Ohio @ Louisville preview
Cardinal Stadium
With a Heisman Trophy hopeful under center and a schedule that bodes well for the potential for an undefeated campaign, No. 9 Louisville begins the season with national championship aspirations when the Cardinals host Ohio in Sunday's season opener. The Cardinals enter the season with their highest preseason ranking ever, looking to build off a Sugar Bowl victory over Florida last January. The Bobcats, who are picked to win the Mid-American Conference East Division, might be Louisville's toughest non-conference test.
The Bobcats have opened the season with victories the past three years, including an upset of Penn State last year, but they haven't played a top-10 team since taking on then-No. 2 Ohio State in 2010. "This may be the most complete football team (we've played) since I've been here," Ohio coach Frank Solich told reporters. "They have a combination of things that I think we have not faced before in our time here at Ohio." The teams have split four all-time meetings but haven't clashed since Ohio's 22-15 victory in 1959.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Louisville -20.5
ABOUT OHIO (9-4, 4-4 MAC): The Bobcats figure to boast one of the top running games in the country once again, as senior Beau Blankenship returns after setting the school record with 1,604 rushing yards a year ago. Senior quarterback Tyler Tettleton (2,844 passing yards, 18 TDs) also is back after a second consecutive 2,500-yard season. The defense has some questions and will be hard-pressed to stop Louisville's potent attack, but the unit should benefit from the return of cornerback Travis Carrie after being injured for all of 2012.
ABOUT LOUISVILLE (11-2, 5-2 Big East): After winning the past two Big East titles, the Cardinals are heavy favorites to claim the inaugural American Athletic Conference crown. They lost only one starter on defense, and Heisman Trophy candidate Teddy Bridgewater (3,718 passing yards, 27 TDs) leads seven returners on offense. Senior linebacker Preston Brown and junior safety Calvin Pryor anchor the defense after racking up more than 100 tackles apiece last year.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Louisville is 6-3 all-time against MAC opponents and most recently faced a team from the league when it lost 49-28 to Miami (Ohio) in the 2003 GMAC Bowl.
2. Both teams ranked in the top 20 in the nation in turnover margin in 2012, with Ohio tied for seventh (+1.15 per game) and Louisville tied for 17th (+0.85).
3. Senior RB Senorise Perry, who is nine months removed from season-ending knee surgery, will start in the backfield for Louisville, earning the nod over former Auburn RB Michael Dyer.
PREDICTION: Louisville 41, Ohio 20