NC State football schedule early snapshot: Louisville
The NC State football schedule begins Sept. 3 with a road date at East Carolina. That’s the start of four straight non-conference games to start the year. Then it’s all ACC action from that point forward.
The start of a two-game road stretch to end the regular season is at Louisville on Nov. 19.
With much anticipation for the upcoming Wolfpack season, here’s an early look at Louisville.
Louisville in 2021
Sometimes the ball bounces your way, and sometimes it does not.
Louisville finished last season with a 6-7 record, including a 4-4 mark in the ACC. But the Cardinals were close to having a far better campaign.
In a three-point loss at Wake Forest, a controversial field goal as time expired at the end of the first half proved to be the difference. The Deacons were ruled to have called a timeout with one second remaining, which WFU head coach Dave Clawson later admitted that his team “got a little bit lucky.” Wake Forest would break a tie with 22 seconds left in regulation on another field goal, preserving a 37-34 Deacons win, making that first half FG loom large.
The following week at home against Virginia, Louisville had a 30-13 lead going into the fourth quarter only to collapse and lose 34-33 on a Virginia touchdown and extra point with 22 seconds left.
Two games after that, Louisville traveled to NC State and owned a 10-7 lead going into the fourth quarter before the Pack dominated the final 15 minutes in a 28-13 NC State victory.
A week later playing Clemson at home, Louisville was up 24-17 going into the fourth quarter before the Tigers scored 13 unanswered points to take a 30-24 advantage. The Cardinals had a chance to pull it out, having a first and goal at the Clemson 2 with 1:01 left. The Tigers held in a goal line stand, however.
In all four of its ACC losses, Louisville either led or was tied in the fourth quarter.
That said, lopsided losses to SEC foes Ole Miss (43-24) in the opener and Kentucky (52-21) in the regular season finale revealed shortcomings for Louisville. A 31-28 loss to a 10-win Air Force team in the Servpro First Responder Bowl in Dallas ensured an overall losing record.
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In year one under Scott Satterfield, Louisville surprised many by going 8-5 and winning the Music City Bowl. Fresh off a successful six-year tenure at Appalachian State, many suspected that Satterfield would prove to be a great hire for Louisville.
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Just three short years later, some may wonder how important this year is for Satterfield’s future in Louisville.
The Cardinals went 4-7 in 2020 and had another losing record in 2021. Meanwhile, Satterfield’s flirtation with the open South Carolina position following the 2020 campaign did not endear him to the Louisville faithful.
Satterfield made some changes on his staff, hiring a new offensive coordinator in former Notre Dame running backs coach/run game coordinator Lance Taylor.
Taylor will call an offense that is led by arguably the ACC’s most dynamic quarterback in Malik Cunningham, who decided to return as a super senior. Cunningham threw for 2,941 yards and 19 touchdowns with just six interceptions last year while also rushing for 1,031 yards and 20 more scores.
Louisville should have a strong running game with second-leading rusher Jalen Mitchell (722 rushing yards in 2021) also on the spring roster and potentially four starters back on the offensive line. The question on offense is who will catch Cunningham’s passes. Tight end Marshon Ford is a star at his position, making 49 catches for 550 yards last season, but receivers are a question mark.
Defensively, six starters are expected back, but two of its three most productive linebackers are not among them.
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