Louisville at South Florida Spread

Written by David Woodburn

A couple of weeks ago, the battle for the Big East Conference title and the automatic BCS bowl berth that came with it was down to just a couple teams. After a couple of upsets, things are as wide open as if it were the first week of conference play.

Louisville is one of five teams in the league tied with two losses as the season winds down to the final two weeks. The Cardinals will close their regular season and make their case for the league title when it travels to Tampa to visit South Florida Saturday. South Florida, meanwhile, has two games left in an attempt to be eligible for a bowl game.

South Florida leads the all-time series with Louisville, 5-3. USF won the last two meetings, including a 24-21 overtime in at Louisville last year.

The most recent college football odds show South Florida favored by 3 points and a total set for 43 points.

Louisville

The Cardinals have won four of their last five games, including a 34-20 win at Connecticut last week. Louisville is 3-2 on the road this year and has won the last two road games (also won at West Virginia, 38-35).

Defensively, the Cardinals rank 12th nationally in points allowed (19 ppg) and surrenders 329 yards per game (222 passing, 107 rushing) while recording 30 sacks and forcing 15 turnovers – with three returned for touchdowns (Malcolm Mitchell and Andrew Johnson, fumbles; Mike Evans, interception).

Dexter Heyman leads the unit with 77 tackles, adding four sacks, three interceptions and a forced fumble, while Hakeem Smith has 76 tackles, three forced fumbles and one recovery. Preston Brown has 74 stops with 1.5 sacks. William Savoy and Marcus Smith have a combined 10 sacks, 23 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Louisville ranks just 108th in scoring offense (21 ppg) while recording 324 yards per game (203 passing, 121 rushing). Teddy Bridgewater has completed 66 percent of his passes for 1,614 yards and nine touchdowns with nine interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 35 sacks.

Michaelee Harris and Eli Rogers lead the receiving corps with 65 combined receptions for 754 yards and three TDs, while the run game is headed by a three-headed threat. Vic Anderson, Dominique Brown and Jeremy Wright have combined for 1,190 yards and seven TDs on 4.4 yards per carry.

South Florida

After a 4-0 start, the Bulls have lost five of six games, the latest a 6-3 home loss to Miami. Four of the five losses have been by six points or fewer, with three of them by three points each. USF is 3-2 at home, losing the last two (6-3 to Miami, 37-34 to Cincinnati).

The Bulls’ defense ranks 27th nationally in scoring defense (21 ppg), while allowing 348 yards per game (245 passing, 103 rushing) while recording 37 sacks and forced 22 turnovers – with three returned for touchdowns (Mark Joyce and Kayvon Webster, fumbles; Sam Barrington, interception).

DeDe Lattimore leads the unit with 76 tackles and seven sacks, adding two forced fumbles, an interception and a fumble recovery, while Mike Lanaris has 72 stops with one sack, one pick and one fumble recovery. Ryne Giddins has three forced fumbles, 41 tackles, 5.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.

On offense, South Florida ranks 45th in points scored (30 pg) while compiling 446 yards per game (250 passing, 196 rushing). B.J. Daniels has completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,359 yards and 12 TDs with six interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 12 sacks.

Victor Marc has 27 catches for 311 yards and two TDs, while Deonte Welch and Evan Landi have combined for 44 catches for 507 yards and a TD. Daniels and Darrell Scott lead the running game with a combined 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry.

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