, where are the Cardinals at right now? What is their identity?

Jake Lourim: As with a lot of teams, it feels like that question depends on the week. On Oct. 14, Louisville looked embarrassed by losing at home to a Boston College team that was 2-4 at the time. On Oct. 21, the Cards went on the road and earned their biggest win of the season at Florida State, where they hadn’t won since 1952. On Oct. 28, they reverted back and let Wake Forest run all over them, 42-32. And then after an open date, they played their best game of the season Saturday and thrashed Virginia, 38-21.

The players’ mindset looks pretty good this week. I think they’re encouraged by how they played Saturday and, despite the way the season has gone, see a fairly bright finish if they can win these last two games. This team’s identity right now is one with a lot of good athletes, an exciting offense, a Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback and the potential to score every play. The Cards are maddening on defense. Right now, they just have to try to make one more big play than the other team at the end.

The D.O.: Decisive on his run-pass options, Wake Forest’s John Wolford burned the Syracuse defense last week. How much do you see Lamar Jackson exploiting SU’s Tampa 2 defense in a similar way?

J.L.: The run-pass option isn’t as prominent in Louisville’s offense. The biggest threat the Cards pose is in the downfield passing game. Bobby Petrino loves to stretch the field and spread out his receivers. You’ll see a lot of crossing patterns, curl routes and screens designed to get the ball in space and force the opponent to make tackles. Syracuse struggled with that last year, and Jackson threw for 411 yards.

Louisville’s other strength on offense is the read option run. The Cards now have three healthy running backs in Reggie Bonnafon, Malik Williams and Dae Williams. When Jackson fakes to one of them and keeps the ball, it can be lethal, as it was on Saturday when he ran 68 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.

The D.O.: Besides Jackson, which player or aspect of Louisville’s progression this season would you highlight for Syracuse fans?

J.L.: The big name to watch is Jaire Alexander. He’s a preseason All-American cornerback and a first-round talent when he’s healthy. He’s missed six games this year, but he returned Saturday and made a huge impact on Louisville’s defense. Alexander is more of an emotional leader for this team. Mentally, he brings a lot of energy, and he can also lock down one half of the field when he’s out there.

Other names worth knowing are wide receiver Jaylen Smith and defensive end Jonathan Greenard.

The D.O.: Where is UofL most vulnerable for an upset to Syracuse?

J.L.: Defense has been Louisville’s main problem all year, in all areas, which is why a team with a Heisman Trophy winner is 6-4. The Cards’ defense has been one of the worst units in the ACC all year, a major source of frustration for fans. I thought Louisville handled Syracuse’s no-huddle offense pretty well last year, but this is a different group.

By my count, Syracuse is the fastest-paced team in the country, according to how many seconds of game time it takes them to snap the ball between plays. Louisville has struggled mightily in defending the two no-huddle teams it has faced, Boston College and Wake Forest. We’ll see how Saturday goes.

The D.O.: What is your prediction for the result Saturday?

J.L.: I’m torn. I would have picked Syracuse for a few weeks before last weekend, but Wake Forest really torched Syracuse, which doesn’t bode well for the Orange’s ability to defend Lamar Jackson. It’s going to be a high-scoring game, last team with the ball wins. I’ll say that team will be Louisville.

Published on November 17, 2017 at 8:55 am

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21