When: Saturday, September 28, 3:30 PM
Where: Notre Dame Stadium
Spread: Notre Dame (-6.5)
This weekend, college football fans can look forward to some thrilling matchups as the 15th-ranked Louisville Cardinals (3-0) visit the 16th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-1). Louisville faces a tough test against a Notre Dame team looking for revenge after they lost this matchup last season. For the Irish, one more loss should put them out of the playoff conversation for good.
Who wins when the Cardinals and Fighting Irish collide in Week 5? Find out our prediction here.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame is off to a rocky start this season, highlighted by a disastrous loss to NIU at home. Their biggest weakness is their passing game, which ranks 108th in passing yards per game. Former Duke transfer QB Riley Leonard hasn’t lived up to expectations, with just one passing touchdown on the season to go with two interceptions. The Irish have been getting it done on the ground behind their sophomore RB Jeremiyah Love and with the legs of Riley Leonard.
Defensively, Notre Dame has looked great, holding opponents to an average of 9.8 points per game. However, they allowed 110 rushing yards to the 134th-ranked rushing offense in the country last weekend.
Louisville
Louisville has been off to a much hotter start, most recently taking down a solid Georgia Tech team 31-19. The Cardinals rank 14th in total offense, averaging 47.3 points through three games. 6th-year senior QB Tyler Shough has picked defenses apart with mistake-free football, throwing for eight touchdowns and no interceptions thus far. Keep an eye on former Alabama wide receiver Jacorey Brooks, who has been dominant through three games.
The Cardinals are also looking great defensively, holding a solid Georgia Tech rushing attack under 100 yards last week. They are better at stopping the run which could work in their favor against the Irish.
Prediction
Last season, Louisville was ranked No. 25 and Notre Dame was No. 10 when the Irish visited L&N Stadium and the Cardinals came away with a 33-20 victory.
Notre Dame comes into this matchup 2-2 against the spread, failing to cover -27.5 last week against Miami-Ohio and suffering an embarrassing home loss to Northern Illinois as -28 favorites. Lousiville enters this marquee showdown 3-0 against the spread, with two of their three games in 2024 going over the total.
I’m not sure why the Irish come in as 6.5-point favorites at home. I think Louisville will not only cover here, but pull of an upset on the road. They match up very well to the Irish and have experience playing Riley Leonard in the ACC.
Prediction: 24-20, Louisville