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The UCF Knights (2-0) play their first road game of the season against a foe with whom they have a brief but significant history: the Louisville Cardinals.
Let’s get ready:
Game Day Guide
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky
Line: UCF -7, Over/under 67 (OddsShark)
How to Watch
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Crew: Jason Benetti (play-by-play), former Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware (analyst) and Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
Series
All-time: Tied 1-1.
Last Meeting: 2013 - The Drive
Keys to the Game
When UCF Has the Ball
Like Boise State, UCF is going to use the run to set up the pass. Isaiah Bowser has proven to be a tough player to take down, so expect Louisville to probably commit seven to the box. This should allow more one on one coverage between UL’s secondary and UCF’s wide receivers. This gives a major edge to the UCF offense, which should be able to generate plenty of yardage.
UCF’s Key Players to Watch
- #11 QB Dillon Gabriel — 65.7%, 630 yards, 6 TD/2 INT in 2021
- #5 RB Isaiah Bowser — 231 yards, 5 TDs, 5.2 ypc in 2021
Louisville’s Key Players to Watch
- #27 Kenderick Duncan — 15 total tackles in 2021
- #13 Kei’Trel Clark — 9 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 2 INTs in 2021
When Louisville Has the Ball
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This is the Malik Cunningham show. The team is going to be made or broken by how he plays. UCF has long struggled against dual-threat quarterbacks and he is only one carry from being the team leader in rushing attempts. Expect plenty of running from Cunningham if the defensive line is able to generate a strong pass rush.
Louisville’s Key Players to Watch
- #3 QB Malik Cunningham — 61.7%, 469 pass yards, 2 TDs/1 INT, plus 108 yards and 4 TDs rushing in 2021
- #9 WR Ahmari Huggins-Bruce — 6 receptions, 169 yards, 28.1 yards per catch in 2021
UCF’s Key Players to Watch
- #22 Kalia Davis — 8 tackles, 3 tackles for loss in 2021
- #11 Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste — 10 tackles, 2 TFLs in 2021
Podcast
Listen to our latest podcast as we preview the game:
Who ya got?
Alright #UCF fans - Who ya got tonight?
— BIG 12 BANNERET (@UCF_Banneret) September 17, 2021
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