Louisville replaced Maryland as one of Virginia’s ACC-assigned rivals in football and basketball last season. The early duels proved to be entertaining. The basketball teams split their regular season meetings with UVa winning a five-point slugfest in Charlottesville and the Cardinals prevailing 59-57 on a late jumper in their gym. On the football field, the Cavaliers won the first meeting in similarly thrilling fashion. A late Louisville turnover set up the winning score in UVa’s 23-21 triumph. If that kind of drama follows suit in 2015, Virginia fans hope it results in another victory. It won’t be easy. Louisville’s senior class enters the season with a 32-7 record.

Louisville Peek

• Head Coach (record at school): Bobby Petrino (50-13)
• 2014 Record: 9-4
• Offense 2014 Total Yards/Game (National ranking): 394.7 (72nd)
• Offense 2014 Points/Game: 31.2 (53rd)
• Defense 2014 Total Yards/Game: 308.5 (6th)
• Defense 2014 Points/Game: 21.8 (24th – tie)

What To Expect On Game Day

Offense: Simply put, Bobby Petrino’s Louisville teams use a balanced approach to score a lot of points. Petrino’s teams have scored 30 points or more in 45 of 63 games in his two turns at the helm. The Cardinals are 42-3 in those 45 games of 30-plus points. Generally, Petrino’s teams establish the run and then build off of that to work the passing game. Louisville is 30-2 when his teams rush for more than 200 yards in a game.

Petrino will need to tutor a young group to reach those numbers this season. The Cardinals have just one senior starter on offense in tackle Aaron Epps. Epps will need to anchor a reshaped line that is replacing three starters from a year ago. There are freshmen in the mix for playing time or starting roles up front. True freshmen Geron Christian and Kenny Thomas as well as redshirt freshman Lukayus McNeil could play.

Who the quarterback behind that line will be isn’t clear. Louisville started three different quarterbacks in junior Will Gardner and sophomores Reggie Bonnafon and Kyle Bolin in 2014. Gardner and Bonnafon are the front-runners to be the starter; both may play. Gardner, who has had three knee surgeries, threw for 1,669 yards and 12 touchdowns in seven games as a starter last season. He completed at least two touchdown passes in five games. Bonnafon played as a true freshman last season when he rushed for five rushing touchdowns, which tied for third in school history for the most rushing scores by a quarterback.

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