5 reasons Louisville can upset Florida State

3. Louisville can take advantage of the Seminoles secondary

James’ most important role on Saturday would have been to spy Jackson, but he meant much more than that to the Seminoles defense. The sophomore is terrific in pass coverage and helps limit long completions with excellent closing speed and big hitting ability.

With James out, the Seminoles will likely turn to a pair of far less proven players. Sophomores A.J. Westbrook and Marcus Lewis, who barely played at all last year, will face a major challenge against Louisville’s dynamic offense.

Florida State does have one good piece of injury news, as strong safety Nate Andrews will return to action after missing the first two games. The Seminoles will hope Andrews is up to full speed, as there isn’t much depth or experience in the rest of the secondary.

That could be a major problem for Florida State going up against the athletic Cardinals offense. While Jackson is the big name, Louisville features plenty of talent at the skill positions, and returns just about every wide receiver and tight end from last year’s team.

Senior James Quick led the team in receptions a year ago, and has five catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns this season. Florida State will also need to watch out for senior Jamari Staples, who averaged over 17 yards per reception last year and already has 219 yards on just nine receptions in 2016.

Even if the Seminoles manage to keep Jackson in the pocket and limit his running room, they have to be concerned with Louisville’s downfield passing ability.

Next: 2. The Cardinals defense is up to the task