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NC State football must get back on track vs. hapless Louisville

By Zach Bigalke

RALEIGH, NC - OCTOBER 05: Ryan Finley #15 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack rolls out under pressure from Khane Pass #30 of the Louisville Cardinals during the game at Carter Finley Stadium on October 5, 2017 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina State won 39-25. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - OCTOBER 05: Ryan Finley #15 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack rolls out under pressure from Khane Pass #30 of the Louisville Cardinals during the game at Carter Finley Stadium on October 5, 2017 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina State won 39-25. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Louisville’s fortunes have cratered, and Bobby Petrino is no longer the head coach. Can a leadership change turn things around against NC State this week?

It has been a rough year in Louisville. Losing Heisman-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson to the NFL proved far more damaging for the offense than might have been expected. Along with Jackson, the program returned an even less experienced defense. And that is before the fact that the school’s most visible benefactor had his name stripped from the football stadium.

With Louisville sitting winless in ACC play with one conference game remaining, and the Cardinals just 2-8 on the year, the school ditched Bobby Petrino in his second stint with the program with two games remaining. Now the Cardinals turn to interim head coach Lorenzo Ward to play out the rest of the slate.

Ward’s two games begin with a home contest against NC State, a team that has lost three of its past four games after starting 5-0 in 2018. The Wolfpack’s strengths on offense are their weaknesses on defense, and vice versa.

Led by quarterback Ryan Finley, NC State is among the top 10 passing attacks in the country while giving up more passing yards defensively than all but one other team. The rushing attack is pretty much nonexistent, but the Wolfpack are exceptional at preventing teams from gaining much purchase on the ground themselves.

Will Louisville be just what the doctor ordered to help the Wolfpack end their midseason downturn, or can the Cardinals end the year on a high note under an interim coach? Here’s how you can watch the ACC contest on Saturday between NC State and Louisville:

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Date: Saturday, Nov. 17
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: Cardinal Stadium
TV: ACC Network
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

To win on the road this Saturday, NC State needs to generate turnovers and keep the Cardinals off the field. Given the Wolfpack rank in the top 15 nationally in time of possession, that is a manageable goal. Dave Doeren’s crew will also need to be more effective at getting third-down stops against Louisville.

For the hosts, Louisville needs to move on quickly from the Petrino era. The Cardinals took way too many penalties over the first 10 games of the season, showing a lack of discipline that goes a long way toward explaining the 2-8 record. Cutting back on those self-made wounds will help give Louisville a chance at pulling off an upset.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com

Point Spread: NC State -16.5
Over/Under: 63.5

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Prediction

In the end, a 16.5-point spread might be too generous to Louisville. Over the seven-game losing streak that ousted Petrino, only Florida State failed to win by at least 18 points. NC State is going to reel off an early lead, as they go into the locker room up by at least three scores. The Wolfpack will extend that lead after halftime, almost singlehandedly covering both the spread and the total points line.

Final Score: NC State 51, Louisville 17

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