No. 22 Louisville (6-3, 4-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, ranked No. 19 in CFP) is set to face Stanford (2-7, 1-5) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST, with the game broadcasted on the ACC Network.

According to BetMGM, Louisville is favored by 20 and a half points for this matchup.

This will mark the first-ever meeting between these two programs.

What’s at stake in this game?

Louisville enters this contest following a bye week, already bowl-eligible and still holding out hopes to contend for the ACC title, despite recent defeats against Miami and SMU. The Cardinals have an opportunity to finish the regular season strong with potential victories over Stanford, Pitt, and rival Kentucky in the upcoming weeks. Meanwhile, Stanford is desperate to end a six-game losing streak.

Key matchup to watch:

The battle between Louisville’s offense and Stanford’s defense will be pivotal. The Cardinals boast a strong offensive line that has scored 30 points or more in six of their games this season, with three consecutive such games recently. Conversely, Stanford’s defense has struggled, allowing an average of 34.6 points per game, placing them 121st in the FBS rankings.

Players to keep an eye on:

For Louisville, running back Isaac Brown and wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks are two key players. They are on track to potentially join the ranks of the program’s elite by each reaching 1,000 yards in their respective positions. The last players to achieve this feat were Javian Hawkins and Tutu Atwell in 2019. Brown has accumulated 800 rushing yards with seven touchdowns, trailing only Lamar Jackson’s freshman record of 960 yards in 2015. Brooks is on the verge of making history, needing just 159 yards to become the first receiver since Tyler Hudson, who reached 1,000 yards two years ago.

For Stanford, quarterback Ashton Daniels demonstrated his mobility recently, amassing 129 rushing yards on 11 carries against NC State, tying the school’s record for rushing yards by a quarterback set in 1969. He even scored twice, including a remarkable 67-yard run, marking the longest rush for Stanford since 2022.

Facts and figures:

Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough has led the team to a 6-3 record as the starter, throwing for a career-high 2,504 yards and 20 touchdowns. His completion average of 13 yards ranks him 34th in the FBS. Linebacker Stanquan Clark has shone defensively, registering 43 tackles over the last six games, with a standout performance of 13 tackles at Clemson, leading the team with a total of 57 stops. Quincy Riley made a significant impact with seven tackles, including two for a loss, along with two pass breakups during the game at Clemson, earning ACC defensive back recognition last week.

For Stanford, the struggles have been evident as they remain winless at home against FBS opponents in two seasons under head coach Troy Taylor. They have now lost 12 consecutive home games against FBS teams and have been outscored by an average of 26 points per game during their ongoing losing streak. Additionally, the Cardinal have not won a game against a ranked opponent in their last 16 attempts.