Cards’ potential still uncertain as ACC play gets underway with Miami favored

By RUSS BROWN Photos By UofL Athletics 

Louisville’s football team predictably stormed through its lightweight non-conference schedule unscathed going into Atlantic Coast Conference play in late September, but where the Cardinals (3-0) stack up in the race for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, or at least a spot in the title game in Charlotte a couple months from now is still a mystery? 

When the season started the chase looked wide open, with as many as five teams, including U of L, considered to have a shot at the title, although Clemson was a solid choice to win the crown. But things have changed, and even though the regular season is only one-fourth of the way finished, it has become increasingly clear that the path to the championship will run through the Sunshine State. 

Miami (3-0), ranked No. 2 nationally as of this writing, looks like the most complete team in the nation while Clemson (1-3) has not only dropped its first two ACC games, but is suffering through its worst start in the coach Dabo Swinney era and its worst overall in 21 years. 

So where does that leave Louisville? Well, in about as good shape as the Cardinals could hope, especially considering their favorable ACC schedule. The Cards were picked to finish fifth in the league in the preseason poll behind Clemson, Miami, SMU and Georgia Tech. 

The good news for coach Jeff Brohm’s team is that they don’t have to face No. 8 Florida State, which was selected seventh in the preseason poll, or No. 16 Georgia Tech, and it will play the Tigers at home on Nov. 14. So U of L’s fate could be determined by how it fares on its trip to Miami on Oct. 17 for a prime time game on ESPN. 

There is always the worry, of course, that Clemson and quarterback Cade Klubnik, Preseason ACC Player of the Year, will have their act together by the time they arrive in Louisville in mid-October, or that the Cards will throw in a clunker as they did last season in losing to a terrible Stanford team with a title game slot still at stake. 

U of L opened the league season at Pittsburgh and took on Virginia (Oct. 4) ahead of the trip to Miami. Then comes three straight games the Cards will be heavy favorites to win prior to Clemson’s visit, two of them at home -- Boston College, at Virginia Tech, and California. Other than Miami, which defeated them in L&N Stadium last year 52-45, the Cards’ biggest challenge appears to be SMU in Dallas on Nov. 22, the week before the season finale against Kentucky in L&N. 

A darkhorse contender on Louisville’s schedule could be California (Nov. 8, L&N). Nobody expected much out of the Bears this season until quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele started throwing the ball and showed they can be dangerous. Furthermore, it could be a so-called “trap game” for the Cards, coming the week before Clemson. 

In regard to U of L’s status going into ACC play, few conclusions could be drawn because two of their non-conference opponents -- Eastern Kentucky and Bowling Green -- were severely outmanned. As for James Madison, U of L surprisingly struggled to a come-from-behind 28-24 victory, needing game-saving plays from wide receiver Caullin Lacy and running back Isaac Brown, in addition to a defensive score via a fumble recovery in the end zone. 

Even Brohm wasn’t quite sure how his team would fare against much better competition. 

“I like our team,” he said. “I think we have a good plan. We’ve shown some good signs and we’ve shown some signs we need to improve, and it’s still yet to be determined. Playing good competition will determine where we’re at. 

“We know we’ll be much more tested against teams we will face from here on out. We’ll see where exactly we shape up. Every year is different. Sometimes you have some good early competition where you see where you’re at and kind of make adjustments, which is what I like. Other times you breeze into it, so to speak, with the level of competition and now you go into conference play where it’s always going to be a battle unless you play lights out.” 

Through those three games, U of L’s strength was its defense and special teams play. Going into league play, the lingering questions revolved around the offense, in particular its offensive line which was outplayed by JMU’s more physical defensive line and gave up three sacks and six quarterback hurries against Bowling Green. 

Meanwhile, redshirt senior Caullin Lacy has become an emerging star. Lacy is Mr. Everything for the Cards, and if he keeps it up he will be a strong candidate for ACC Player of the Year. Against Bowling Green he had 281 all-purpose yards, including a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. 

“Whether it’s the slot, the outside, the backfield, the return game -- all four spots, we need to utilize him,” Brohm said. 

With a few other exceptions, such as wide receiver Chris Bell, running back Isaac Brown and defensive end Clev Lubin, the jury is still out regarding the Cards’ potential.