LOUISVILLE SATURDAY, DEC. 30 • 12:03 PM • ESPN (8-4, 4-4 ACC) JACKSONVILLE, FLA • EVERBANK FIELD (77,511) CARDINALS READY FOR EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE TRIP TO THE POSTSEASON Sept. 2 vs. Purdue W, 35-28 The University of Louisville will make its eighth-consecutive trip to the postseason when the Cardinals face Missis- Sept. 9 at North Carolina* W, 47-35 sippi State in the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 30 at Everbank Field. Sept. 16 Clemson* L, 21-47 The Cardinals have won three games in a row to close the regular season to improve to 8-4 after a 44-17 win over Sept. 23 Kent State W, 42-3 Kentucky — the sixth win in seven attempts versus their intrastate rival. Louisville has a chance for its fifth nine-win Sept. 30 Murray State W, 55-10 season over the last six years and the seventh in eight seasons under head coach Bobby Petrino. The Cardinals bring one of the nation’s top offenses, averaging 560.5 yards per game, which ranks third in the Oct. 5 at NC State* L, 25-39 country. Averaging 351.7 yards on the ground in the last three games, the Cardinals are 13th nationally in rushing with Oct. 14 Boston College* L, 42-45 an average of 249.9 yards per game. The Cardinals rushed for 346 yards and three scores in the win over Wildcats. Oct. 21 at Florida State* W, 31-28 The Cardinals and Bulldogs will meet for the fifth time in school history, with the series deadlocked at 2-2. Oct. 28 at Wake Forest* L, 32-42 Nov. 11 Virginia* W, 38-21 Nov. 18 Syracuse* W, 56-10 GAME CENTER — #LOUvs#HAILSTATE Nov. 25 at Kentucky W, 44-17 Dec. 30 vs. Mississippi State Noon LOUISVILLE CARDINALS MISSISSIPPI STATE RECORD: 8-4, 4-4 ACC RECORD: 8-4, 4-4 SEC MISSISSIPPI STATE RANKING: NR - AP | NR - COACHES RANKING:24 - AP | 23 - COACHES (8-4, 4-4 SEC) COACH: Bobby Petrino COACH: JOE MOORHEAD Sept. 2 Charleston Southern W, 49-0 AT LOUISVILLE: 75-26 AT MISSISSIPPI STATE: 0-0 Sept. 9 at Louisiana Tech W, 57-21 CAREER: 117-47 CAREER: 38-13 Sept. 16 LSU* W, 37-7 VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE: 3-1 VS. LOUISVILLE: First Meeting Sept. 23 at Georgia* L, 3-31 LAST GAME: W, 44-17 at Kentucky LAST GAME: L, 28-31 vs. Mississippi Sept. 30 at Auburn* L, 10-49 SERIES: Tied at 2-2 SERIES: Tied at 2-2 Oct. 14 BYU W, 35-10 Oct. 21 Kentucky* W, 45-7 Oct. 28 at Texas A&M* W, 35-14 Nov. 3 UMass W, 34-23 QUICK NOTES Nov. 11 Alabama* L, 24-31 Louisville is appearing in a bowl game for the 22nd In picking up three consecutive wins, the offense has been one of the most explosive in the nation, Nov. 18 at Arkansas* W, 28-21 time in school history and the eighth straight time dating back to the 2010 campaign. averaging 594.0 yards over that span. The Cardi- Nov. 23 Mississippi* L, 28-31 nals totaled 727 yards in a win over Syracuse and Dec. 30 vs. Louisville Noon The Cardinals are 10-10-1 all-time in bowl appear- 562 in the regular-season finale versus Kentucky. ances, having won three of the last five postseason ABOUT THE GAME appearances. In the win over Kentucky, Louisville didn’t record a punt for the first time since beating Murray State After dropping a 42-32 decision to Wake Forest on on Aug. 30, 2007 — only the second time in school TV • ESPN Oct. 28, the Cardinals have won three-consecutive history versus an FBS opponent (Pittsburgh, 2005). games, posting a 30.7 margin of victory in those PLAY-BY-PLAY contests. Recording his ninth touchdown catch in the win Tom Hart over Kentucky, Dez Fitzpatrick moved into a tie ANALYST The Cardinals have scored over 30 points in six- for second most TD receptions by a freshman in Jordan Rogers straight games and 10 times during the course of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Fitzpatrick totaled the 2017 season. The team ranks 