Louisville Football: 3 bold predictions for Week 3 battle vs. Clemson

1. Kelly Bryant will be shut down by the Louisville defense

In his first two college starts, Kelly Bryant has been a decent enough quarterback for Clemson. He hasn’t made anyone forget about Deshaun Watson. Then again, Deshaun Watson didn’t immediately make people forget about Tajh Boyd, either.

Bryant has completed 35 of his 51 attempts for 417 yards, throwing one interception against one touchdown. While he sports a solid completion rate at 68.6 percent, and averages over eight yards per attempt, Bryant has not thrown for even 250 yards in either of his first two starts. Aside from the pick against Kent State, the junior has done enough to lead the Tigers to victories over Kent State and Auburn.

Clemson’s new quarterback has been a solid dual-threat option, helping mitigate his pedestrian passing numbers. Bryant has carried the ball 26 times for 131 yards and three touchdowns. He has also been sacked four times, which dampens an average that is still over five yards per carry.

Louisville hasn’t been the strongest team against the pass, but they do bring solid pressure on quarterbacks. Bryant isn’t experienced enough to beat the Cardinals with his arm, and the front seven will help contain the Clemson quarterback when he tries to run the ball. He will be held under 200 passing yards and toss at least one costly interception on the road.