What To Watch For: Stanford Cardinal

LOUISVILLE SHOULD LOOK TO ATTACK THE EDGES OF STANFORD'S DEFENSE

Stanford is rebuilding their program with a new head coach as well as Andrew Luck as the General Manager. It's going to take some time to get to where they want to be. That shows up on the field with their lack of high-level athletes. It's really noticeable on defense, where they don't have a lot of team speed.

Stanford is giving up more 10+ yard plays than any team in the country, and the Cards should be able to turn those plays into explosives if they can attack the edges of this defense. UofL has more speed than most teams in America, and the only team that Stanford has faced that has a similar profile is Miami. Miami torched Stanford for 549 yards.

STOPPING MICAH FORD IS A MUST FOR THE CARDS

Stanford is on a two-game winning streak, and Micah Ford has played at an insane level in those games. Ford averaged 220 total yards per game while averaging 9 yards per touch. For a big back, he has shown a great ability to make defenders miss in the open field as well as good speed once he gets to the third level of the defense. Ford has been a welcome addition to the passing game with over 100 yards total in those two games. He can do it all for this team.

For the fifth straight week, Louisville's defense will need to stop one single player from taking over the game. They have essentially failed each week, with NC State being the outlier due to an injury. Louisville needs to stuff the run this weekend and force Stanford into long third downs. Getting them off the field and not letting Ford be a key on long drives will allow the Cards to control this game.

LOUISVILLE'S OFFENSIVE LINE CAN REDEEM THEMSELVES

Stanford has six sacks this season, which is the least in the Power Four and third worst in the country among all teams. The small group of teams who are averaging fewer tackles for loss per game in the country includes three who have already fired their defensive coordinator this season.

The Florida State game seemed like a turning point for this offensive line, but Syracuse all but shut down the Louisville running game with 11 tackles for loss. The Orange only had 3 the following week in their biggest win of the season. This offensive line has been objectively bad this season. This game is a great opportunity to truly have a turning point.

I've been writing for this site for over a decade, and I've never struggled so much to find a positive thing to say about an opposing defense. The one good player on this defense will not be playing this weekend. Stanford's offense has been held to one touchdown or fewer in four separate games this season. This isn't meant to knock a rebuilding Stanford program, but there is no excuse for Louisville not to dominate this game coming off a bye week.

Stanford's kicker has a career-long 52-yard field goal. It came against Louisville two years ago to end the game.

Benji Blackburn was not only on the Stanford roster in the 2024 matchup, but he was also a high school teammate of TJ Capers and Daylen Russell.

Stanford's offensive coordinator, Terry Heffernan, was a GA on UofL's staff in 2024.