Memphis @ Louisville preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 9, 2010 ) Memphis 0, Louisville 56

Louisville looks to keep the heat on in the American Athletic Conference on Saturday when it wraps up its home schedule against Memphis. The 15th-ranked Cardinals enter a half-game behind first-place Central Florida and tied with Cincinnati in a tight grouping at the top of the conference, which does have an automatic BCS berth attached to it. Louisville's one loss was to the Knights, but it has rebounded to win three in a row - including a hard-earned 20-13 victory over Houston last week.

Memphis has won back-to-back games for the first time this season and picked up its first AAC victory last week with a 23-10 triumph at South Florida. A relatively meaningless touchdown by the Bulls in the final minute of play prevented the Tigers from holding an opponent in single digits for the second straight week. Memphis ranks 21st in FBS action in defensive scoring, limiting opponents to 20.6 points - and is 14th in total defense (Louisville is second).

TV: Noon ET, ESPN3.com. LINE: Louisville -24.5

ABOUT MEMPHIS (3-6, 1-4 AAC): Among a handful of standout defenders for coach Justin Fuente is cornerback Bobby McCain, who had three interceptions against South Florida to tie a school record and set the AAC mark. Junior defensive lineman Martin Ifedi added a pair of sacks and needs just two more to tie the team's all-time career mark of 21. McCain, Ifedi and others have allowed the Tigers to hang around in every game; their six losses have come by an average of 8.5 points.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (9-1, 5-1): Mentioned in Heisman Award conversations earlier in the year, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's season has plateaued a bit. He has just one touchdown and one interception in his last two games, during which the junior has averaged 245.5 passing yards, and had his string of 21 straight games with a touchdown pass snapped in the win over Houston. Defense and rushing was the formula versus the Cougars, as Dominique Brown ran for a career-high 137 yards and two touchdowns while Houston was limited to three first downs in a scoreless second half.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Memphis is one loss away from clinching its fifth straight losing regular season.

2. Bridgewater enters with 24 touchdowns against three interceptions and ranks fourth among FBS QBs in passing efficiency.

3. Louisville owns a 23-19 series advantage, including a 56-0 rout at home in the last meeting in 2010.

PREDICTION: Louisville 33, Memphis 10