Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. Boston College Eagles
(Photo of Tutu Atwell: Atlantic Coast Conference Pool)
Louisville Cardinals (3-6, 2-6 ACC) at Boston College Eagles (5-4, 4-4 ACC)
- Kickoff: Saturday, November 28 at 4:00 p.m. EST
- Location: Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
- Weather Conditions: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 53F. Winds W at 10 to 15mph. Chance of rain 10%.
- How To Watch: ESPN
- How To Listen: WHAS 840/790 WKRD
- Betting Favorite: Boston College -1.0
- All-Time Series: Louisville leads 7-5
- Last Meeting: Louisville won 41-39 on Oct. 5, 2019 (Cardinal Stadium - Louisville, Ky.)
Game Notes
Louisville
- The Cardinals snapped their two-game losing streak with a 30-0 win over Syracuse last Saturday at Cardinal Stadium — the first shutout over a Power 5 team since a 34-0 win over North Carolina in 2004.
- The Cardinals allowed just 137 yards of total offense on the night, the lowest total by an opponent since giving up just 80 to Murray State in 2017, and the lowest by an FBS opponent since Boston College had 79 yards in 2015.
- The Cardinals amassed 413 yards of total offense in the victory. Louisville has reached at least 400 yards in all but two games this season.
- Malik Cunningham finished the night 19-of-28 for 219 yards and a touchdown, along with a touchdown on the ground. Cunningham has been responsible for multiple touchdowns in four consecutive games. The rushing touchdown was his sixth of the season, tying his career high from last season. The six rushing scores are tied for fifth-most in a season by a quarterback at Louisville.
- Defensive back Kei’Trel Clark had a hand in two of Louisville’s three turnovers forced in the first half. Clark picked off his first career pass in the second half and then recovered a fumble on a kickoff later in the quarter. He leads the team with nine pass break-ups.
- Linebacker C.J. Avery continues to lead the Cardinals in tackles with 60 after recording three tackles in the win over Syracuse. He owns three double-digit tackle games this season and five for his career.
- Placekicker James Turner connected on a career-best three field goal attempts in the win over Syracuse, including a career-long 50-yard field goal in the first quarter. It was the 15th field goal in Louisville history of 50 yards or more. Turner is the first Louisville kicker to make three field goals in a game since Blanton Creque did so against Kentucky in 2017.
- The Cardinals are looking for their first ACC win on the road this season, having lost four in a row away from home. Louisville is attempting to garner its first ACC win on the road since a 34-20 victory at NC State on Nov. 16, 2019.
- The Louisville defense is allowing just 363.8 yards per game this season, which is 76.1 yards fewer than a year ago. The Cardinals allowed 439.9 yards per game and 33.4 points per game. Louisville also is allowing 7.0 points fewer per game than a year ago.
Boston College
- Boston College has a chance to do something it has not done since 2009 with wins in its last two games against Louisville and Virginia - finish above .500 in the ACC. The Eagles have not finished over .500 in the ACC since 2009 during the traditional eight-game league schedule.
- Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley is tied for the national lead with five victories for first-year head coaches at a new school (Willie Taggart - FAU).
- QB Phil Jurkovec is the first player in BC history to total four, 300-yard passing games in his first five career starts at quarterback and the first BC quarterback with four or more 300-yard games in a season since Matt Ryan (2007).
- Phil Jurkovec is ninth nationally and second in the ACC with 2,355 passing yards. He is 11th in Boston College single-season history in passing yards after just nine games. He has thrown for more yards than any BC quarterback in a season since Chase Rettig’s 3,065 yards in 2012.
- Sophomore Zay Flowers has blossomed in BC’s new pro-style passing attack. After totaling just 22 receptions for 341 yards in 13 games in 2019, Flowers has 41 catches for 625 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020. Flowers is 20th nationally with 625 yards receiving and tied for 12th with seven receiving touchdowns.
- Junior tight end Hunter Long has been BC’s top receiving target in 2020 and he leads the nation in receptions for a tight end with 47. He is 14th among all players nationally in receptions in 2020 as well. Long has totaled 47 receptions for 560 yards and four touchdowns. Prior to this season, Long had just 32 receptions total over his first two years on the field at Boston College.
- Boston College linebackers Isaiah McDuffie and Max Richardson rank second and seventh respectively nationally in tackles. McDuffie’s 87 stops trail only Grant Morgan of Arkansas (104) in 2020. The last BC player to lead the country in tackles was Luke Kuechly with 191 stops in 2011.
Depth Charts
Here are the depth charts for both teams ahead of their matchup: Louisville vs. Boston College
Uniform Report
Louisville will be wearing red helmets with white jerseys & pants.
Team Captains
Louisville (season): Quarterback Micale Cunningham, wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick, inside linebacker CJ Avery, inside linebacker Dorian Etheridge and tight end Marshon Ford
Boston College (season): Running back Travis Levy, offensive lineman Zion Johnson, offensive lineman Ben Petrula, linebacker Max Richardson and defensive end Marcus Valdez.
Additional Coverage
- Scott Satterfield Recaps Syracuse, Previews Boston College
- OC Dwayne Ledford, DC Bryan Brown, CB Kei'Trel Clark Talk Boston College
- Tale of the Tape: Louisville vs. Boston College
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