Louisville vs UCF Prediction, Game Preview

Louisville vs UCF game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 2 game on Friday, September 9

Louisville vs UCF prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 2, Friday, September 9


Louisville vs UCF How To Watch

Date: Friday, September 9
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Bounce House, Orlando, FL
How To Watch: ESPN2
Record: Louisville (0-1), UCF (1-0)
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Louisville vs UCF Game Preview

Why Louisville Will Win

There’s desperation, and there’s a Louisville team that needs a win over a good team in a big, big hurry after the clunker of a 31-7 loss to Syracuse to start the season.

The offense kept turning it over, the defense wasn’t close, and it was a brutal debut considering all the tough ACC games ahead.

The Cardinals are far better than they appeared.

There’s still QB Malik Cunningham, there’s still all the firepower to keep up any sort of pace, and there’s still the Week 1 factor. The overreaction has kicked in hard after the loss.

This looked and played like a team that could’ve used a warm-up act against a creampuff. There’s a good chance we’re about to see the real Louisville – and a well-motivated one – on Friday night. However …

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Why UCF Will Win

The Bounce House on a Friday night isn’t the place to be if you’re looking to ease your way past a bad performance on a short week.

It might not seem like much to beat South Carolina State 56-10, but that’s the program that dropkicked Deion’s Jackson State team in the Celebration Bowl last season. It’s well coached, it has solid players, and it didn’t do a thing against the Knights with just 91 yards of total offense.

Louisville will be a far tougher challenge, but the UCF defensive front should remain hot, the combination of QB John Rhys Plumlee and RB Isaiah Bowser should be able to do exactly what the Syracuse backfield came up with, and …

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What’s Going To Happen

This should be fun.

Cunningham wasn’t awful against Syracuse, but he couldn’t get the offense going. He’ll be back to his dynamic self this week, but it won’t matter.

This is a statement game for UCF as much as it is a big moment for the ACC team. Win this, and all the Good Vibes Only from the end of last year and the bowl victory over Florida continue.

The Knights will run as much and as well as they want to.

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Louisville vs UCF Prediction, Line

UCF 34, Louisville 27
Line: UCF -6.5, o/u: 61.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Louisville vs UCF Must See Rating (out of 5): 3

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UCF vs Louisville Prediction, Game Preview

UCF vs Louisville prediction and game preview. Friday, September 17

UCF vs Louisville prediction and game preview.


UCF vs Louisville Broadcast

Date: Friday, September 17
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY
Network: ESPN
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UCF (2-0) vs Louisville (1-1) Game Preview


Why UCF Will Win

The Louisville offense isn’t moving the chains.

There were hardly any issues in the 30-3 win over Eastern Kentucky after losing to Ole Miss, but the third down conversions aren’t there. Combine the problems keeping drives going with the inability of the defensive front to get into the backfield, and there’s going to be a problem against a team with UCF’s firepower.

The Knights have been brilliant so far on third downs – converting 57% of the time in their first two games – with the passing offense clicking.

The O is currently second in the nation in total yards per game, the run defense hasn’t allowed much, and the Louisville running game hasn’t taken over so far.

However …

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Why Louisville Will Win

For all of Louisville’s issues, it’s been great at controlling the clock. It helps to have a game against an Ole Miss O that goes 95 miles per hour, but the Cardinals are holding on to the ball for close to 34 minutes per game.

UCF has been great at ball control, too, but it needs to be able to handle an offense that’s going to be balanced and it’s going to do what it can to get QB Malik Cunningham and RB Jalen Mitchell on the move.

The UCF secondary will give up a whole lot of yards, and while Cunningham is at his most dangerous when he’s running, he’ll stretch the field with the midrange passing attack.

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What’s Going To Happen

It’ll be a fun offensive show with the UCF O balanced enough to keep the Cardinals on their heels all game long. There will be plenty of mood and momentum swings, and Louisville will take over for a stretch, but Dillon Gabriel and the Knight passing game will take over in the second half.

This is when the college football world starts to really take UCF more seriously under Gus Malzahn.

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UCF vs Louisville Prediction, Line

UCF 37, Louisville 31
Line: UCF -7, o/u: 68
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5

Must See Rating: 3

5: Steve is proud of you
1: Ordinary Joe

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