Loser probably cashes out of race
When ESPN televises tonight's football game between the University of Louisville and Connecticut in East Hartford, one of its time-slot competitors will be the NBC show "Deal or No Deal."
That's an apt description for what will be decided between the Cardinals and Huskies, minus the leggy supermodels and suitcases full of cash. Questions surround the legitimacy of each team. One will go home with the possibility of still hitting the jackpot, while the other could be bankrupt.
U of L (4-3, 1-1 Big East Conference) is coming off its best performance this season, upsetting then-No. 15 Cincinnati 28-24 on the road. Was that a one-night wonder or a signal that things are back on track?
"That might be saying a little too much," junior center Eric Wood said of the latter option. "We did play a good game, but this team is capable of winning more than one game."
The Cards have yet to post back-to-back victories over major-college opponents this season. They still control their own destiny in the Big East race, but a loss tonight would derail those hopes.
"It's huge, because we've got to get this ball rolling in the right direction," Wood said. "We're not dwelling on our previous win or thinking we're good enough. We won't be until the end of the season."
Connecticut is 5-1 and 1-0, but few outside of the greater Hartford area believe in the Huskies. They were the only undefeated BCS conference team that wasn't ranked last week after beating up on Maine, Duke, Temple, Akron and Pittsburgh.
The Top 25 faded out of reach when they lost 17-16 at Virginia on Saturday, muffing two snaps to kill a potential game-winning drive. Even though U of L doesn't carry the same cachet it did at the beginning of the season, the Huskies see tonight's game as another chance to make their bones on national TV.
"Louisville is a big-name program, and getting a win against them would give us a lot more respect and show people we are a good football team," receiver Larry Taylor told the Connecticut Post earlier this week. "It's a big deal."
UConn's defense is allowing just 12 points a game, third-best in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and has not given up more than 17 points in any contest. But it has yet to face an offense that ranks in the top 75 nationally. U of L has the country's third-rated offense.
Wood said the Huskies remind him a lot of Cincinnati on defense. They're undersized up front but get a good pass rush with their quickness, and the scheme is designed to prevent big plays and wait for turnovers. A lot of opponents have played the Cards that way this season, and they attacked that style with precision last week.
"I believe we've become more patient as far as what teams are doing against us," receiver Patrick Carter said. "I feel like if we keep doing that, we won't be stopped."
Connecticut's offense, though not wildly productive, presents an unusual challenge in the backfield. U of L fans used to watching a big, surprisingly mobile left-hander named Lorenzen at quarterback could experience a flashback tonight.
Tyler Lorenzen -- no relation to former University of Kentucky signal-caller Jared Lorenzen -- is in his first year under center for the Huskies after transferring from a junior college. The 6-foot-5 225-pounder has completed 62 percent of his passes and is a threat to run as well.
"He's a guy who, when you look at him, you say he's a prototypical dropback passer," U of L coach Steve Kragthorpe said. "Then when you watch the film, you see, wow, this guy's athletic. It's amazing how he makes plays with his feet and how they use him. You rarely see a guy (his size) running zone-read plays, but they run the heck out of those plays."
Stopping Lorenzen will be the top priority for the U of L defense. How that goes could determine which team is the real deal and which is not.
U of L wide receiver Mario Urrutia is listed as "probable" on the team's official injury report for tonight's game. He didn't play the past two weeks because of an undisclosed injury.
The Cardinals could be without a starting offensive lineman, as guard Mike Donoghue is listed as "questionable."
The others: RB Brock Bolen, WR Harry Douglas, CB Johnny Patrick and DE Maurice Mitchell are probable; DE Rodney Gnat and DT Adrian Grady are questionable.
===========
Keys to the game: Can Louisville put together back-to-back solid efforts? Hasn't happened yet this season, but if the Cardinals can build off the Cincinnati game, they should be able to win on the road again tonight. Connecticut is a sound team fundamentally that rarely beats itself, especially at home, so UofL will have to remain sharp for a second straight week.
Watch for: No player has passed for more than 230 yards against the Huskies, but Brian Brohm & Co. are at a different level from what UConn's secondary is used to. UofL coach Steve Kragthorpe said this week that he's now using the pass to set up the run, so look for Brohm to test UConn's defense through the air early and often.
Key stats: UofL has allowed 41.3 points a game at home against major-college competition but only 24.7 on the road. UConn has scored on its opening drive in four of its six games.
