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Louisville vs Florida State: Start time, watch online, 3 things to know

By Nathaniel Reeves

Sep 9, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) warms up prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 9, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) warms up prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
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All the information you need to know about the critical ACC matchup between the Florida State Seminoles and Louisville Cardinals on Saturday.

A loaded week three college football slate around the nation will be headlined by the No. 10 Louisville Cardinals hosting the No. 2 Florida State Seminoles on Saturday afternoon at Papa John’s Cardinals Stadium.

College GameDay will be in attendance for perhaps the most important game of the season so far in terms of playoff positioning. Louisville has yet to be really challenged in victories over Charlotte and Syracuse, while the Seminoles came from behind to win their opener against a good Ole Miss team.

Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson has caught the attention of the nation with over 1,000 total yards and 13 touchdowns through two games. Jackson will face a tougher test against an ultra talented Florida State defense, including star end DeMarcus Walker.

Full details for the top 10 matchup are below.

Date: Saturday, September 17
Start Time: Noon ET
Location: Louisville, KY
Venue: Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Here are three important things to know about the contest, which will feature plenty of NFL-caliber talent all over the field.

1. Louisville is much more than just Lamar Jackson

While the Cardinals haven’t faced the toughest schedule so far, Jackson is the early Heisman front-runner with his eye-popping stats. Louisville’s top-10 ranking is in large part thanks to Jackson, who might be the most explosive player in the nation.

However, Louisville’s roster features an outstanding supporting cast on both sides of the ball, and the team returns nearly every starter from 2015. Bobby Petrino has assembled a very athletic roster which is one of the few in the country that can challenge Florida State in terms of sheer talent.

Jackson is helped out by a strong group of receivers, including big play threats James Quick and Jamari Staples. Louisville could use a good game from running back Brandon Radcliff, who has only rushed 13 times on the season but has 178 yards.

The Cardinals were a top 25 defense last season under outstanding coordinator Todd Grantham, and have much more experience this year. Louisville’s primary strength in 2015 was its run defense, which will need to be at its best against Dalvin Cook on Saturday.

2. Deondre Francois isn’t to be underestimated  

After projected starting quarterback Sean Maguire broke a bone in his foot prior to the season, the Seminoles handed the reigns over to Francois, a redshirt freshman. Francois has been impressive so far, and has the ability to match Jackson should the game turn into a shootout.

In his first career start, Francois faced a tough challenge against the Rebels. With Cook having a poor game by his standards, Francois helped the Seminoles erase a 28-6 deficit by completing 33 of 52 passes for 419 yards and two touchdowns.

That performance was good enough to outduel Chad Kelly, one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. Francois will need to continue to display accuracy and great decision-making, as Jackson and the Cardinals figure to put up some points.

Cook is the big name on the Florida State offense, but look for Francois to further establish himself as a young star on Saturday.

3. DeMarcus Walker will be the most important player on the field

The Seminoles’ best chance to slow down Jackson will be Walker, who has the ability to completely wreck a game plan for any opposing offense.

Walker was a monster against Kelly and the Rebels, racking up 4.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. With great versatility, Walker can line up all over the place and will throw a lot of different looks at the Louisville offensive line.

As great as Jackson has been, he was a little careless with the ball at times last season. Getting a similar performance from Walker could press Jackson into mistakes while also limiting his ability to run.

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Florida State will be without defensive back Derwin James, who likely would have been used as a spy on Jackson. That only puts more pressure on Walker and the rest of the pass rush against a somewhat unproven offensive line.

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