The Louisville Cardinals (1-1, 0-1 ACC) host the Florida State Seminoles (2-0, 0-0 ACC) in a Friday night conference showdown. Louisville knocked off the Seminoles, 31-23, last season in Tallahassee.
The kickoff of Friday’s contest is at 7:30 p.m. EST at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. Florida State is a 2.5-point road favorite, and the over/under total is 57.0 points.
What to Know – Florida State Seminoles
Florida State is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2016 with victories over Duquesne and LSU. The Seminoles opened up the 2022 season in Week 0 and were able to take advantage of an early off-week last weekend.
Through two games, starting quarterback Jordan Travis has completed 31-of-48 passes for 467 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Travis has also added one score on the ground and has been sacked just once.
Four running backs are averaging over six-yards per carry through two contests, led by Trey Benson, who’s carried the rock 17 times for 120 yards (7.1 ypc) and a touchdown. Starting rusher Treshaun Webb has 30 carries for 176 yards and two scores. FSU has seven rushing touchdowns by six different running backs.
The passing attack has taken a backseat early in the season as the Seminoles have showcased a powerful run game. Ontaria Wilson was the star in the LSU win, hauling in seven receptions for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Johnny Wilson and Oregon-transfer Mycah Pittman are two additional targets for Travis to lean on when FSU does need to turn to its passing attack.
What to Know – Louisville Cardinals
Louisville opened up the season in conference play with a tough 31-7 loss on the road to Syracuse. The Cardinals bounced back last Friday night with a 20-14 victory in Florida to UCF. Louisville went 4-3 in 2021 in contests on its home field.
The offense revolves around the play of dual-threat quarterback Malik Cunningham. The talented senior is 30-for-51 for 353 yards and two interceptions this season but can also make plays happen with his legs, sitting second on the team with 155 rushing yards.
Tennessee transfer Tiyon Evans is the hot hand at running back, leading the Cardinals with 164 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Backups Jalen Mitchell and Jawhar Jordan provide change-of-pace options to spell Evans when needed.
Tyler Hudson is Cunningham’s primary target in the passing game, catching 11 passes for 169 yards. Tight end Mashon Ford is a 6’2, 240-pound security blanket for his quarterback, ranking second on the team with five catches. Ahmari Huggins-Bruce, Dee Wiggins, and Braden Smith have all caught multiple targets through the first two contests.
The Pick is In
These two ACC rivals have had some quality matchups in recent years. Louisville gets the Seminoles at home, but FSU will be well-rested after a week off. It is hard to tell if the Seminoles really are an improved team, but we like this number and expect FSU to pull away in a close one.
The Pick: Florida State Seminoles -2.5
