Rutgers vs. Louisville Big East Showdown 2

Written by John Hoben

Wednesday, 08 November 2006

Rutgers vs. Louisville Big East Showdown 2 The No.3 ranked Louisville Cardinals (8-0, 3-0 Big East) enter into another, must-win, Thursday night ESPN televised game against an undefeated Big East opponent. After defeating the No.3 ranked University of West Virginia Mountaineers 44-34 last Thursday (Nov 2) the Cardinals must go on the road to Piscataway, NJ to battle the 15th ranked and undefeated Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-0, 3-0 Big East) for supremacy in the Big East. The rewards of winning are simple for both schools. Louisville must win to have any hopes of winning a national title while Rutgers needs the win to continue its dream season, win a Big East Conference championship and to keep alive its slim hopes for a berth in the BCS title game.

Rutgers has played some of its best football at home over the last two seasons. The Scarlet Knights are 8-2 at home since 2005, including a 33-0 shutout of Illinois on Sept. 9. Rutgers finished 4-2 at home in 2005, tying for the most wins (4-1 in 1994) in the “new” Rutgers Stadium. Rutgers is a perfect 4-0 at home in 2006, equaling the school record for single-season victories at Rutgers Stadium.

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Louisville brings the nation’s second-rated offense led by junior quarterback Brian Brohm into Piscataway to face the NCAA’s No. 2 defense in Rutgers. The Cardinals are averaging 39.4 points and 492.6 yards per game.

Head coach Greg Schiano doubling as defensive coordinator has had Rutgers playing stingy on the defensive side of the ball the entire season, allowing just 223.4 yards and 8.6 points per game. South Florida scored 20 points vs. Rutgers on Sept. 29, the most of any opponent in 2006.

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The Scarlet Knights are not getting much respect from odds makers, offshore or Las Vegas, as Louisville was installed a six-point road favorite. To add more insult to Rutgers, the public agrees with the chalk as 96% of the early betting action is on the Cardinals.

Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino will have his hands full this week keeping his team focused after the huge emotional game with the Mountaineers last week. Especially with taking his team on the road to face another undefeated team in Rutgers. Petrino’s Cardinals will find a team more balanced than what they saw with West Virginia a week ago.