NCAA Game Preview: Syracuse Orange hosts No.9 Louisville Cardinals on Saturday

Date/Time: Sat, Nov 10 / 12:00:00 PM ET, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York

The undefeated Louisville Cardinals (9-0, 4-0 Big East) will be looking for their first 10-win season since Bobby Petrino’s days in 2006, when they visit the Carrier Dome to face the Syracuse Orange (4-5, 3-2 Big East).

This is an absolutely critical game for Louisville in its quest for the BCS title.  The Cardinals, ranked No. 9 in the latest BCS standings, are one of only six unbeaten teams in the NCAA Football. In the BCS, the Cardinals are right behind Georgia and Florida, who each have one loss, and LSU and South Carolina, with two losses apiece.

With only three games left in the regular season’s schedule, Louisville is tied for first place in the Big East with Rutgers.  Following their game vs. Syracuse, the Cardinals will head back home to play the Connecticut Huskies, and will meet the Scarlet Knights in the last game of the season to vie for the league’s automatic bid into the BCS bowl.

For Louisville Coach Charlie Strong, this is not an impossible task.  Strong leaded his team to two bowls his first two seasons (Beef O’ Bardy’s Bowl in 2010 and Belk Bowl in 2011) and wants his Louisville Cardinals to win this game and secure a third consecutive post season game. A key to fulfill this goal is Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater, who is coming off a five-touchdown performance in a 45-17 win over Temple.   One week after setting a career-record of 416 yards, Bridgewater completed 19 of 28 passes for 324 yards and a career-best five TDs in a 45-17 victory over the Temple Owls.  So far this season, Bridgewater has thrown 18 touchdown passes and four interceptions and ranks in the top 10 in both quarterback rating and completion percentage.

The 45-17 victory over Temple ended a string of close games for Louisville; including an overtime 34-31 home victory over Cincinnati and a 27-25 home win over South Florida. Now, while Bridgewater and the offensive team have shinned all season, Louisville’s defense has fell a bit short, surrendering an average of 148.0 yards on the ground and more than 22 points per game.

But while the Syracuse Orange is one of the more erratic football teams in the Big East, they have proven to be capable of taking down Top 25 opponents at home when they need it.  Last year, Syracuse shocked No. 11 West Virginia and has won its last three at home. With only three games left (the other two are on the road against Missouri and Temple) the team has to win two of its final three games to achieve the six wins and become eligible for a bowl game.

Orange will rely on quarterback Ryan Nassib to lead the way. He has thrown for a school-record 2,773 yards as the Orange has produced three 500-yard receivers in a season for the first time - Marcus Sales with 722, Alec Lemon 569, and Jarrod West 523.

Game Odds:
Louisville Cardinals: -1.5-110, ML -135
Syracuse Orange: +1.5-110, ML +115
Game Total: 57.5, o/u -110

Louisville leads 6-5 (last meeting, 2011, Louisville 27-10). The Cardinals defeated Syracuse at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium last season, winning 27-10 and limiting Syracuse to just 246 yards of total offense.

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