What to know before Stanford Cardinal kick off against No. 22 Louisville
No. 22 Louisville at Stanford
Records: Stanford (2-7, 1-5 ACC); Louisville (6-3, 4-2 ACC)
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Stanford Stadium.
TV: ACC Network
Radio: 1050 AM
Series history: This is the fourth time this season that Stanford will be playing an opponent for the first time (Cal Poly, Syracuse, N.C. State). Louisville’s only previous regular-season game in California was at San Jose State in 1990.
Stanford storylines: After six straight losses – five by at least 24 points – the Cardinal hope to finish strong after the bye week in its final home game, or at least regain some momentum with the Big Game on deck. … Junior Ashton Daniels tied the school record for rushing yards by a QB with 129 yards on 11 carries in the team’s previous game, a 59-28 loss at North Carolina State. … David Bailey, who ranks as the top-rated edge rusher in the NCAA by Pro Football Focus with an overall pass-rush grade of 93.0, is eligible to play after being ejected from Stanford’s last game for stomping on an opponent.
Louisville storylines: The Cardinals might be better than their record indicates — all of their losses have come by seven points against Top 15 teams (SMU, Notre Dame, Miami). In their last game, the Cardinals snapped Clemson’s 11-year, 22-game winning streak in home night games. They have won four straight ACC road games behind a high-powered offense that is second in the country with 18 plays of 30 or more yards. Louisville seventh-year QB Tyler Shough beat Stanford in the 2020 season opener when he was at Oregon.
Stats that matter: Stanford has last 12 straight home games against FBS opponents. … Louisville running back Isaac Brown is second nationally in rushing yards by a freshman (800). The only freshman in Louisville history with more is Lamar Jackson (960). … Stanford has 18 turnovers, tied for ninth-worst in the country… The Cardinals are eighth in the country in yards per play (6.9). … Shough has thrown 70 straight passes without being sacked.
— HAROLD GUTMANN