SAS Friday NCAAF Gameday

Preview: Cardinals (1-0) at Orange (1-0)

Date: September 09, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

You'll have to excuse Louisville coach Bobby Petrino if he is not really sure what day it is.

Though Saturday is college football's traditional game day, Petrino's 13th-ranked Cardinals are getting ready for an 8 p.m. Friday contest against Syracuse at the Orange's Carrier Dome home. The Cardinals are coming off a 70-14 rout of Charlotte in their opener, which was played on a Thursday night.

"We're kind of off schedule," he said.

When the game is played isn't among Petrino's primary concerns, however. Whatever the schedule calls for that's what he will go with.

His concerns:

--First is contending with playing the game indoors and coping with the noise factor.

"It's a loud place," Petrino said. "They will have a big crowd. It's loud no matter how many people they have in there. Playing inside it's always loud, and we will have to be able to communicate.

"It's a good challenge for us. It's something that we really need."

Of course, noise is more of a factor when the Dome is filled or at least near capacity. The crowd for the opener - a 33-7 victory over Colgate -- was tagged at a disappointing 31,336, well below the capacity of 49,250.

The Orange are hoping for more fans in the seats this week.

"There is tons of room for improvement," Orange quarterback Eric Dungey said. "I'm happy we're back in the Dome. It was awesome playing in front of these fans. We had a lot of Orange out there so that was great to see. I'm looking forward to getting back here."

--Petrino's second concern is contending with first-year Syracuse coach Dino Babers' up-tempo approach on offense. It's a system that helped Baber beat Northern Illinois for the MAC championship last year at Bowling Green and got him Ohio Valley Conference titles and appearances in the FCS playoffs in both of his years at Eastern Illinois.

The Orange ran off 81 plays for 554 yards in total offense in beating Colgate last week. Babers said afterward it was the slowest pace he hopes the Orange plays at this year.

"I think what you saw tonight was both sides, a little bit of the good and a little bit of the bad," Babers said. "Hopefully, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, what this could become once you work all of the kinks out and you have the right type of individuals giving you the right efforts in the right places."

Dungey agrees the pace needs to be picked up.

"I don't think it was fast enough," the quarterback said. "I'm pretty sure coach was already saying we're not fast enough. There's tons of room for improvement."

Petrino is expecting the quicker pace, but isn't so sure that sometimes the pace is a bit too fast.

"That's one of the things they brag about is how fast they go," Petrino said. "We've got to see if all that is legal because there's a few times they're snapping the ball and the down markers haven't even been moved yet.

"So we do need to check into that and see how that works. But I think they look good."

So did the Cardinals last week.

The Cardinals racked up 663 yards in total offense against Charlotte with quarterback Lamar Jackson accounting for 405 yards -- in the first half! He accounted for eight touchdowns to set a school record in the category, and his six touchdown passes tied another. He didn't take a snap in the second half.

In all, 16 different players recorded at least one catch for the Cardinals. Eight different players registered rushes.

"I thought Lamar really did a good job in the second quarter seeing things and going through his progressions," Petrino said. "It was nice to get everybody involved. He read the coverage and delivered the ball and let the players make the plays for you.

"That's why we had so many different guys make plays. And it was great to get everybody involved, you know, in the second half."

After the trip to Syracuse, the Cardinals will finally get to play a Saturday game when the host Florida State on Sept. 13.

Tech Trends - Week 2


Friday, Sept. 9

Matchup Skinny Edge

MARYLAND at FIU...FIU 5-2 SU last seven as host but lost opener vs. Hoosiers. Turner 14-10-2 vs. line since late 2013 but 5-6-2 since LY. Durkin first road game for Terps, who were 7-4 vs. line away for Edsall and Locksley past two years.

Slight to Maryland, based on team trends.


LOUISVILLE at SYRACUSE...Orange 7-1 vs. line at Carrier Dome since LY and 4-0 as home dog, though Cuse has lost and failed to cover last two years vs. 'Ville. Babers 10-3-1 vs. line since LY with BGSU.

Syracuse, based on recent home and Dino spread trends.

Friday's Tip Sheet


**Maryland at Florida International**

-- Week 2 gets started on Friday this week with the NFL taking center stage on Thursday night. The action begins at 7:30 p.m. Eastern when Florida International welcomes Maryland from out of the Big Ten to South Florida. CBS Sports Network will provide the telecast.

-- As of Thursday, most betting shops had Maryland (1-0 straight up, 0-1 against the spread) installed as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 56.5 points for ‘over/under’ wagers. The Panthers were listed at +330 on the money line (risk $100 to win $130). For first-half bets, the Terrapins were favored by six with a total of 28.5.

