Preview: Louisville Cardinals vs. James Madison Dukes

The Cardinals cap off their home stand with a matchup against the Dukes that has bowl eligibility on the line.

James Madison Dukes (5-2, 2-1 Sun Belt) at Louisville Cardinals (5-3, 3-3 ACC)

- Kickoff: Saturday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m. EST
- Location: Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
- Weather Conditions: Showers in the evening, then clearing overnight. Low 47F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
- How To Watch: ESPNU
- How To Listen: 93.9 FM
- Betting Favorite: Louisville -7.0
- All-Time Series: First Meeting
- Last Meeting: N/A

Game Notes

Louisville

• After starting the year at 2-3, the Cardinals have won their last three games and are looking for their fourth-straight win after a dominant 48-21 win over Wake Forest last Saturday.
• Louisville is looking for its fourth-consecutive win for the first time since the 2016 squad won five-straight contests.
• The Cards scored two defensive touchdowns for the first time since a win vs. Tennessee Tech on Sept. 6, 2008 when Kei’Trel Clark returned an interception 46 yards and Quincy Riley recorded a 90-yard touchdown return on an interception — the longest since 1975.
• Louisville forced six turnovers in a single quarter for the first time in program history and eight turnovers in a game for the first time since forcing nine vs. Army on Sept. 17, 1983. The Cardinals have forced at least three turnovers in five straight games for the first time since the 2000 season.
• According to Elias Sports Bureau, Louisville’s 35-point quarter tied the highest point total against a Top 10 opponent in one quarter.
• The Cardinals recorded eight sacks by eight different players and seven different players registered turnovers in the game. Cornerback Quincy Riley picked off a pair of passes, including a 90-yard return for a touchdown.
• Running back Tiyon Evans rushed for 106 yards versus Wake Forest — the first running back to record 100 yards rushing this season and the first back to run for over 100 yards since Jalen Mitchell rushed for 102 yards in a win over Syracuse last season.
• Quarterback Malik Cunningham completed 15-of-23 passes for 164 yards and rushed for 45 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
• The Cardinals have recorded 21 turnovers over the last five games, the most since 1995 when they also registered 21 over that span. The eight turnovers versus Wake Forest were the most since forcing Army to turn it over nine times in 1993.
• Louisville has been credited with 23 sacks over the last five games after recording eight more in the victory over Wake Forest. The 23 sacks over that span were the most since the 2014 season.
• The Cards scored 35 points in the third quarter, tying the most ever scored against an AP top-10 opponent in one quarter. Also done by USC vs. #5 Notre Dame in 1974, Nebraska vs. #10 Oklahoma St. in 1988, & Oklahoma vs. #2 Texas Tech in 2008.
• Since a disappointing 34-33 loss to Boston College, the Cardinals have allowed an average of 16.0 points per game — holding Virginia and Pittsburgh to 17 and 10 points, respectively.
• After opening the season allowing an average of 201.7 yards on the ground, the Cardinals have yielded an average of 91.6 yards per game. Louisville has held three of its last five opponents to less than 100 yards rushing, including limiting Virgina to six net yards.
• The Cardinals have registered at least two sacks in every game this season and have been credited with 17 over the last three contests, including eight last week versus Wake Forest.
• Louisville has forced at least three turnovers in five straight games for the first time since the 2000 season.
• After not recording an interception in the opening loss at Syracuse, the Cardinals registered 14 picks over the following seven games. Louisville recorded a season high four interceptions versus Wake Forest. The four interceptions were the most in a game since picking off Syracuse four times in a 56-10 win in 2017.
• Louisville had eight sacks by eight different players, its most sacks since having eight vs. Boston College on Oct. 24, 2015.
• The Cardinals are +15 in the turnover battle over the last five games, turning it over six times, but creating 21 over that span.

James Madison

• Marshall scored 24 unanswered points and shut down JMU’s offense over the final three quarters to earn a 26-12 win in Harrisonburg back on Oct. 22. The game was played in front of a Bridgeforth-record 26,159 fans.
• Khalan Laborn led the Marshall offense with 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns with a long of 61, while Cam Fancher had 159 passing yards and a score with two interceptions. Owen Porter also had 3.5 sacks to pace the Marshall defense, which limited JMU to just 247 total yards.
• JMU’s defense kept the Dukes in the game, which stayed a one-score game until the late stages. Taurus Jones tied his career high with 13 tackles, with a tackle for loss and fumble recovery. James Carpenter also had a career-high nine stops.
• Percy Agyei-Obese ran for 96 yards, averaging 4.8 per carry to lead the rushing offense.
• Billy Atkins, making his first career start, threw for 164 yards with a touchdown and four picks.
• QB Todd Centeio was also added to the midseason watch list for the Manning Award, the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced on Oct. 28. This award honors the top quarterback performances in the country.
• WR Kris Thornton and LB Jailin Walker were both named Honorable Mention Midseason All-Americans from Pro Football Network on Oct. 20. They are the first two JMU players to ever receive FBS midseason All-America nods, as the Dukes are in their first year transitioning into the subdivision.
• Through seven games, Thornton has 41 receptions for 689 yards and five touchdowns.
• Walker had accrued 42 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions with one being a pick-six and four breakups.
• JMU’s hot start to the season, which included wins in its first five games, resulted in JMU being ranked one week and at least receiving votes in four of them.
• Entering this week’s slate of games, JMU is top 10 nationally in five different categories, which includes leading the FBS against the run.
• The Dukes lead the country in rushing defense, at 54.9 yards allowed per game.
• Other defensive standout areas include ranking third in tackles for loss per game (8.9), fourth on third-down defense (26.3%), fifth in first-down defense (14.0) and 10th in total defense (293.3).
• JMU is near the top 10 in scoring offense, ranking 14th with a SBC-leading 38.7 points per game.
• Individually, Todd Centeio ranks in the top 15 nationally in six categories.
• He’s third in point responsibility per game (22.3), fourth in total offense (352.2), sixth in yards per completions (14.71), seventh in yards per attempt (9.42), ninth in pass efficiency rating (168.6) and 13th in passing yards per game (296.7).
• Kris Thornton rounds out the top 10 in the FBS with 98.4 receiving yards per game.
• Defensively, Chauncey Logan is seventh with 1.5 passes defended per game, and Taurus Jones is eighth with a pair of fumble recoveries.

Depth Charts

Here are the depth charts for both teams ahead of their matchup: Louisville vs. James Madison

Comparison

See how the Cardinals stack up against the Dukes, and who the statistical models favor: Tale of the Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. James Madison

Uniform Report

Louisville will be wearing their grey "Iron Wings" alternates with red helmets, James Madison will be wearing white helmets and pants with purple jerseys.

Additional Coverage

• Scott Satterfield, Louisville Coordinators Recap Wake Forest, Preview James Madison
• Louisville Not Overlooking James Madison Matchup
• Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for Daily News-Record's Shane Mettlen
• From The Pink Seats: Episode 76 - Wake Forest Recap, James Madison Preview

(Photo of YaYa Diaby: Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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