CINCINNATI (3 - 5) at LOUISVILLE (5 - 3) - 11/7/2002, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 5-1 ATS (+3.9 Units) in November games over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 5-1 ATS (+3.9 Units) in weeks 10 through 13 over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOUISVILLE is 2-0 against the spread versus CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
LOUISVILLE is 2-0 straight up against CINCINNATI over the last 3 seasons
Report from Covers.com
In the Louisville Cardinals' program, underneath a large photo of quarterback David Ragone, a caption reads: "If I wanted to slide, I would have played baseball."
The tough 6'4 QB isn't shy about taking on defenders one-on-one and has carried the Cards on his back to a 5-3 straight up (SU) record (3-1 in conference play). Ragone was named Conference USA's Player of the Week last week after tossing five touchdown passes in a 44-20 crushing of East Carolina.
The combined 64 points flew 'over' the 56-point 'total' and it was the third straight game the 'over' prevailed for the Cardinals. Louisville outscored its opponents by an average score of 37.7 to 32.3 during that span.
This week's tilt with Cincinnati is known as the 'Battle for the Keg of Nails', and the winning team is awarded a symbolic trophy, supposedly awarded to the toughest team. Louisville has lugged the trophy and the loot home in the past four meetings, all of which the school won by double-digits. Two of those affairs were played at Pappa John's Stadium in Louisville, which the Cards took by a combined 65 points.
Cincinnati is coming off a monstrous 48-10 win over Memphis as a seven-point favorite and the club has now covered the spread in its last two outings. Thursday's matchup marks Cincy's third road contest in its last four games. The Bearcats are 1-2 SU on the road this season, but 2-1 ATS.
The Bearcats' numbers have been impressive on the road with over 400 yards per game on offense and less than 265 yards against on defense. However, their being outscored 22-26 on average when wearing their away jerseys.
The key for Cincinnati will be getting to Ragone, who has been sacked a conference high 28 times this season. Ragone is playing behind some unfamiliar faces, as four of his five starting offensive lineman from last year have moved on. Four different players have started at right guard in their eight games so far.
This season, the Bearcats took the money in their only game in which they were dogs of 7 to13 1/2 points and the Cardinals are 0-2 ATS in that same spot.
