LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (7-2, 4-2) vs. Clemson Tigers (4-5, 3-4)
Game Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: L&N Stadium: Louisville, Ky.
Television: ESPN
Announcers: Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst) and Pau Carcaterra (sideline)
Favorite: Louisville by 2.5
All-Time
Series: Clemson leads, 8-1
Last Meeting: Louisville won 33-21 on Nov. 2, 2024 in Clemson
Series History:
Statistics:
Depth Chart:
Louisville Uniforms:
Clemson Uniforms:
Unknown … probably white
Injury Reports:
Relevant Videos:
About Clemson:
Clemson is in the midst of another down season, but Dabo Swinney is leading a resilient team that is not folding on the season, even though they can’t win the ACC. The Tigers have won three of their last five games, with one of those losses coming by one point. Swinney has his team playing hard, and his offense has been putting up points and yardage while battling injury issues.
After a strong 2024 season, Cade Klubnik returned this season as a preseason Heisman frontrunner. That hype quickly faded as he struggled against LSU and continued to play poorly through their first four games of the year. However, Klubnik has been lights out over his last four games. He has 8 touchdowns over those four games with only one interception while completing 79% of his passes. Throw in the 9.7 yards per attempt he is averaging in these games, and it’s impossible to ignore that Klubnik is playing like the guy most expected him to be this season.
Klubnik has done well finding guys down the field recently, which has opened things up for the underneath passes Clemson likes to run. It should also be noted that two of the Tigers’ best rushing games have been over this stretch of 5 games, where the Clemson offense has improved. Klubnik has all of the skills you want to see in a college quarterback, and I think he has only improved with his command of the offense and ability to consistently get the offense moving. It’s an inopportune time for the Cards to face him coming off a loss.
In my opinion, there is no greater example of Dabo Swinney’s recruiting stubbornness than Adam Randall being his starting running back. Randall was a four-star wide receiver as a recruit who fit the mold of the same guy Clemson recruited over and over again at receiver. He couldn’t consistently get on the field as a receiver because they had the same guy ahead of him at the position. Somehow, Randall became a candidate to move to running back at 6-3/215 pounds and four total carries before this season. Dabo failed to recruit a running back good enough to lead the room, and he refused to use the portal to fill a gaping hole in his roster.
With that being said, Randall has been solid for Clemson with about 63 yards per game on the season. He runs extremely hard for a guy who is new to the position, but his size is actually an issue for him because he gets cut down by tacklers who can take out his knees. But Randall can make plays in the open field with his speed, and he is an obvious threat catching the football. I also expect Gideon Davidson to continue his expanded role in the backfield.
While the Tigers still have a slight issue with recruiting the same guy at wide receiver, they did go out and get an excellent slot receiver a couple of years ago in Antonio Williams. Williams is a complete receiver, but he excels at intermediate and short routes. He is outstanding after the catch as well, but Clemson has also started to expand his route tree to use him on downfield throws. With the struggles the Cards had containing Jacob De Jesus last week, it would behove the staff to have a plan for Williams.
Bryant Wesco was having a breakout season before an unfortunate neck injury that will keep him out for the season. Clemson has looked to TJ Moore to take on a larger role, and he has stepped up over the last few weeks. Moore is a big outside receiver with great speed and the ability to make big plays after the catch. The Tigers have found creative ways to get him the ball this year, and as much as the slot was an issue against Cal, I think that Moore is the biggest outside threat the Cards have seen this year.
Depth is a bit of a concern for Clemson without Wesco, but they have talent to lean on if needed. Tyler Brown is a guy that I personally like on their roster, though he hasn’t made much of an impact. He and Tristan Smith are probably the most likely receivers to get targets on Friday night. Clemson also uses a trio of tight ends in their passing game. This group could be a factor if Ron English creates a game plan designed to stop Williams and Moore. The Tigers have a strong group of options at the skill positions.
