Two ACC teams that suffered early losses, but have rebounded with a strong stretch since, will face off Saturday when Clemson hosts Louisville for the first time.
How to watch Clemson vs. Louisville: Game guide, TV schedule, streaming, odds
Can the Tigers continue to get their season back on track?
Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports
The Tigers opened the season with a second-half collapse against Georgia, and two games later fell in overtime to top-ranked Florida State, which was without the services of quarterback Jameis Winston for the game. Since then, Dabo Swinney's squad has had little trouble, dispatching of North Carolina, 50-35, before an impressive 41-0 victory over an NC State team that hung with the Seminoles earlier in the year. Perhaps most notably, Clemson's rushing offense saw vast improvement against the Wolfpack.
This is Louisville’s first big-time ACC game, and fans are looking forward to the opportunity. The Cardinals opened the season with a home victory against Miami, but saw their first loss in conference play come just two weeks later when they traveled to take on Virginia. Since then, they’ve been fairly dominant in wins over FIU, Wake Forest and Syracuse, but Clemson is likely the most difficult opponent they’ve faced yet.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Our sites on these teams
The numbers
Rankings and records: Neither team is ranked. Louisville is 5-1, with a 3-1 record in ACC play. Clemson is 3-2, with a 2-1 record in conference competition. The two teams have never met before.
Vegas: Clemson opened as a 6.5-point favorite. The line has since moved to 9.5. The over/under is 50 points.
Weather forecast: 86 degrees with p.m. thunderstorms.
Two things at stake
The winner of this game will become the favorite to finish second to Florida State in the Atlantic.
Louisville’s big game against the Seminoles is just a few weeks away -- if the Cardinals can win this one and defeat NC State, that could be a meaningful matchup.
One big matchup
DeShaun Watson vs. Louisville pass defense. The true freshman quarterback has been instrumental in Clemson's turnaround this season, throwing eight touchdowns against one interception since taking over the starting role (he threw four touchdowns while spelling Cole Stoudt as a reserve earlier this year). Watson has also rushed for three touchdowns, including two against North Carolina State last week, and is equally adept at scoring on the ground and through the air.
Louisville’s defense has done a phenomenal job containing opposing quarterbacks, giving up just 5.3 yards per attempt this season, and has 12 interceptions against five passing touchdowns. Over their last three games, the Cardinals have picked off seven passes while not allowing a single score through the air, holding FIU, Wake Forest and Syracuse to 4.5, 3.6 and 5.4 yards per attempts, respectively.
Further reading
For more on Louisville, head to Card Chronicle. For coverage of Clemson, check out Shakin’ the Southland.
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