Papa John's Cardinal Stadium - Louisville, KY
Kickoff: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Line: Clemson -5.5

No. 11 Clemson looks to stay unbeaten when it travels to winless Louisville on Thursday night.

The Tigers have rolled over a pair of weaker opponents (SU and ATS) to start the season, beating FCS Wofford and 18.5-point underdog Appalachian State by a combined score of 90 to 20. The Cardinals have played a much tougher schedule than their Thursday opponent, losing (but covering) in a neutral-site game with Auburn to open the season before falling at home to 13-point underdog Houston last week. These teams played a tight contest last season in South Carolina when host Clemson held on for a 23-17 victory over Louisville in a game where both schools combined for a mere 124 rushing yards on 70 carries (1.8 YPC). Road favorites coming off two straight games of allowing 14 points or less facing a team that allowed 31+ points in two straight contests are a whopping 27-5 ATS (84%) in the past 10 seasons. However, bettors on the Cardinals can point to the fact that road favorites of 3.5 to 10 points, in the first month of the season, after closing out last season with 3+ straight wins are just 15-48 ATS (34%) since 1992. While the Tigers have a few injuries of concern with WR Mike Williams (neck) and K Ammon Lakip (suspension) out, and OL Ryan Norton (leg) questionable, the Cardinals are really hurting, especially on offense. QB Will Gardner (ribs), TE Cole Hikutini (shoulder) and WRs James Quick (ankle), Jamari Staples (knee), Alphonso Carter (hamstring) and Emonee Spence (hamstring) are all questionable for Thursday. Quick had 101 receiving yards in last year's loss to Clemson.

Can injury-riddled Louisville hang in with the No. 11 in the nation on Thursday night? For the answer, connect to College Football Best Bets for all the StatFox Experts picks throughout the 2015 regular season and bowl season.

Clemson has had no trouble moving the football last season with a great balance of run (181 YPG, 4.2 YPC) and pass (281 YPG, 8.3 YPA). QB Deshaun Watson has completed a whopping 77% of his passes for 442 yards (9.2 YPA), 5 TD and only 1 INT this season. A dozen different players have already recorded a reception this season, led by sophomore WR Artavis Scott, who has nearly identical catch-yards-TD numbers in both games (6-75-1 and 6-73-1). Scott also caught 10 passes against Louisville last year, but gained only 66 yards on those double-digit grabs. Senior WR Charone Peake is coming off a huge game against Appalachian State with four catches for 86 yards and 2 TD. On the ground, it has been sophomore RB Wayne Gallman rumbling for more than 75 yards in both contests, totaling 171 yards on 5.9 YPC and three touchdowns. With Louisville's defense allowing more than 200 rushing YPG this season, Gallman could be in for a big afternoon. The Tigers have also been fierce on defense, holding opponents to 256 total YPG on 3.8 yards per play. Opposing quarterbacks have a dreadful 32.6% completion rate (15-of-46) against Clemson, while opposing rushers are gaining only 3.6 yards per carry. The unit was also very opportunistic last week with four forced turnovers.

Louisville's offense has been decent so far this season with 27.5 PPG and 400 YPG, but there are major questions at the quarterback position. Assumed starting QB Will Gardner is still not 100 percent, so head coach Bobby Petrino isn't sure who his starter should be between freshman QB Lamar Jackson (26-47, 268 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT) or sophomore QBs Reggie Bonnafon (8-13, 67 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT) and Kyle Bolin (10-18, 157 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT). The Cardinals have already committed six turnovers and are one of just three FBS teams to have three quarterbacks with double-digit pass attempts this season. The Louisville ground game hasn't done much either with 154 rushing YPG on 4.2 YPC. Jackson is the team's leading rusher with 122 yards on 4.4 YPC and 2 TD, while senior RB Brandon Radcliff is close behind at 119 rushing yards on 4.4 YPC and 2 TD. Radcliff had no running room last year against Clemson with only 23 yards on 11 carries (2.1 YPC) in that defeat. Defensively, the Cardinals have been a mess, surrendering 32.5 PPG, 23.0 first downs per game and a 61% completion percentage. Four takeaways in the two games have certainly helped, but they were out-rushed 226 to 70 in last week's loss to Houston.