Louisville Cardinals Football week two preview: Indiana State

--By Jared Anderson
--Photo by Seth Spalding

The Louisville football team kicks off their home schedule at Cardinal Stadium this Saturday against Indiana State at 7:00 p.m.
 
Following a blowout loss on national television against Alabama in Orlando, Louisville hopes to turn things around against the Sycamores.  The Cardinals and Sycamores have played 10 times, with Louisville owning the series 6-3-1.  They last played each other in 2009 when Louisville won 30-10.
 
Indiana State has had poor success with the football program in recent years.  Before opening the 2018 season with a 49-0 rout against Quincy, the Sycamores lost 14 straight games dating back to 2016.  The victory was also the first for Curtis Mallory, who took over as head coach in January of 2017.
 
Offensively, Indiana State powered their way with 423 yards.  A total of 339 yards as well as all six offensive touchdowns came on the ground for the Sycamores. 

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Sophomore Titus McCoy finished with 81 yards.  Senior Ja’Quan Keys finished with 80 yards and two touchdowns.  Freshman Christian Cunningham racked up 64 yards and two scores in his first collegiate game.  The team as a whole averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
 
Redshirt junior Jalil Kilpatrick was quiet in the passing game.  He went 8-for-13 with 84 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions.  His main damage was done on the ground with 69 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
 
Quincy was limited to 81 rushing yards and 78 passing yards by the Indiana State defense.  The Sycamores gave up 10 first downs, two by penalty.  Quincy was forced to punt eight times on the day with one being returned 71 yards to the house by freshman Dakota Canton late in the fourth quarter.
 
Indiana State will not be much of a test for Louisville.  The Cardinals should quickly and easily overpower the Missouri Valley Conference-based Sycamores.  This game will be a chance for Jawon Pass to truly showcase his talents.  For Louisville, this will be an opportunity for the running game to establish itself after being almost non-existent against the Crimson Tide last week.
 
Expect Louisville to have a comfortable lead by halftime and continue to run away with it in the second.  Louisville should win about 63-10.
 
The game between Louisville and Indiana State is set to be aired on ACC Network Extra.  It will kick off the 100th Celebration Season for Louisville Football with Johnny Unitas being featured on the cover of the first game’s ticket.
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