Cards Look to Continue Offensive Firepower Against Tough Clemson Defense

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Two of the nation's most prolific offenses will meet Saturday when the University of Louisville meets Clemson in a battle of top five teams in Clemson, S.C. Kickoff is slated for 8:22 p.m. in front of a nationally televised audience on ABC.

While Clemson has been one of the top offensive teams in the country the last couple of seasons, there isn't a team on the FBS level matching what the Cardinals have done in the first four games of the 2016 season.

Under the direction of head coach Bobby Petrino -- one of the top offensive minds -- and with 10 starters returning, the Cardinals have been scoring points and racking up yards at an astronomical pace – tallying 59 or more points in all four games and totaling over 700 yards of total offense in two games.

While those numbers are mind-boggling, Petrino understands points and yards will be hard to come by against a big and physical Clemson defense that is allowing 11.0 points per game and 218.5 yards of total offense.

The Cardinals – averaging over 300 yards on the ground – will be tested by a defensive front seven that is allowing just an average of 92.8 yards per game and a little over 11.0 points per game.

"Well, they're big and physical," Petrino said. "You know they really do a nice job technically. They're very, very well coached. They have a lot of movement so we're going to have to block movement with guys that are very big and physical."

"Probably be the biggest defensive line that we've played this year. They play with bigger defensive ends than what we've been seeing. A lot of guys went to more speed and quickness, and they went to more size and set the edge by the size that they have."

Playing a defensive line of this caliber might have been a big problem for the Cardinals a year ago – with two freshmen in the starting lineup and plenty of inexperience up-and-down the line, but this isn't the same unit from a year ago.

After taking their lumps at the beginning of the season last year, the offensive line improved at the tail end of the season, and have made even bigger strides through the first four games.

"Our goal is to get better every day. Continue to get better fundamentally, technically and to continue to execute better. If you don't stay focused that way than you won't improve."

While the Clemson defense will be a big obstacle, "Death Valley" poses another challenge. With over 80,000 fans engaged in the game on every play, the Tigers have a difficult home-field advantage to overcome.

The Cardinals made their first trip to Clemson in 2014 – falling to the Tigers 23-17 – so Petrino knows what his offensive unit will be facing on Saturday night.

"It's a good environment," Petrino said. "You know, I thought it was a great environment. It's exciting. It's fun. You know Game Day will be there, so it will be exciting for everybody."

"One of the things that after we played them at the end of the season that year anytime, I talked to a fan that traveled to the game they were very complimentary how well the people treated them and how the nice the people were to our fans that went to the game so that's one of the things that stuck out to me a lot."

Wide receiver Reggie Bonnafon, a member of the first UofL team to visit Clemson, remembers his visit well and relishes the opportunity to play in front of such a raucous crowd.

"It's loud," Bonnafon said with a smile. "We have a lot of guys that were able to go there two years ago, so we will be prepared for it and we are excited for the opportunity."

The Cardinals are also excited for the opportunity in front of them, playing in one of the biggest games in the history of the program with so much at stake on the biggest of stages.

University of Louisville Athletics

Cards Look to Continue Offensive Firepower Against Tough Clemson Defense

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