Countdown to Kickoff
September 21, 2018 | Football
The Cardinals and Cavaliers kick off on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville football program opens Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday, taking on Virginia at Scott Stadium at 12:30 p.m.
The Cardinals are playing the Cavaliers in Charlottesville for the fourth time in series history, with Virginia boasting a 2-1 home record. Overall, Louisville is 4-2 in the series.
Louisville won its third-consecutive contest against Virginia, beating the Cavaliers 38-21 at home on Nov. 11. Lamar Jackson ran for one score and threw three touchdowns, two to Jaylen Smith. Dae Williams added 88 yards and one rushing touchdown, and Dee Smith recorded an interception for the Cardinals.
Louisville (2-1) earned a 20-17 victory over Western Kentucky last time out, with Williams punching in the game-winning TD with 5:01 left in the game. Quarterback Malik Cunningham came off the bench to spark the comeback, running for a game-high 129 yards. Blanton Creque connected on a pair of field goals, while Jared Goldwire blocked a field goal late in the third quarter.
Virginia (2-1) is beginning its 65th season of competition in the ACC after beating Ohio 45-31 in Nashville last weekend. The Cavaliers scored 38 points before the half, including 21 in the first quarter.
Bryce Perkins was 25-of-30 passing for 379 yards and three touchdowns in the win, while Jordan Ellis ran for 171 yards and three scores. Olamide Zaccheaus, the ACC Receiver of the Week, hauled in nine passes for 247 yards and two scores.
ACC Regional Sports Networks (Wes Durham, Jim Bates, and Rebecca Kaple) will televise the game, while Louisville Sports Properties radio coverage begins at 11 a.m., featuring Paul Rogers, Alex Kupper, and Jody Demling.
Now that you have the details, it's time to start the Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – There were TEN seconds remaining in Louisville's first game versus Virginia in 1988, when Ron Bell kicked a 34-yard field goal to push the Cardinals to a 30-28 victory.
9 – Jaylen Smith moved up to NINTH on Louisville's career yards receiving list with 2,053 yards. The senior has six catches this season for 98 yards.
8 – Quarterback Malik Cunningham has directed 11 drives in two games, leading the Cardinals to EIGHT scores (five touchdowns, three field goals).
7 – Head coach Bobby Petrino is one of SEVEN current ACC coaches with at least 100 career victories.
6 – The Cardinals have scored a touchdown all SIX times in which an offensive lineman was in the backfield under head coach Bobby Petrino.
5 – Louisville is beginning its FIFTH season in ACC play and boasts a 3-1 record in those games. The Cardinals defeated North Carolina last year in its conference road opener.
4 – Rodjay Burns ranks FOURTH nationally with a 30.5 punt return average. The redshirt sophomore has four returns for 122 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown return against Indiana State.
3 – Blanton Creque is THREE points shy of tying David Akers (1993-96) for fourth on the school's career list for points by kicking. Creque has tallied 17 points this season, standing at 213 in his tenure.
2 – Dae Williams recorded the first TWO-touchdown game of his career, scampering in from 1-yard out twice against Western Kentucky.
1 – Malik Cunningham is making the FIRST start of his career. He also is the first quarterback to earn his first start on the road since 2005 (Hunter Cantwell, Dec. 3 at Connecticut).
Enjoy the game and return to GoCards.com afterward for complete postgame coverage.