A group that has to be a bit frustrating for Clemson fans has to be the offensive line. This is one of the most veteran groups in the country, but the results have not been what you would expect. Blake Miller is one of the best tackles in the country on the right side of the line, but the remainder of the group has been poor at just about everything. The staff has tried to make some personnel changes, with true freshman Braydon Jacobs taking over at left guard. The Cards should have another game on their hands where they have an advantage up front, but they need to take advantage of it, especially from a pass rush standpoint.
DEFENSE
Dabo Swinney has fired two coordinators in recent years, and he has spent a lot of money on replacements. Garrett Riley has made positive strides in his third year leading the offense, but the Clemson program probably didn’t expect Tom Allen to take long to get the defense back on track. Allen is coming off a strong season as Penn State’s defensive coordinator, but with the talent he has at his disposal, it was expected that he to get the Tigers back to being a top-10 defense. That hasn’t happened yet.
The Clemson defensive line has been something to fear for the last decade, but they have been lacking on the interior of the line for the last two years. Peter Woods is consistently listed as a first-round pick in mock drafts, but his production has fallen off this year. Woods and DeMonte Capehart aren’t making the havoc plays we’ve come to expect from the defensive tackles at Clemson. They have combined for 5 tackles for loss and 23 pressures. They also don’t have many run stuffs, which is an area where they could be impactful.
Dabo made news this offseason by going out and using the portal to grab one of the best available players in Will Heldt. Heldt is one of a few Purdue transfers that Jeff Brohm recruited who passed on joining him in Louisville. He leads the Tigers in tackles for loss and sacks this year with 25 total pressures. He and TJ Parker pair up to be a great pass rush duo, but the numbers aren’t what they need to be in the sack column. Louisville still needs to have a plan for these two, as we have seen that just getting pressure can cause issues for Miller Moss.
Depth and competition are real concerns at linebacker for the Tigers, but they have one of the most talented players in the country manning the middle. Sammy Brown is a freak athlete who runs like a cornerback while having the build of a linebacker prototype. Brown has been solid this season, but it’s clear that he is learning on the job as a young player. Clemson has to hope that his play lines up with his potential soon. If there is an area where he really struggles, it’s pass coverage. Per PFF, he has given up the second-most passing yardage on the entire team.
Wade Woodaz returns as a starter in the new 4-2-5 scheme, and the veteran has been a playmaker on defense over the last few weeks. He started the season as a player who racked up a lot of tackles, but over the last few weeks, he has made more havoc plays. He will be a big factor against UofL’s run game, which has been reliable for the last handful of weeks. Woodaz has played a ton of snaps, so he will be a key player on the Clemson defense in this game.
Clemson has two strong cornerbacks with plenty of experience to lean on. They also have good depth, but injuries have hurt them there. Ashton Hampton and Avieon Terrell have not been as productive as Cal’s corners, who Louisville struggled to beat, but they will both probably play on Sundays. Terrell is one of the best corners in the ACC, and he is coming off a game where he had two sacks on corner blitzes. He’s a good example of how Allen is adjusting as the season goes on.
The remainder of the secondary is solid but a bit lacking, in my opinion. Misun Kelly, Ronan Hanifan, Ricardo Jones, and Khalil Barnes rotate through the safety and nickel spots, with Kelly being the primary cover guy in the slot. None of the four have been very good this year, but Jones leads the team with four interceptions. Finding a way to get these guys in coverage against Caullin Lacy would be a nice addition to the Louisville game plan this week.
Motivational Tweets:
Excitement Level: 8.1
We’re just six days removed from one of the more deflating losses in the history of the program. My enthusiasm for this one is definitely tempered by both that and a fear of this team’s inability to bounce back from it … BUT, there is still a very reasonable path to the ACC title game out there for Louisville if the Cards can find a way to win these next two. That coupled with the opportunity to beat these guys for a second straight year in front of a Friday night Blackout crowd should have the juices flowing.
Game Attire: Red Louisville Football sweatshirt
I’m not allowed to go to the games anymore so I will not be participating in the Blackout.
