The No. 5 Clemson Tigers welcome the No. 3 Louisville Cardinals to Memorial Stadium on Saturday for a titanic ACC college football clash
There hasn’t been a team more electrifying in college football than the Louisville Cardinals. Lamar Jackson and the rest of Bobby Petrino’s bunch have steamrolled their way to 4-0. However, they’ll have their toughest test yet to try and stay undefeated in Week 5. That includes a trip to Memorial Stadium in South Carolina to take on Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers, led by a star quarterback of their own in Deshaun Watson.
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What Jackson and the Cardinals have done offensively through four games is right out of a video game—you know, if they still made a college football video game. The sophomore quarterback has accounted for 25 touchdowns already, 13 passing and 12 rushing. That’s led to Louisville as a team averaging an absurd 63.5 points per game. Considering their four wins include one over Florida State, they’ve also proven they can produce against top-tier competition.
However, Clemson represents an entirely different class of opponent. The predominant narrative seems to be that the Tigers have been lackluster to this point. While they may not have the flash that some expected, they’re statistically right on par with last season when they made it to the title game. Watson, Wayne Gallman, and Mike Williams comprise a lethal offensive attack of their own.
Needless to say, this type of matchup is what college football is all about. That’s why ESPN College GameDay is heading to Clemson on Saturday and that’s why everyone with a pulse should be tuning in during primetime.
What will each team need to pick up this huge win in a massive Top 5 matchup? Let’s dig a little deeper.
Keys to Victory
Perhaps the biggest key for Louisville is going to be keeping their composure when they’re stopped. Being stifled even slightly isn’t something Jackson and the Cardinals are accustomed to. For an offense that has rolled in the manner they have, their poise when the pressure heats up has yet to be tested. The Clemson defense has allowed just 11 points per game thus far. Though they haven’t faced any player like Jackson, that still means something. Subsequently, you have to think that the Cardinals will be stopped several times on Saturday. How Jackson and the offense respond in that situation on such a grand stage will be pivotal.
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Coming from the other sideline, obviously the defense of the Tigers will play a role. More than that, though, Watson and the offense have to be able to keep pace with Louisville. And frankly, that should come down to Gallman and the running game. The last thing you want to do against the Cardinals’ high-octane attack is let them control game-flow. Thus, running the ball effectively will be immensely vital to the success of Clemson. If they try and get into a shootout with the Jackson-led Redbirds, they’re toast.
Odds
Point Spread: Louisville -2
Moneyline: Louisville -135, Clemson +115
Over/Under: 68
Prediction
After their dismantling of the Seminoles, Louisville is getting a lot of love coming into this game. Sincerely, they should. This isn’t the type of entertainment or production that comes around often. However, playing on the road against Clemson is never an easy task—particularly when the Tigers are one of the nation’s best. In front of the raucous fans in Death Valley, the Tigers will limit Jackson by controlling the pace of the game. When the clock strikes zero, those diminishing Clemson’s 2016 to now will be emphatically silenced after a huge marquee win.
Pick: Louisville Cardinals: 34, Clemson Tigers: 38