Thursday afternoon Cardinal news and notes

—Spread Check: Florida State by 2.5.

—FSU’s defense feels like it’s ready to stop Malik Cunningham under the lights on Friday.

—Matt McGavic over at Louisville Report likes the Cards by a single point over Florida State.

—A new Card Chronicle podcast dropped earlier today.

—Every member of the staff over at Tomahawk Nation thinks Florida State beats Louisville tomorrow night, and almost all of them think the ‘Noles win by double digits.

Tommy Mire (season record: 2-0)

This is one of those matchups that has me a little uneasy with Malik Cunningham at the helm. However, they are giving up 200+ yards per game on the ground and FSU has three talented backs that could all break 100 yards again (see Duquesne.)

The Cardinals don’t quite have the receivers that LSU did so the Seminole defense shouldn’t (hopefully) have to constantly double-team an all-American and will be able to spy the quarterback more often. Vegas has this game as roughy 3-points for the Seminoles but I think the margin will be more regardless of who wins.

FSU 38, Louisville 24

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LastNoleOfKrypton

FSU is looking for its first 3-0 start since 2015 and they’re going to get it. FSU should control both sides of the LOS in this game and Louisville should have very little answers for its three-pronged attack at running back.

On defense Malik Cunningham is streaky and can be scary good when he gets hot but if FSU rushes four and sets the edge they should come back to Tallahassee with a comfortable victory which is what I expect.

FSU 42, Louisville 21

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Evan Johnson (season record: 1-1)

It feels like everything is heading in the right direct so far this year and in this match up. Louisville has looked very vulnerable through two games, especially on the ground where FSU excels on offense. Then again this is a Friday night road game to top that off it’s a color game. On the other hand it’s a red out and the team will be wearing black so this whole program is obviously in shambles.

FSU 35, Louisville 10

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Michael Rogner (season record: 2-0)

A few years ago Cardinal fans got mad on the internet because I wrote in my prediction “I can’t name a single Louisville player, but I’m sure they’re great.” Based on the thoughtful suggestions I received from #LouisvilleTwitter I’ve really come around and learned a lot about their program. ‘Noles by 30.

—Athlon is also going with Florida State in a low scoring affair.

—Chip Patterson over at CBS likes FSU to cover the 2-point spread.

—Scott Satterfield would like to remind you that tomorrow night’s game is a Red Out. That means wear red.

—It’ll be No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Louisville in field hockey action Friday afternoon at Trager Stadium.

—Louisville Report goes behind enemy lines and plays five questions with Nole GameDay.

—They ended up dropping the set, but this was still probably the definitive highlight from last night.

—The ACC Digital Network previews Friday night’s game in video form.

—Brendan McKay underwent successful Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. The new goal for the former Golden Spikes Award winner is to be back and healthy for the 2024 season.

—Roger Federer is calling it a career and I’m not ok.

—Updated ACC championship odds from BetOnline:

—FBS athletic directors say they want college football reform, but not a complete split from the NCAA.

—The Louisville men’s soccer team kicks off a two-game road swing Friday night at 7 against Boston College. Here’s a preview.

—Jeff Greer’s latest U of L hoops newsletter focuses on the freshly-released 2022-23 schedule and also dives into the world of Cardinal recruiting.

I am just shattering my own rule, set years ago in my own brain, that I won’t discuss high school prospects who are only rising juniors. Because I just stumbled across this months-old article about top-ranked 2024 prospect Elliot Cadeau, who is a fascinating player and person, and couldn’t help but notice the last line of the third paragraph.

“He is represented in the NIL space by Roc Nation Sports.”

Because the aforementioned rule I have, I do not know anything about Cadeau’s recruitment. That said … have we discussed the new director of basketball administration for Louisville men’s basketball and his relationship to Roc Nation Sports? Feels like that is a not-so-small connection.

Cadeau, a 5-star point guard, is currently ranked as the No. 8 player in the class of 2024 by 247 Sports.

—Louisville field hockey goalkeeper Sasha Elliott has been named the National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association Division I Defensive Player of the Week

—This guy was so damn good. Excited to see him honored tomorrow night.

—The Lexington Herald-Leader says that UK needs to make a Mark Stoops statue now. I’m 100% in favor, just because of how much it would piss off John Calipari.

—Speaking of which ... Calipari and Kenny Payne sat together Wednesday night and took questions during a Kentucky Chamber of Commerce event at the Downtown Marriott, where this exchange took place:

—Payne also said last night that it’s on Louisville to hold up its end of the in-state rivalry from now on.

—Nolan Smith spent a chunk of his Wednesday visiting with 4-star forward Curtis Williams, who will announce his college decision on Sept. 19. Louisville appears to be in a very good spot with Williams.

—Travis Graf of 247 Sports believes it’s down to Louisville and Providence for Williams, and he’s putting his money on the Cards.

—Seeing a lot of this stuff last night was very cool.

—The ACC schedule for the upcoming U of L women’s basketball season is out.

—Awful news out of Clemson, where Ella Bresee, the sister of Tigers star defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, passed away after a fight with brain cancer. She was just 15-years-old.

—Five-star class of 2024 forward Trentyn Flowers says North Carolina, Louisville and Florida State are the three schools that have been recruiting him the hardest thus far.

“The schools I’ve been in contact with the most are North Carolina, Louisville is really consistent now, Florida State has been really consistent with me,” Flowers said.

Flowers talks recruitment

North Carolina: “That was a really big offer. I cried a little when I got it, to be honest; it was just a really big offer. Michael Jordan and Vince Carter are some really good shooting guards who went there, and even in more recent years, Justin Jackson. They got Armando Bacot and Caleb Love there now and just went to the NCAA finals.”