Pregame Meal: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Mary made it. It’s good.
Bold Prediction: A Louisville player besides Miller Moss throws for a touchdown tonight
We keep missing and yet we keep getting bolder and bolder.
Jeff Brohm Tick Play Alert Level: Inchworm (strong)
This is very much a “pull out all the stops to hold this thing together” situation for the staff.
Predicted Star of the Game: Chris Bell
We are 1-for-1 in spotlight game Chris Bell predictions. Let’s make it 2-for-2.
Notable:
—Louisville is 0-4 all-time in home games against Clemson.
—Louisville will be holding a “Blackout” for Friday night’s game. The team will be wearing all black uniforms and fans attending the game are encouraged to wear black.
—Louisville is 7-7 all-time in Blackout themed games.
—Friday night will be Clemson’s final ACC game of the season. A loss would give the Tigers their first losing season in conference play since 1998.
—Clemson’s current 26-year streak of finishing .500 or better in conference play entered 2025 tied with Boise State for the longest active streak in the country and the fourth-longest streak in the FBS since 1966.
—Louisville has won six consecutive Friday night games. The Cards are 20-13 all-time in Friday contests.
—Clemson is 33-26-5 all-time in Friday games and 26-20-5 in Friday regular season games all-time.
—Clemson is 2-1 in regular season Friday night games under Dabo Swinney.
—Louisville, ranked No. 19 in this week’s AP Top 25 poll, is 88-36 all-time when playing as a team ranked in the AP Top 25. The Cards are 9-8 in such games under head coach Jeff Brohm, including 2-1 this season.
—This is the 166th week in program history that Louisville has been ranked in the AP poll.
—Louisville is 51-11 all-time in home games when playing as a team ranked in the AP poll.
—Clemson has not lost to the same team in back-to-back years since losing three consecutive games to Florida State from 2012-14.
—Clemson is 4525-2 in regular season conference finales since 1953. They have won 10 consecutive regular season ACC finales, a school record.
—Clemson’s last loss in an ACC regular season finale came in 2014 against Georgia Tech.
—Entering its first game of October, Clemson ranked 116th in the nation in scoring offense at 19.8 points per game. Clemson has averaged 34.4 points per game in its five games since, tied for the 19th-best mark in the nation since Oct. 1. Clemson also ranks 19th in the nation in that span in yards per game (444.6).
—The favorite has covered the spread in five of the last six games in this series.
—Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm is 1-0 in games against Clemson.
—Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is 8-1 in games against Louisville.
—Clemson is 42-10 in true road games since the start of the 2015 season. The Tigers rank third in the country in victories in true road games in that span.
—Clemson is 56-13 in night games since 2015.
—Clemson is 31-13 in games against AP top 25 opponents since the 2015 season.
—Clemson enters the game having scored at least one rushing touchdown in a national-best-tying 93 of
its 105 games since the start of the 2018 season. Clemson has also rushed for multiple touchdowns in a national-best 75 games in that span.
—Louisville has won 49 consecutive games when shutting out its opponent in the second half, something the Cardinals did two weeks ago in their 28-16 win over Virginia Tech. Louisville’s last loss in such a situation came in 1996.
—Former Louisville wide receiver Arnold Jackson will have his number honored during Friday night’s game, becoming the 30th Cardinal player to join the school’s Ring of Honor.
—Louisville’s Caullin Lacy leads the country in punt return yards, punt return yards per game, punt returns of 20 yards or more, 50 yards or more, 70 yards or more and 80 yards or more.
—The state of South Carolina has never produced a Kentucky Derby winner.
—Louisville has outscored its opponents 78-39 in the 4th quarter so far this season, and 273-192 in 4th quarters under Jeff Brohm.
—Louisville has had nine come-from-behind victories under head coach Jeff Brohm, including four this season.
—Louisville has scored at least 24 points in 23 consecutive games, the longest such streak in the FBS.