-- D.J. Durkin’s team cruised to a 52-13 win over Howard as a 50-point home favorite last Saturday. Six different Maryland players ran for touchdowns as it raced out to a 35-0 lead at intermission. Perry Hills, the senior QB who had a miserable 17/20 career touchdown-to-interception ratio coming into the season, completed 14-of-19 passes for 126 yards without a TD or an INT. The Terps had an atrocious -18 overall plus/minus in the turnovers department in 2015, so Durkin had to be pleased to get out of the opener without committing any turnovers. All six of those players who ran for TDs had at least four carries and 40 rushing yards. The Terps rushed for 315 yards on 44 totes, averaging 7.2 yards per carry.

-- Maryland brought back seven starters on offense and five on defense from a ’15 squad that finished 3-9.

-- FIU (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) dropped a 34-13 decision to Indiana last Thursday as a 10-point home underdog. The 47 combined points went ‘under’ the 64-point number. The Hoosiers suspended a slew of players before last week’s opener, and they went into the fourth quarter trailing the Panthers by a 13-12 count. However, IU dominated the final stanza by a 22-0 score to secure the win and spread cover.

-- FIU killed itself with three turnovers, including a pair of pick-sixes thrown by junior QB Alex McGough, who had a 21/8 TD-INT ratio in ’15. McGough completed 23-of-46 passes against IU for 263 yards, but he was intercepted three times and didn’t throw a TD pass. The Panthers also had a punt blocked for a safety, so they basically handed the Hoosiers 16 points.

-- FIU running back Alex Gardner rushed for only 23 yards on 10 carries, but he did have a one-yard TD plunge. He also had seven receptions for 70 yards. WR Jonnu Smith had eight receptions for 83 yards against IU.

-- Ron Turner has a 10-27 record since arriving at FIU, but we should note that his teams have improved each year with win totals of one, four and five as he goes into Year 4. The Panthers returned nine starters on offense and five on defense from the ’15 team that finished 5-7 SU and 5-5-2 versus the number.

-- FIU has been a home underdog 15 times during Turner’s tenure, producing a 6-9 spread record.

-- Maryland didn’t have any road ‘chalk’ situations last season. During Randy Edsall’s five-year tenure, the Terps went 2-2 ATS in their four games as road favorites.

-- According to weather.com, the forecast in Miami on Friday night calls for variable clouds and scattered thunderstorms, with a 40 percent chance of rain and a low temperature of 78 degrees.

**Louisville at Syracuse**

-- The Dino Babers Era began in Week 1 with Syracuse (1-0 straight up, 1-0 against the spread) winning a 33-7 decision over Colgate as a 23.5-point home favorite last Friday. Sophomore quarterback Eric Dungey led the way by completing 34-of-40 passes for 355 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Amba Etta-Tawo, a grad transfer from Maryland making his debut for the Orange, shined with 12 receptions for 210 yards and one TD. Junior Ervin Phillips had 14 catches for 87 yards and one TD, while true freshman Moe Neal rushed for 68 yards and one TD on just nine carries.

-- We should note that Colgate was ranked No. 16 in the preseason FCS rankings and dropped to No. 20 following the loss at Syracuse.

-- Syracuse dominated on both sides of the ball with a 554-143 advantage in total offense and a 25-11 lead in first downs.

-- Babers left Bowling Green to take the Syracuse gig after leading the Falcons to records of 8-6 (after his starting QB went down with a season-ending injury in Week 1) and 10-4. In ’15, Babers’ offense scored points at a 42.2 points-per-game clip and the Falcons won the MAC Championship Game.

-- The ‘Cuse finished ’15 with a 4-8 SU record, but it did produce profit for its backers with an excellent 8-4 ledger ATS. The Orange returned 16 starters, eight on each side of the ball.

-- Louisville (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) smashed Charlotte by a 70-14 count in its opener last Thursday, easily cashing tickets as a 38.5-point home ‘chalk.’ Bobby Petrino’s squad raced out to a 56-0 lead at halftime and coasted to the finish line. Lamar Jackson, the sophomore QB, connected on 17-of-23 throws for 286 yards and six TDs without an interception. Jackson also rushed 11 times for 119 yards and a pair of scores. Not bad for just one half of work for Jackson, although Petrino said, “Should have been nine [TDs].” Eight different U of L players caught TD passes, as back-up QB Kyle Bolin had a pair of TD throws as well.

-- Jackson started seven games as a true freshman last season, rushing for a team-best 960 yards and 11 TDs while averaging 5.9 YPC. Jackson completed 54.7 percent of his passes for 1,840 yards with a 12/8 TD-INT ratio. All 10 of his top pass catchers returned, as did the squad’s six leading rushers. Jamari Staples and James Quick are the best of the wideouts. The duo combined to grab 76 receptions for 1,262 yards and eight TDs in ’15.

