Tale of the Tape, Predictions: Louisville vs. Syracuse
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville (0-0, 0-0 ACC) is set to face Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 SEC) on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 8:00 p.m. EST at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. Here's how the Cardinals stack up against the Orange:
- Rankings:
| Syracuse | Louisville | |
|---|---|---|
AP/USA Today | NR/NR | NR/RV |
SOS | N/A | N/A |
SP+ | 64th | 39th |
FPI | 61st | 35th |
Sagarin | 85th | 47th |
- Offensive Statistics (2021):
| Syracuse | Louisville | |
|---|---|---|
Total Offense | 86th (371.7) | 21st (446.2) |
Scoring Offense | 91st (24.9) | 41st (31.6) |
Passing Yards | 121st (158.2) | 65th (236.4) |
Yards Per Completion | 72nd (12.09) | 18th (13.90) |
Rushing Yards | 16th (213.5) | 22nd (209.8) |
First Downs Gained | 98th (235) | 55th (275) |
3rd Down Con. % | 118th (32.5%) | 63rd (40.0%) |
4th Down Con. % | 69th (50.0%) | 66th (51.9%) |
Red Zone Con. % | 109th (76.5%) | 39th (86.7%) |
Turnovers Lost | 21st (13) | 21st (13) |
Interceptions Thrown | 15th (6) | 15th (6) |
Fumbles Lost | 58th (7) | 58th (7) |
Tackles For Loss Allowed | 89th (6.25) | 31st (4.77) |
Sacks Allowed | 107th (2.83) | 25th (1.54) |
Avg. Time of Possession | 49th (30:28) | 51st (30:26) |
Key: National Rank out of 130 FBS Teams (Value)
- Defensive Statistics (2021):
| Syracuse | Louisville | |
|---|---|---|
Total Defense | 19th (330.3) | 84th (403.3) |
Scoring Defense | 66th (26.3) | 77th (27.3) |
Passing Yards Allowed | 26th (204.2) | 95th (245.6) |
Rushing Yards Allowed | 26th (126.1) | 76th (157.7) |
3rd Down Defensive % | 46th (37.2%) | 53rd (37.6%) |
4th Down Defensive % | 76th (52.6%) | 71st (52.2%) |
First Downs Allowed | 16th (223) | 115th (292) |
Red Zone Defensive % | 96th (87.0%) | 110th (89.8%) |
Turnovers Gained | 129th (6) | 82nd (15) |
Interceptions Caught | 122nd (4) | 60th (10) |
Fumbles Recovered | 125th (2) | 87th (5) |
Sacks Per Game | 16th (3.08) | 45th (2.54) |
TFL Per Game | 28th (6.8) | 47th (6.2) |
Key: National Rank out of 130 FBS Teams (Value)
- Special Teams Statistics (2021):
| Syracuse | Louisville | |
|---|---|---|
Net Punting | 128th (33.36) | 73rd (38.80) |
Avg. Kickoff Return | 62nd (20.89) | 30th (23.61) |
Avg. Kickoff Return Def. | 62nd (20.91) | 60th (20.81) |
Avg. Punt Return | 33rd (10.48) | 23rd (11.21) |
Avg. Punt Return Def. | 77th (8.56) | 38th (5.58) |
Field Goal Attempts | 9-14 | 14-21 |
PAT | 36-38 | 51-52 |
Key: National Rank out of 130 FBS Teams (Value)
- FPI Prediction: Per ESPN's Football Power Index, the Cardinals have a 58.2 percent chance to win against the Orange. Louisville has an FPI of 7.2 (35th overall), whereas Syracuse has a rating of 1.4 (61st overall).
- SP+ Prediction:
Per Bill Connelly's SP+ model, the Cardinals have a 61.57 percent chance to take down the Orange. Louisville has an SP+ rating of 9.3 (39th overall), whereas Syracuse has a rating of 1.8 (64th overall).
Weekly Expected Wins Mark:
- Preseason: 6.57
- Personal Prediction: Louisville 35, Syracuse 17.
(Photo of Malik Cunningham: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)
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