Quarterback Lamar Jackson is off to an incredible start to the 2016 season, and as a result the Cardinals are getting a national showcase that the program has never experienced before.
Louisville will host the ESPN College GameDay crew for Saturday’s game against Florida State. The early-season ACC tilt will mark the winner a contender for a berth in the season-ending playoff, while the loser will get some time to recover and rise again in the rankings in case others falter atop the polls.
The Cardinals offense has been one of the most dynamic in the country through two games, as Jackson has leapt into Heisman contention with a series of performances impressive on both the stat sheets and on the highlight film. Despite unbelievable early numbers and the hype that goes along with them, however, coach Bobby Petrino knows his is the team that enters the weekend with something to prove.
“They’ve been to the championship game; they’ve got a ring on their finger,” Petrino said. “We knew that if we were going to make a run in this conference or run to get to the goal that we want, that we had to find a way to beat them, so we are looking forward to the matchup.”
It’s the first time the GameDay crew has ever been to Louisville, but then again there have been a lot of firsts for the Cardinals already in 2016. Lamar Jackson, for example, became first in ACC history in total offense with his 610 yards against Syracuse. He wound up with 411 yards passing and 199 rushing — and was over 200 yards rushing late in the game before dropping a few late in the contest.
“I did good, I guess, but I still have room for improvement,” Jackson said after the record-setting win over Syracuse. “I made a lot of bad reads, but I think I did all right.”
If there’s room for improvement there, the Cardinals will be hanging around the title race until the end. Still, Petrino expects it to get a lot more difficult to move the ball this weekend.
“We’re working hard at it,” Petrino said. “We know that we’re not going to be as open as we were that last couple of weeks, but I still believe we’ll be able to get some matchups and find a way to get open.”
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
–QB Lamar Jackson will be the most-watched player on the field, which is saying something when the opponent has the talent that Florida State does. Jackson will be facing a team that’s coming in with a strategy to hit him, and hit him hard. That’s easier said than done, given Jackson’s quickness and ability to accelerate through the smallest openings. If he can shine again this week, the Heisman talk will truly be worth listening to.
–LB Keith Kelsey may be the best pure tackler on the team, and led the way with eight tackles against Syracuse. The Florida native will have extra incentive to prove himself against Florida State this week.
–CB Jaire Alexander became the first Cardinal to record an interception, a moderate surprise for a secondary that’s been known for its opportunistic nature. Forcing turnovers against Florida State will be key, and Alexander’s hands make him a natural candidate to create big plays on defense.
–RB Brandon Radcliff is coming off the best game of his career, and could be a game-changer this week. If he can move the chains on the ground and take some pressure off Lamar Jackson, the Cardinals offense will be almost impossible to stop.