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Way too early Louisville football game-by-game predictions

By Jacob Lane

LOUISVILLE, KY - DECEMBER 05: Scott Satterfield the new head coach of football team at the University of Louisville talks to the media before the start od the Louisville Cardinals against the Central Arkansas Bears at KFC YUM! Center on December 5, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - DECEMBER 05: Scott Satterfield the new head coach of football team at the University of Louisville talks to the media before the start od the Louisville Cardinals against the Central Arkansas Bears at KFC YUM! Center on December 5, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – SEPTEMBER 22: Jeremy Smith #34 of the Louisville Cardinals catches a screen pass in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – SEPTEMBER 22: Jeremy Smith #34 of the Louisville Cardinals catches a screen pass in the first half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

Virginia

October 26th

After being at the bottom or near the bottom of the ACC Coastal division over the last few years, Bronco Mendenhall has the Virginia Cavaliers positioned to be a top 25 team this season. While the team loses star running back Jordan Ellis and star wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, who was First Team All-ACC last year, they do return quarterback Bryce Perkins who could be a potential ACC Player of the Year candidate.

In his first season after transferring from Arizona State, Perkins accounted for over 270 yards of total offense per game, and a combined 69 touchdowns.

Perkins dominated Louisville last season, and in order to have any shot at taking down the Cavaliers this year at home, Bryan Brown’s defense will have to figure out a way to account for his elite playmaking ability. How they will do that? First, by taking advantage of a young offensive line who be tasked with replacing three starters from a year ago.

We’ve hit on it time and time again that Louisville’s defensive line will have to step up in a big way, something we haven’t seen in years if they have any chance of stopping high powered offenses like UVA.

Offensively, Louisville is going to struggle to score the football against one of the best defenses in all of the ACC, and will have to take advantage of their speed using trick plays and other wrinkles. I believe we’ll see some of that this season as Satterfield tries to get comfortable with the ACC and its defenses, but against a team like Virginia it’ll be tough.

I don’t see a scenario where Louisville wins this game. Virginia could be a BCS type of team this season if they find playmakers to replace Ellis and Zaccheaus and get their offensive line sorted out. Mendenhall is a great coach, one of the best in the ACC in my opinion, and his team will be ready to play every week.

Compete, play hard every down, and hope for the best. That’s the motto for the Cards in games like this.

Prediction: Louisville 21, Virginia 31

Record: 4-4

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