The battle for the top spot in the Big East Conference continues in College Football tonight with the Louisville Cardinals traveling to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN. Currently the odds for the game have Rutgers favored by a field goal.
Tonight's contest features two teams with 9-2 records on the season, but Rutgers has just a single loss in the Big East Conference, and it's a bad loss at that. The Scarlet Knights have been in and out of the Top 25 this season but lost last week at Pitt, 27-6. Had they won that game, this game would pretty much be mathematical. Yet, they've got a conference loss and Louisville has two, so the fight for the top spot continues. For each team, it's win and you're in to a BCS bowl game.
Louisville got into the Top 10 at one point this season, playing hard-nosed defense and doing the little things needed to win football games. Now, in their last six games, they've given up an average of 29.3 points per game. Typically a team that also depends on the running game, the Cardinals have only gotten 38 yards per game on the ground in their last two — both losses. Teddy Bridgewater has been battling a wrist problem and it's shown as the Cardinals have been inconsistent on offense since breaking into the Top 10. They had dreams of playing in a BCS bowl game but with a win today they can still get there. However, they'll have to beat a Rutgers defense that is the best in the Big East.
How good? They've held 12 of their last 15 opponents to under 18 points. This year only Arkansas, Kent State and Pitt scored more than 15 points against the Scarlet Knights, who lost two of those contests. They rank fourth in the country at yielding just 13.7 points per game and have held four opponents to single digits. Yet, the loss last week was a bad one for this club. The 27 points Pitt scored were the most points given up by Rutgers on the road in a game this season and they weren't able to move the ball at all offensively, finishing with just over 200 yards of total offense.
We know that Rutgers is going to want to grind out offensive possessions, run the ball and take their time. It's a recipe that has worked for them all season and there's no reason to think they won't try and do it in this game. Louisville's defense is going to have to cause turnovers or play stout at the point of attack. Rutgers has some big play ability but they're not a team that like to take a lot of chances.
Rutgers QB Gary Nova will have to avoid the turnovers. Bridgewater and the Cardinals will have to establish a running threat. Don't expect a whole lot of offense to come through in this game. Rutgers ranks 90th or worse in major offense categories, but still sits here with a chance to play in a BCS bowl game. Louisville is much more explosive offensive, but their defense isn't nearly as good. It's solid though. That could prove to be a big difference in tonight's game.
The last two losses were certainly uncharacteristic by the Cardinals and we expect a bounce back in this one tonight. Rutgers is a good team at home, with their only loss coming to Kent State there this season. We're expecting a tough, gritty game and if you don't like watching defensive struggles, find a different channel.
Free Pick: Louisville 17, Rutgers 16
College Football Free Picks: Louisville at Rutgers Betting
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