Wake Forest @ Louisville preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 2, 2007 ) Wake Forest 13, Louisville 24

Louisville bounced back nicely from its first loss of the season, but another hurdle looms Saturday when the Cardinals resume Atlantic Coast Conference play against visiting Wake Forest. Starting quarterback Will Gardner took a hit to his left knee in the third quarter of last Saturday’s 34-3 win over Florida International and missed practice early this week while receiving treatment. If Gardner can’t go, prized freshman Reggie Bonnafon -- who’s shown flashes in the Cardinals’ second and third games but missed last week’s contest following the death of his father -- will make his first start.

Naturally, the situation is also causing a bit of uncertainty for coach Dave Clawson and the Demon Deacons as they prep for their ACC opener. "(Bonnafon) was a national recruit who could have gone anywhere in the country, and certainly watching him in his limited action this year, he poses a lot of threats," Clawson said at his weekly news conference. “He has a live arm, is very dynamic and can create plays.” Wake Forest snuck past Army 24-21 a week ago.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Louisville -21.5

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (2-2, 0-0 ACC): The Demon Deacons have endured an up-and-down season so far, losing on the road to Louisiana-Monroe (17-10) and Utah State (36-24) and posting home wins over FCS member Gardner-Webb (23-7) and Army. Wake Forest has its own freshman quarterback in John Wolford, and he’s had mixed results, throwing for 903 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions in four starts. The Demon Deacons’ defense, meanwhile, has pitched three second-half shutouts this season and ranks 21st in the FBS allowing 308.3 yards per game, thanks largely to safety Ryan Janvion and linebacker Brandon Chubb, who rank 1-2 among ACC tackle leaders.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (3-1, 1-1): Before departing last week’s game, Gardner had thrown for a career-high 295 yards, hooking up twice on long scoring throws to emerging receiver James Quick as the Cardinals bounced back from the previous week’s 23-21 road loss against Virginia. Louisville, playing its first season in the ACC, had opened the season with back-to-back impressive home wins over Miami (31-13) and FCS school Murray State (66-21). Safety Gerod Holliman leads the nation with five interceptions for the Louisville defense, which has held each of its opponents under 300 total yards and ranks seventh in FBS total defense (256.5)

EXTRA POINTS

1. The only other game between the two schools was the 2007 Orange Bowl, won by Louisville, 24-13, as MVP Brian Brohm threw for 311 yards.

2. Michael Dyer, the former two-time 1,000-yard rusher at Auburn who had been out since suffering a deep thigh bruise in an Aug. 16 scrimmage, had eight carries for 24 yards last Saturday in his Louisville debut and likely will see more work this week.

3. Wake Forest, which is 6-22 in ACC road games over the last seven seasons, follows this game with a date at No. 1 Florida State.

PREDICTION: Louisville 42, Wake Forest 13