When ESPN televises tonight's football game between the University of Louisville and Connecticut in East Hartford, one of its time-slot competitors will be the NBC show "Deal or No Deal."
That's an apt description for what will be decided between the Cardinals and Huskies, minus the leggy supermodels and suitcases full of cash. Questions surround the legitimacy of each team. One will go home with the possibility of still hitting the jackpot, while the other could be bankrupt.
U of L (4-3, 1-1 Big East Conference) is coming off its best performance this season, upsetting then-No. 15 Cincinnati 28-24 on the road. Was that a one-night wonder or a signal that things are back on track?
"That might be saying a little too much," junior center Eric Wood said of the latter option. "We did play a good game, but this team is capable of winning more than one game."
The Cards have yet to post back-to-back victories over major-college opponents this season. They still control their own destiny in the Big East race, but a loss tonight would derail those hopes.
"It's huge, because we've got to get this ball rolling in the right direction," Wood said. "We're not dwelling on our previous win or thinking we're good enough. We won't be until the end of the season."
Connecticut is 5-1 and 1-0, but few outside of the greater Hartford area believe in the Huskies. They were the only undefeated BCS conference team that wasn't ranked last week after beating up on Maine, Duke, Temple, Akron and Pittsburgh.
The Top 25 faded out of reach when they lost 17-16 at Virginia on Saturday, muffing two snaps to kill a potential game-winning drive. Even though U of L doesn't carry the same cachet it did at the beginning of the season, the Huskies see tonight's game as another chance to make their bones on national TV.
"Louisville is a big-name program, and getting a win against them would give us a lot more respect and show people we are a good football team," receiver Larry Taylor told the Connecticut Post earlier this week. "It's a big deal."
UConn's defense is allowing just 12 points a game, third-best in the Football Bowl Subdivision, and has not given up more than 17 points in any contest. But it has yet to face an offense that ranks in the top 75 nationally. U of L has the country's third-rated offense.
Wood said the Huskies remind him a lot of Cincinnati on defense. They're undersized up front but get a good pass rush with their quickness, and the scheme is designed to prevent big plays and wait for turnovers. A lot of opponents have played the Cards that way this season, and they attacked that style with precision last week.
"I believe we've become more patient as far as what teams are doing against us," receiver Patrick Carter said. "I feel like if we keep doing that, we won't be stopped."
Connecticut's offense, though not wildly productive, presents an unusual challenge in the backfield. U of L fans used to watching a big, surprisingly mobile left-hander named Lorenzen at quarterback could experience a flashback tonight.
Tyler Lorenzen -- no relation to former University of Kentucky signal-caller Jared Lorenzen -- is in his first year under center for the Huskies after transferring from a junior college. The 6-foot-5 225-pounder has completed 62 percent of his passes and is a threat to run as well.
"He's a guy who, when you look at him, you say he's a prototypical dropback passer," U of L coach Steve Kragthorpe said. "Then when you watch the film, you see, wow, this guy's athletic. It's amazing how he makes plays with his feet and how they use him. You rarely see a guy (his size) running zone-read plays, but they run the heck out of those plays."
Stopping Lorenzen will be the top priority for the U of L defense. How that goes could determine which team is the real deal and which is not.
U of L wide receiver Mario Urrutia is listed as "probable" on the team's official injury report for tonight's game. He didn't play the past two weeks because of an undisclosed injury.
The Cardinals could be without a starting offensive lineman, as guard Mike Donoghue is listed as "questionable."
The others: RB Brock Bolen, WR Harry Douglas, CB Johnny Patrick and DE Maurice Mitchell are probable; DE Rodney Gnat and DT Adrian Grady are questionable.
===========
Keys to the game: Can Louisville put together back-to-back solid efforts? Hasn't happened yet this season, but if the Cardinals can build off the Cincinnati game, they should be able to win on the road again tonight. Connecticut is a sound team fundamentally that rarely beats itself, especially at home, so UofL will have to remain sharp for a second straight week.
Watch for: No player has passed for more than 230 yards against the Huskies, but Brian Brohm & Co. are at a different level from what UConn's secondary is used to. UofL coach Steve Kragthorpe said this week that he's now using the pass to set up the run, so look for Brohm to test UConn's defense through the air early and often.
Key stats: UofL has allowed 41.3 points a game at home against major-college competition but only 24.7 on the road. UConn has scored on its opening drive in four of its six games.
