Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (0-0, 0-0 C-USA) at Louisville Cardinals (0-0, 0-0 ACC)

- Kickoff: Saturday, September 12 at 8:00 p.m. EST

- Location: Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky.

- Weather Conditions: Scattered showers and thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 89F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

- How To Watch: ACC Network

- How To Listen: 840 AM / 93.9 FM

- Betting Favorite: Louisville -11.5

- All-Time Series: Louisville leads 21-12

- Last Meeting: Louisville won 38-21 on September 14, 2019 (Nissan Stadium - Nashville, Tenn.)

Both teams are looking to build off successful 2019 campaigns under first year head coaches. Scott Satterfield led the Cardinals to an 8-5 season including a Music City Bowl win over Mississippi State, while Tyson Helton guided the Hilltoppers to 9-4 with a First Responder Bowl win over Western Michigan. Both won "Coach of the Year" in their respective conferences.

Game Notes

Louisville:

The Cardinals return 18 starters from last season’s team that went 8-5, which culminated with a 38-28 win over Mississippi State in the 2019 Music City Bowl. Louisville brings back 10 starters on offense, including a 1,000-yard rusher and receiver. Running back Javian Hawkins totaled 1,525 yards on the ground, while wide receiver Tutu Atwell is back after setting a school record with 1,276 yards receiving and tying a school mark with 12 touchdowns. Defensively, linebacker C.J. Avery is the team’s top returning tackler after recording a career best 93 last year.
The Cardinals and Hilltoppers will open the season against one another for the sixth time, and the first since 1982 — a 20-10 Louisville win. Western Kentucky owns a 3-2 advantage in season openers versus Louisville. It’s the second most common season-opening home opponent in school history (UofL has played Kentucky eight times).
The Cardinals are 18-4 all-time in Louisville against the Hilltoppers, winning 10 games in a row. UofL’s 19-0 win over Western Kentucky to open the season at the Fairgrounds occurred during the Kentucky State Fair.
The Cardinals are 55-40-6 all-time in season openers, including a 35-18-3 record at home after a 35-17 loss to Notre Dame last year. The Cardinals have also dropped their last two openers, falling to a pair of ranked teams in No. 9 Notre Dame (2019) and No. 1 Alabama (2018).
Louisville has won five of its last six home openers after dropping last season’s opener to the Fighting Irish.
The Cardinals are 2-3 in season openers against Western Kentucky, with a 20-10 win over the Hilltoppers in the 1982 opener at Old Cardinal Stadium.
Scott Satterfield became just the third UofL head coach to win eight or more games in his debut season and the first since Bobby Petrino won nine contests in 2003. Tom King was the other, going a perfect 8-0 in 1925.
He was also the fourth head coach in UofL history to reach a bowl game in his first season, joining John L. Smith, Bobby Petrino, and Charlie Strong.
Louisville is 68-54-1 all-time against current Conference USA opponents: UAB (3-0); Charlotte (1-0); Florida Atlantic (1-0); FIU (3-1); Louisiana Tech (0-1); Marshall 17-12); Middle Tennessee (3-0); North Texas (7-10); Southern Mississippi (11-18-1); UTEP (1-0).
The Cardinals have won eight-straight games versus Conference USA opponents, with the last loss coming in 2011 — a 17-13 loss at home to Marshall. Louisville has won 21 of the last 22 games against teams from Conference USA, including seven in a row.
The Cardinals will host Western Kentucky in their only non-conference game of the season after the schedule was changed in late July. Since 2012, the Cardinals are 29-11 in non-league contests and have won nine of the last 14 non-conference games.

Western Kentucky:

The Cardinals are only the third active ACC member WKU has faced in program history. WKU was 2-0 against Miami (1930, 1931) prior to the creation of the ACC in 1953 and is 0-1 against Virginia Tech (2008).
With their 45-19 victory at Arkansas in 2019, the Hilltoppers joined Houston and Temple as only the 3rd non-Power Five FBS program to defeated Power Five teams with 4 different head coaches since 2010.

Tyson Helton (W, 45-19 at Arkansas on Nov. 9, 2019)
Jeff Brohm (W, 14-12 at Vanderbilt on Sept. 3, 2015)
Bobby Petrino (W, 35-24 vs. Kentucky on Aug. 31, 2013)
Willie Taggart (W, 31-31 [OT] at Kentucky on Sept. 15, 2012)

DeAngelo Malone established himself as one of the most productive defensive players in the country, and one of the most dynamic defensive ends in recent memory. He became the first Hilltopper to be voted Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year since joining the league prior to the 2014 campaign, producing 99 total tackles (54 solo, 45 assisted) – including 21 for loss (ranked fourth in the nation) – with 11.5 sacks (ranked 12th in the nation), 16 quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.
WKU dropped to 1-2 all-time in Nissan Stadium. The Hilltoppers previously played Kentucky in 2013 (W, 35-26) and 2011 (L, 3-14).
WKU held Louisville scoreless in the fourth quarter and outscored the Cardinals 14-7 in the second half.
Steven Duncan completed 25-of-47 passes for 245 yards, with a career high three touchdowns. The last WKU quarterback to throw three or more touchdowns in a game was Mike White on Nov. 17, 2017, when he tallied five touchdowns against Middle Tennessee.
Duncan’s 47 pass attempts are the most by a WKU quarterback since Mike White had 49 attempts at FIU on Nov. 24, 2017.

Depth Charts

Neither Louisville or Western Kentucky has provided a depth chart ahead of their contest.

Uniform Report

Louisville will be debuting the matte black helmet, and it will be accompanied by a red jersey and black pants.

𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀

The Details.#GoCards | #BeatWKU pic.twitter.com/8QQPcFhf3M
— Louisville Football (@LouisvilleFB) September 9, 2020

Team Captains

Louisville (season): Quarterback Micale Cunningham, wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick, inside linebacker CJ Avery, inside linebacker Dorian Etheridge and tight end Marshon Ford

Western Kentucky (game): Linebacker Clay Davis, offensive lineman Seth Joest and safety Devon Key.

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