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Clemson vs. Louisville: 5 players to watch

By Jake Goldstein-Street

CLEMSON, SC - OCTOBER 01: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals stiff-arms Van Smith #23 of the Clemson Tigers during the game at Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - OCTOBER 01: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Louisville Cardinals stiff-arms Van Smith #23 of the Clemson Tigers during the game at Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Looking at the players who could make the difference in Saturday’s game between the No. 3 Clemson Tigers and the No. 14 Louisville Cardinals.

The 2017 college football season is now in full swing as Week 3 kicks off this weekend. Fans are eagerly awaiting the contest between Clemson and Louisville, two of the best offensive teams in the nation.

These teams are no strangers to each other. They played in October 2016 in an offensive showdown. Clemson, the eventual National Champion, won the game by a score of 42-36 to extend their undefeated streak for the season to five at the time. While they weren’t able to stop Lamar Jackson, Clemson’s offense was always able to stay one step ahead of Louisville’s defense. The two teams accounted for 1,075 yards in sixty minutes of football, making it one of the most memorable games of the season.

Hopefully, this installment can be just as scintillating.

There’s plenty of star power between these two exciting squads. Each team had two players on the preseason All-American teams released by the Associated Press. Both teams have improved defensively, so don’t expect this game to be as high scoring as last year.

Last year’s game was played in South Carolina on the Tigers’ home turf in Death Valley. However, this season, the contest will be fought at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, the home of Louisville.

Here are five players that could help either the Tigers or Cardinals win this all-important game early in the season.

5. Dexter Lawrence, Clemson, DL

Dexter Lawrence, a sophomore defensive lineman, has a lot of eyes on him coming into this game. Both Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press put Lawrence in their lists of preseason All-Americans. While just a sophomore, Lawrence has proven himself as a worthy pass rusher for the Clemson Tigers.

The 19-year-old has been quiet in the team’s first two games, amassing just seven tackles and 1/2 sack in total. However, his big presence has made the Clemson defense the best in the country through two games. They’ve given up just 237 yards against Kent State and Auburn in total. The only team to give up less is Air Force and they’ve only played one game. Additionally, their passing defense is the best in the nation, allowing just 80 in two games.

Lawrence is just one of a few great players on the Clemson defensive line. This position could have gone to sophomore Clelin Ferrell or second-team preseason All-American Christian Wilkins.

The 340-pound man had seven sacks last season, the best for a returning Tiger. Amazingly, he earned that as a freshman in one of the most difficult conferences in the country. However, his size isn’t his greatest asset. His quickness is unparalleled for anyone as big as him.

Lawrence is undoubtedly a player to watch not just in this game, but, also, for the rest of his career. Many scouts already see him as a shoe-in as a top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. In fact, some scouts tout him as the best player in that class.

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