PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Malik Cunningham is just a redshirt freshmen, but he has stepped in and helped Louisville win the past two games. Cunningham can clearly run, but coach Bobby Petrino and the Cardinal coaching staff want to see him pass effectively as well vs. Virginia. He’s no Lamar Jackson, but he’s still electric with the ball in his hands, having rushed for 183 yards and a touchdown, averaging 91.5 yards per game.
–DB Rodjay Burns is a starting corner, but he is most effective as Louisville’s punt returner. So far this season the Ohio State transfer has returned four punts for an average of 30.5 yards per return including a touchdown on a return against Indiana State. Burns also has three kick returns for 35 total yards and has 12 tackles on defense.
–WR Jaylen Smith is Louisville’s top offensive threat, but he had a killer drop against WKU Saturday. After recovering from an emergency appendectomy on the same day Louisville reported for Fall Camp, Smith caught a touchdown pass against Indiana State and had a wide open 70-yard bomb fly through his hands vs. WKU. Smith is a big, physical threat at 6-foot-4, 225-pounds. He was named preseason All-ACC, but has only six catches for 98 total yards through three games.
–RB Dae Williams has not started a game yet, but he’s been Louisville’s most-effective running back. He has 19 carries for 65 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season. His nine carries for 58 yards Saturday likely saved the team from a disastrous loss to an 0-3 WKU squad.
SERIES HISTORY: Louisville leads the overall series 4-2 with the Cardinals holding a 3-0 edge in games played in Louisville, but UVA leading 2-1 at home. The first meeting was Oct. 15, 1988 and the teams have played annually since Louisville joined the ACC in 2014.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We’ve got to play better football. That’s the bottom line is we’ve got to play better football. We’ve got to take it from the practice field on to the game field with the right timing and the right precision in the passing game and put it all together — put it all together with the protection and the quarterback’s vision and timing and the receivers catching the ball and running after the catch. Three early games in my career, I don’t know if we’ve had less explosive plays ever. Particularly, with the receivers and the passing game, I expected to have more big plays than we’re getting right now, and that’s something that has to change.” — Louisville coach Bobby Petrino.
