UTAH (2-3) AT LOUISVILLE (3-2)
Game Time: 8:00 p.m.
Television: ESPN
Location: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium: Louisville, KY
Favorite: Louisville by 14.5
All-Time Series: Utah Leads 2-0
Last Meeting: Utah won 45-22 in 1998
Anxiety Level: 4. Really no excuse for it - I think this is an important game that we could very easily lose - but I'm nowhere near as anxious as I should be. I really have no idea what to expect from either side so I'm coming into the game with a wait and see attitude, which is probably the cause of my relative tranquility.
Game Attire: Black Carmody jersey.
Grey '86 national championship shirt came through with a win, but was far from being impressive enough to guarantee getting the call this week. I have a feeling we're finally going to bust out the black unis tonight, so the jersey is getting yet another chance to prove itself.
Pre-Game Meal: No idea. Hope it's good, pretty hungry.
Bilal Powell Playing Alert Level: Charcoal (I have no fucking clue)
Predicted Star of the Game: Trent Guy
I'm hearing rumblings that HD is out again tonight, so with no Douglas and no Spillman Guy will likely get the start at the Z receiver, and will be the guy (pun totally intended) on kickoff and punt returns. Big opportunity for him.
Poll Results:
"On Friday, Louisville will..."
- Win Respectably: 82 votes (49%)
- Win Big: 37 votes (22%)
- Win Small: 26 votes (15%)
- Not Win: 20 votes (12%)
Owns NCAA career record for made extra points.
Points needed to break NCAA career scoring record for kickers: 34
Notable and Quotable:
--Utah is 5-0 all-time against the Big East while Louisville is 4-10 against the Mountain West.
--Utah's Kyle Whittingham and Louisville's Steve Kragthorpe coached against each other last year in the Armed Forces Bowl when the Utes beat Tulsa 25-13.
--Louis Sakoda is likely the best kicker Art Carmody has faced all season (oh it's a head-to-head). He's 7-of-8 on field goals this season, with six of those coming from 40 yards out or further, and is 53-of-53 lifetime on extra points.
--"He's (Brian Brohm) really good. We need to put some pressure on him. If he sits back there and has all day and you don't make him speed up, then he can really hurt you. He's 6-4, 225 pounds and has a rifle for an arm and is a sure-fire first-round draft choice." --Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham
--"We want them bringing their 'A' game. We're going to bring ours." --Utah DB Brice McCain
--"I'm extremely anxious. I've had this game circled on my calendar all year, so I'm excited to play and have a great game. It's one of the biggest games I've played in. It's a big game for us, and it's a big game for the program to show everybody what we're all about." --Utah QB Brian Johnson
-- "They're going to pressure the passer, they're going to play a lot of man coverage. They're going to get up in your face and challenge you." --Steve Kragthorpe
--"It's going to be hard to stop an offense that's as good as they are, but we're going to try to get Brian (Brohm) out of the pocket.If he's comfortable in there, he's going to pick us apart. But if we can get some pressure on him, it'll be a good game." --Utah nose tackle Gabe Long
CC Prediction: Louisville 34, Utah 31
For the record, I came very, very close to picking Utah. If we cover the spread tonight I'll be extremely impressed, because I think we're going to get all we can handle.