Louisville: “That is a special place; it’s really nice there. I visited the campus last year and really loved it. They also have a great coaching staff there. Donovan Mitchell and Montrezel Harrell, along with many other greats, went there.”

Florida State: “I watched the process they took with Scottie Barnes and the freedom they gave him on the ball. They see me fitting into their offense like with Barnes. They have a great coaching staff that gets the best out of their players.”

Flowers says that an official visit to U of L is “in the works.”

—247 Sports has updated its rankings for the hoops class of 2024.

—For Louisville fans in the Denver area, there will be a game watch at Blake Street Tavern tomorrow night.

—Very cool stuff from Kianna Smith.

—After a couple up-and-down games for Malik Cunningham, the Louisville offensive staff is still trying to craft the perfect run/pass approach for their QB.

—Chop Chat says Adam Fuller’s defense will perform better against Louisville than the Seminoles have in recent years.

—Friday night is personal for FSU transfer Jarvis Brownlee, and he has no problem admitting it.

The program landed several transfers across the board that would eventually end up on Louisville’s two-deep depth chart. One of which not only came from within the ACC, but from a school in their own division in former Florida State cornerback Jarvis Brownlee.

Just three games into the season, Brownlee is already slated to take on his former team. The Cardinals are scheduled to host the Seminoles as part of the 2022 home opener this Friday night. Brownlee has a lot of respect for his former teammates, but isn’t afraid to admit that he has been looking forward to this matchup for a while.

“I think this week is going to be great. I circled this one on the calendar,” he said Tuesday. “But I have love for a lot of those guys over there on the offensive side of the ball. They’re a great team, and I’m just looking forward to battling, man. It’s going to be a fight. Competition is going to be there. I know they’re going to come in and target me a couple of times.

“I’m just prepared, man. Honestly, I’m ready. I’m just looking forward to playing against my guys that I still have a bone with over there. Shout out to those guys.”

Based on some of the Brownlee tweets I’ve seen from FSU fans over the last week, I’d say they’ve had it circled as well.

—There will be no shortage of playmakers in Florida State uniforms tomorrow night at Cardinal Stadium.

—The best way to describe this:

—Donovan Mitchell spent some time on Iona’s campus with Rick Pitino earlier this week.

—The Athletic’s Ari Wasserman has the story of what really happened with Rueben Owens’ on, then off unofficial visit to Texas A&M.

The news hit the internet early Tuesday afternoon that five-star running back and Louisville commitment Rueben Owens of El Campo (Texas) High was taking a visit to Texas A&M this weekend for the Aggies’ game against Miami. That’s when Owens decided he was going to cancel his visit.

That may sound strange given a player of Owens’ stature has virtually no chance of visiting Aggieland without it eventually leaking out. But he told himself that if this became a big deal before he ever got in the car to go to Texas A&M, that the visit wasn’t going to happen.

“I don’t know who leaked it,” Owens told The Athletic on Tuesday evening. “Someone sent it to me. I was just going to go out there and watch a good football game. Some of my guys play for A&M who I played 7-on-7 with. But they just leaked it.”

Who is “they?” Owens kept saying “they” leaked it.

Owens doesn’t know specifically, but he told the Texas A&M coaching staff that he didn’t want it to hit the media — but it did. And he is staying true to what he told himself. So Owens changed his mind and now will likely catch the game on television.

“I said I didn’t want it to be leaked,” Owens reiterated. “I told myself that if it leaked before I actually get there, I will not be attending the game.”

—Former Louisville WR Tyler Harrell has missed Alabama’s first two games because of an injury.

—FSU QB Jordan Travis is somewhat downplaying his return to Louisville.

—Bill Connelly’s S&P ratings give Louisville a 42% chance of beating FSU.

—The Florida State 247 site has three keys to a Seminole victory.

1. Run the damn ball

Not to the point where you’re compromising balance or rhythm, but FSU has to do what Syracuse and UCF (two programs with good running quarterbacks and talented running backs…sound familiar) did against Louisville: run the ball effectively.

The Cardinals are 120th nationally in Rush Defense Success Rate at 51.4 percent, per TruMedia via PFF. The Seminoles, meanwhile, are 5th nationally with a Rush Success Rate of 57.6 percent.

So, yeah, this is a favorable matchup for the Seminoles.

To win, one of two aspects must happen: FSU has to run at an efficient rate with Treshaun Ward, Lawrance Toafili, Trey Benson, and Jordan Travis or it’ll have to counter Louisville with an efficient passing attack if the Cardinals load up run lanes pre-play like they did in the second half against UCF.

The big difference between UCF and FSU, and this is a testament to Travis’ development as well as an improved receiving corps, is that the Seminoles have a quarterback who is capable of getting the ball in the right spot vs. 1-on-1 coverage.

Also worth noting: NT Jermayne Lole is out for the season. He was arguably the biggest offseason addition for Louisville given that he filled a major need, and now the transfer is going to be out for the year. It’s a huge blow to Louisville, and it’ll leave a void in the middle of the defense that the Seminoles must exploit.

—Fred Cowgill’s lawsuit against Trinity has been officially dismissed with prejudice after his side agreed to drop it.

—Tomahawk Nation talks with our own CardinalStrong about the big storylines for tomorrow night’s contest.

—And finally, the Rutherford Show is back from the U of L College of Business Studio this afternoon from 3-6 on 1450 The Big X. You can stream it here.