The 10th ranked Clemson Tigers will host the Louisville Cardinals (6-3) this Saturday. The Tigers dropped 8 spots after the Notre Dame loss and have some rectifying to do. No one knows this more than Coach Dabo Swinney.
The Cardinals have reeled off four straight wins since a last minute one-point loss to Boston College, and they have won convincingly, including a blow out of then #10 ranked Wake Forest. Louisville took advantage of SIX WF turnovers in the 3rd quarter to score 35 points and take a 48-21 victory over the Demon Deacons. The Cardinals have overcome a slow start and will be a challenge to a struggling Tiger team, make no bones about it. The Tigers are currently a 7-point favorite.
Malik Cunningham has struggled somewhat in 2022, but appears to be peaking at the right time. Cunninging has completed 61% of his passes for 1,877 yards, eight touchdowns and only four interceptions. His strength is his dual-threat capability. Cunningham had 3 100+ yard rushing games early but has been held in check as of late. Still, he is a mini-version of former Louisville QB Lamar Jackson. He is fast, elusive and can turn a game around quickly with his legs. On the season, he is averaging 5.2 yards per carry, rushing 104 times for 541 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Tigers defense needs to keep him in the pocket.
The Cardinals are led on the ground by RB Tiyon Evans, a transfer from the Tennessee Vols. He is averaging 6.7 yards a carry on 74 rushes and has scored 5 touchdowns. The talented Evans is originally from Hartsville, SC, and has strung together two straight 100-yard games, averaging over 10 yards per carry. The 5-11 210 Evans can be a handful. The Louisville OL is not the Notre Dame offensive line and will be facing an angry Clemson defensive line. How angry? Shrugs.
The main target for Cunningham is senior WR Tyler Hudson, hauling in a team high 46 receptions for 704 yards and one touchdown. Ahmari Huggins-Bruce, another player from the Sandlapper state out of Dillon, is the 2nd leading receiver, but more of a slot-scatback type. He has 27 receptions for 367 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Cardinals are opportunistic to say the least. Louisville has turned the ball over 14 times in 2022 while gaining 24 turnovers, including 14 interceptions. This defense had a field day against WF QB Sam Hartman in that previously mentioned 3rd quarter. Five different Cardinal players have two interceptions each. This team is an “equal opportunity” defense, everybody contributes.
The defense has registered 34 sacks on the season, led by senior defensive lineman Yaya Diaby. He isn’t the biggest lineman on the field but #6 will get after you. The 6-4 270 DL leads the team with six sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 29 tackles. He must be paid attention to.
The Clemson offense has got to snap out of it. They were held in check 7 of the last 8 quarters they have been on the field. It has not been pretty and no one knows this more than Coach Swinney. This is Clemson’s “Tighten Up or Else” game. Louisville is hot, on a roll and the Tigers better be prepared.