-- When these schools met at Papa John’s Stadium in Louisville last season, U of L captured a 41-17 win as a 14-point home favorite. The ‘Cuse actually had a 10-7 lead before throwing a pick-six with 5:42 remaining in the second quarter. Bolin threw for 362 yards and three TDs, while RB Brandon Radcliff rushed 10 times for 117 yards. TE Cole Hikutini had three receptions for 28 yards and two TDs. In the losing effort, Dungey completed just 15-of-30 passes for 158 yards without a TD and two interceptions. U of L had a 579-286 advantage in total offense.

-- As of Thursday, most spots had Louisville listed as a 15-point road favorite with a total of 69 points. The Orange were at +500 to win outright (risk $100 to win $500). For first-half plays, U of L was favored by eight of 8.5 with a total of 35.

-- As road favorites during Petrino’s second tour of duty with the Cardinals, they have compiled a 4-2 spread record. Meanwhile, Syracuse went 4-0 ATS as a home underdog in 2015.

-- Louisville finished ’15 with an 8-5 SU record and a 7-6 ATS mark. The Cardinals started the year with three consecutive one-possession defeats vs. Auburn (31-24 at the Ga. Dome), vs. Houston (34-31) and vs. Clemson (20-17). They won seven of their nine regular-season contests to earn an invite to the Music City Bowl to face Texas A&M. The Aggies saw their top two QBs transfer out before the bowl game, leaving them playing with their third-string signal caller. U of L took advantage and won a 27-21 decision as a 3.5-point favorite.

-- U of L brought back nine starters on offense and eight on defense. The ‘D’ is led by LB Keith Kelsey, a first-team All-ACC selection in ’15 when he had 107 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 8.5 TFL’s. A pair of transfers bring a lot more punch to this unit, former Georgia LB Josh Harvey-Clemson and former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Devonte Fields. The former TCU defensive end garnered those honors as a freshman. Fields had 10.5 sacks, 11.5 TFL’s and 10 QB hurries for U of L last year.

-- Petrino posted a 41-9 record from 2003-2006 as Louisville’s head coach. In his final year, the Cardinals went 12-1, won the Orange Bowl and finished fifth in the nation in the AP Rankings. Petrino, who spent most of that four-year stretch flirting with more than a half-dozen schools (and the Raiders), finally found the gig he wanted and left for the Atlanta Falcons, who at the time were led by Michael Vick. A few months later, Vick was arrested for the dog-fighting fiasco and Petrino was left with Joey Harrington as a QB and looking for his quickest route out of town. After Week 13, he bolted to accept the head-coaching job at Arkansas. Things went well in Fayetteville – until they didn’t anymore. His motorcycle wreck and extramarital turmoil prompted his dismissal from Arkansas. Then after a year off, he was hired by Western Kentucky, only to leave the Hilltoppers to return to Louisville after one season. Since being back, Petrino has compiled an 18-9 record, but U of L now plays in the ACC rather than the Big East.

-- Louisville junior WR Ja’Quay Savage is ‘questionable’ at Syracuse with a shoulder injury. Savage had 12 receptions for 135 yards and one TD last season.

-- Syracuse will be without senior RB George Morris (ankle) and senior CB Wayne Morgan (undisclosed) due to injuries. Morris rushed for 326 yards while averaging 4.9 YPC in ’15. Morgan had 16 tackles and two passes broken up last year.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- North Carolina’s defensive line depth will be hurting again Saturday at Illinois. Tyler Powell and Dajaun Drennon are both out indefinitely. Drennon, a junior DE, started 24 games as a freshman and sophomore and had 39 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3.5 TFL’s, and three QB hurries last season. Powell had 23 tackles in ’15. The Tar Heels, who are eight-point road favorites, throttled the Illini by a 48-14 count as eight-point home ‘chalk’ last year.

-- Western Kentucky senior RB Leon Allen is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Allen rushed for 1,542 yards and 13 TDs for the Hilltoppers in 2014. He was injured in WKU’s second game of last season and missed the rest of the year. Jeff Brohm’s squad is a 28.5-point underdog Saturday at Alabama.

-- Florida will be looking for its 30th consecutive win over Kentucky on Saturday afternoon at The Swamp. The Gators currently hold the NCAA’s longest active head-to-head winning streak thanks to Temple ending Penn State’s 31-game win streak over the Owls in ’15. UF is a 16.5-point home favorite against the Wildcats, who blew a 35-10 lead in last week’s 44-35 home loss to Southern Miss.

-- Late reports out of Athens on Thursday night indicated that true freshman QB Jacob Eason has been named the starter for Saturday’s home game vs. Nicholls. In his collegiate debut, Easton completed 8-of-12 throws for 131 yards and one TD without an interception in relief of Greyson Lambert. Most important, UGA stud RB Nick Chubb looked like his old self by rushing for 222 yards and two TDs on 32 carries against UNC.