—Louisville hasn’t lost by more than 7 points in 22 consecutive games, the third longest streak in the country.
—Under Jeff Brohm, Louisville is 13-1 in games in which it rushes for 200 yards or more.
—Louisville has forced a total of 53 turnovers since the start of the 2023 season, but has forced zero over its last two games.
—Louisville has not allowed an opponent to rush for 200 yards in a game this season.
—The Louisville defense has allowed just two rushing play of 20 yards or more this season.
—Louisville is one of eight FBS teams to score in every game it has played for the last 25 years, joining Boise State, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, Southern California, Texas Christian, and Virginia Tech.
—Louisville is 167-177-5 all-time in the month of November.
—Louisville is 7-10 all-time in games played on Nov. 14. Their last appearance on the date was a 31-17 road loss to Virginia in 2020.
—Louisville is 7-3 in the month of November under head coach Jeff Brohm.
—Louisville is 14-1 in ACC regular season games under Jeff Brohm when allowing fewer than 30 points. Their first loss came in last week’s 29-26 overtime loss to Cal.
—Louisville is 53-43 all-time in ACC games, and 16-6 in ACC games under Jeff Brohm.
—No ACC head coach has won more games since the start of the 2023 season than Jeff Brohm.
—Louisville leads the nation in rushes of 60 yards or more (5).
—Louisville is 12-0 under head coach Jeff Brohm when it doesn’t commit a turnover.
—Louisville is 16-0 under Jeff Brohm when it wins the turnover battle and 10-10 when it doesn’t. The Cards lost the turnover battle in both of their losses so far this season.
—Louisville has a 17-game winning streak when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, last losing 31-16 at Clemson on Nov. 12, 2022.
—Louisville is 24-2 over the past five seasons when shutting out its opponent in the first quarter.
—Louisville has won 38 of its last 43 games when holding teams to less than 300 yards of offense. The Cards lost to Virginia earlier this season despite holding the Cavaliers to 237 yards of offense.
—Louisville has won 17 straight games when holding its opponent scoreless in the first half.
—Since 2019, Louisville is 35-4 when winning the turnover battle, and just 8-26 when losing it.
—Louisville is 23-2 under Jeff Brohm when allowing fewer than 30 points.
—Louisville is 209-16 all-time when scoring 35 or more points in a game.
—Louisville is 142-4 all-time when scoring 40 or more points in a game, including an 83-3 mark since 2000. The Cards are 6-123 all-time when allowing opponents to score 40 or more points.
—Louisville is currently riding a consecutive game scoring streak that spans 323 games dating back to a 31-0 loss to Florida State during the 2000 season. The streak ranks as the second longest in the ACC behind only Virginia Tech, and the 8th-longest nationally.
Quotable:
—“We don’t look at their record, we look at the film and their talent. They’ve got NFL prospects all over the field. They’ve won at a high level for years, and it’s clear they’ve refocused and regrouped. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if they finish strong.” —Jeff Brohm
—“We believe in Miller, and we believe in all of our quarterbacks. We will always have a plan ready for all of them at some point in different aspects, which we have done before. At the same time, we just have to continue to work through these things.” —Jeff Brohm
—“They are not going to change their offense. They are going to do what they do, so we are just preparing schematically for who they are. They are very committed to running the ball. It does not matter who is back there (at quarterback), they are going to run that ball.” —Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney
—“They’re long, athletic, and disruptive. It’s going to be a great challenge, but our players are eager to get back out there and prove themselves.” —Chris Barclay
—“Just proud of the resilience. Our record isn’t what we hoped it would be right now, but to see these guys fighting the way they fight, that’s all you need to know about what’s under the hood with all of these guys. They’re made of the right stuff. That’s going to serve them well forever.” —Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney
—”We have to prepare well and go out there to find a way to execute better for all 60 minutes and find a way to win.” —Jeff Brohm
Card Chronicle Prediction: Clemson 35, Louisville 27
