CARDINALS

Week 13 Look Ahead: Notre Dame next for U of L

Jeff Greer
Louisville Courier Journal
Clemson’s Garry Peters forced this fumble by Reggie Bonnafon that turned into a Tigers touchdown.

The bye week's over and it's back to work for Louisville football. Conference play is over for the Cards, so the final two games are all about rivalries and respect.

The road trip to Notre Dame, one of the most anticipated games this season, is up first. Believe it or not, it's the first meeting between the programs, which have both been around for more than a century. Game's at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday on NBC. Set your DVRs now.

Anyway, here are three things to follow this week as the Cards prep for the Irish.

Health. This late in the season, it's no surprise that several players have been banged up over the course of the season. Starting quarterback Will Gardner (left ACL) is done for the season. Star linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin (hamstring) did not play at BC on Nov. 8, though Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said he was "hopeful" that Mauldin would be available for Notre Dame. Several other guys have been nicked up and kept playing, including cornerback Terell Floyd and linebackers Keith Kelsey and James Burgess. A full-strength Louisville is no longer possible without Gardner, but the Cards can get close to it. I thought they'd beat Notre Dame with a healthy Gardner. I'm on the fence without him.

Bonnafon's return. I don't know that I'd say Reggie Bonnafon's job at BC was easier because he'd started and played so much earlier in the season, but his confidence was definitely higher. Petrino said Louisville gives Bonnafon more reps in practice than most backup quarterbacks, which allowed Bonnafon to step right in once Gardner tweaked his knee. The freshman QB did well in Gardner's place, but this is a different challenge this week. Notre Dame's defense isn't necessarily porous, but it's not close to the best one that Louisville's seen this season. Bonnafon should have some room to run, but the key is limiting turnovers. Notre Dame is one of the best teams in the nation at creating them.

Studying Golson. Notre Dame is one of the top 30 offenses in the nation in scoring and 15th in passing. Quarterback Everett Golson ranks 10th in passing yards per game and ranks in the top 25 in yards per attempt. But he does have a few weaknesses. He's had a problem with interceptions this season, throwing 12, and his completion rate (60 percent) drops him out of the highest echelon of QBs. His health -- Golson suffered a joint sprain vs. Northwestern -- is a question, too. But it's not Golson that's been the main issue for Notre Dame this fall. The defense can be leaky, and the Irish have really struggled running the ball in the second half. They average 4.9 yards per carry in the first half (from 190 rush attempts) and 3.6 per carry in the second from 189 attempts.