By Tyler Bright
The Louisville Cardinals head to Clemson this weekend to face the No. 11 Tigers in a much-anticipated ACC showdown at Memorial Stadium.
Clemson is a team that has had some serious momentum. Since their 3-34 loss to Georgia in the season opener, the Tigers have rallied off six-straight wins with a perfect 5-0 record in ACC play.
Fast and furious offense
Clemson’s offense is led by quarterback Cade Klubnik, who has thrown for 1836 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. These impressive numbers are good enough to find Klubnik currently sitting with the fifth best odds to wins the Heisman trophy according to ESPN Bet.
Klubnik, with his quick release and mobility, has been able to find receivers downfield, including standout wide receiver Antonio Williams who has 28 catches totaling 393 yards and five touchdowns. Tight end Jake Briningstool is a great second option with 327 yards and four touchdowns of his own.
The Clemson offense is built on explosive plays and speed, which has been vastly improved over recent seasons, but running back Phil Mafah has been a change-of-pace back that brings the boom. Mafah leads the Tigers with 682 yards on the ground, averaging 6.5 yards a carry.
Louisville’s defensive line will need to keep Klubnik from extending plays outside the pocket. Clemson’s offensive line has shown vulnerability in pass protection, and Louisville’s ability to bring pressure off the edge could disrupt Klubnik’s timing. This is especially important when guarding against Clemson’s screen passes and quick slants, which Klubnik has used effectively to counteract blitzes.
Ashton Gillotte has not exactly lived up to his Preseason All-American status, but a big game from the NFL-prospect could give the Cards control of Saturday’s game.
Relics of the past
The defensive side of the ball has been Clemson’s strength for nearly a decade now, but that might have changed. It’s not as is the Tigers’ defense is bad, they’re still a strong group. Clemson is giving up 23 points and 348 yards per game. They’ve amassed 17 sacks, nine interceptions and four fumbled recovered. Those are all good numbers, but it’s not what was expected going into the season.
Louisville’s biggest issue when dealing with this defense will be the pass rush. While Clemson has not been unstoppable in that category, Louisville has had a tendency of making opponents look more ferocious than they are. Monroe Mills sprained his MCL a few weeks back, but played at right tackle against Boston College. Jeff Brohm alluded to some injury concerns on the offensive line, so his availability is in doubt.
If the Cardinals O-line can hold its own, Tyler Shough will likely provide a shock to the system of Clemson’s defense and light up the scoreboard.
Paper Tigers?
Clemson has passed the eye test and then some, but advanced analytics do not favor this Tigers team. Clemson has only beaten one team inside the top-70 of ESPN’s FPI, giving them a strength of schedule of 75th toughest in the country. Clemson has also only faced one team inside of the top-70 in the FPI’s best offenses, and this includes Georgia.
Louisville ranks 16th in the FPI’s offensive efficiency rankings, so it is safe to say the Tigers have yet to play an offense of Louisville’s caliber.
Many are expecting the game to be a shootout down in Death Valley. For Louisville, success will hinge on the shoulders of the defense being able to stop Clemson’s potent offense. Clemson, on the other hand, will look to capitalize on home-field advantage, feeding off the energy of the Memorial Stadium crowd in the prime time slot to fuel their defense and disrupt Louisville’s rhythm.
Expect an intense contest where every possession counts, as both teams vie for a crucial conference win that could set the tone for the remainder of the ACC season.
Photo by Vinny Porco
