• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Louisville tries to bounce back vs. Syracuse

Sep 22, 2007 - 12:36 PM Syracuse (0-3) at No. 18 Louisville (2-1) 12:00 pm EDT

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Ticker) -- Steve Kragthorpe has the perfect opponent after absorbing his first defeat at Louisville.

Kragthorpe's 18th-ranked Cardinals host hapless Syracuse on Saturday in the Big East Conference opener for both squads.

Last week, then-No. 9 Louisville came up short at intrastate foe Kentucky, 40-34, when Wildcats quarterback Andre' Woodson found Steve Johnson for a 57-yard touchdown with 28 seconds left.

Star quarterback Brian Brohm threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns with one interception for the Cardinals, who lead the nation in total offense at 617 yards per game and third in scoring at 55 points per contest.

While the Cardinals could not slow down Woodson and the Wildcats, they should have no problem against winless Syracuse, which ranks 116th out of the 119 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total offense (198.67).

The Orange, who also rank 101st in total defense (453.33), are coming off a 41-20 home loss to Illinois. Andrew Robinson threw for 208 yards for Syracuse, which has shown little progress in three years under coach Greg Robinson.

The all-time series is tied, 3-3, but the Cardinals have won the past three meetings. Last year, Louisville beat Syracuse in the Carrier Dome, 28-13.