13th nationally REPORTER 37 receiving yards, giving him 699 and pushing him with an average of 39.0 points per game. into 11th on the ACC’s freshman list. Cole Cubelic The Cardinals have rushed for 64 touchdowns over Louisville scored a touchdown on its opening pos- the last two years — running for an identical 32 RADIO • LOUISVILLE SPORTS PROPERTIES session versus Kentucky, marking the sixth game scores in consecutive seasons. Lamar Jackson PLAY-BY-PLAY this season the Cardinals have reached the end has accounted for 38 of those touchdowns over zone on their first drive. Paul Rogers that span. ANALYST The Cardinals are the only team in the nation The Cardinals are on pace to set the school record Alex Kupper ranked in the top 15 in both rushing offense and for rushing yards in a season, topping last season’s passing offense. REPORTER mark of 3,148 yards. Entering the postseason with Jody Demling 2,999 yards, the Cardinals need 150 yards to break Two Cardinals were named first team All-ACC se- that mark and crack 3,000 yards for only the third lections in juniors Jaylen Smith and Lamar Jack- son. SATELLITE RADIO time in school history. Channel 81 XM Entering the bowl game, the Cardinals have totaled Cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Trumaine Channel 81 Sirius 6,726 yards of offense, 200 shy of breaking the Washington, placekicker Blanton Creque, offen- school mark for total offense in a season. Louisville sive tackle Geron Christian and wide receiver Dez needs 274 yards to become the first team in school Fitzpatrick earned honorable mention honors. history to register 7,000 yards of total offense for Lamar Jackson was named the 2017 Howard the year. 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl Media Guide — 1 2017 UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE NUMERICAL ROSTER No. Name Ht. Wt. Pos. Cl. Hometown (Previous School) 1 P.J. Mbanasor 6-1 190 CB SO Pflugerville, Texas (Oklahoma) 1 Traveon Samuel 5-7 170 WR JR Phenix City, Ala. (Central) 2 Corey Reed 6-3 193 WR FR Fulton, Ga. (Roswell) 3 Cornelius Sturghill 5-11 187 WR SO Memphis, Tenn. (Melrose) 3 Malik Cunningham 6-1 188 QB FR Montgomery, Ala. (Park Crossing) 4 Jawon Pass 6-4 220 QB R-FR Columbus, Ga. (Carver) 4 TreSean Smith 6-1 186 CB FR Hamilton, Ohio (LaSalle) 5 Seth Dawkins 6-3 206 WR SO Columbus, Ohio (Franklin Heights) 6 Russ Yeast 5-11 187 CB FR Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove) 7 Reggie Bonnafon 6-3 208 RB SR Louisville, Ky. (Trinity) 8 Lamar Jackson 6-3 200 QB JR Pompano Beach, Fla. (Boynton Beach) 9 Jaylen Smith 6-4 219 WR JR Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula) 9 C.J. Avery 5-11 205 S FR Grenada, Miss. (Grenada) 10 Jaire Alexander 5-11 192 CB JR Charlotte, N.C. (Rocky River) 10 Rodjay Burns 6-0 190 CB SO Louisville, Ky. (Trinity) 11 Kemari Averett 6-6 253 TE FR Atlanta, Ga. (Grady) 11 Dee Smith 6-1 202 S JR Florence, Ala. (Florence) 12 Trey Smith 6-0 225 RB SO Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) 12 Rodney Owens 6-0 199 S FR Goodlettsville, Tenn. (Ensworth) 13 P.J. Blue 6-3 208 S R-FR Jemison, Ala. (Park Crossing) 13 Sean McCormack 6-5 223 QB R-FR Darien, Ill. (Hinsdale) 14 Drew Bailey 6-3 289 DL SR Jacksonville, Fla. (Pearl River CC) 15 Clay Bolin 6-0 199 QB R-FR Lexington, Ky. (Bourbon County) 15 Trumaine Washington 5-10 181 CB SR Miami, Fla. (Killian) 17 Dorian Etheridge 6-3 228 LB FR Charleston, W. Va. (Capital) 18 Justin Marshall 6-3 195 WR FR Conyers, Ga. (Georgia Prep Sports Academy) 20 Ronald Walker 6-1 198 CB SR Byran, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln) 21 London Iakopo 6-0 212 S JR Carson, Calif. (Long Beach CC) 22 Chucky Williams 6-2 206 S SR Hialeah, Fla. (Champagnat Catholic) 22 Jovel Smith 5-10 185 RB FR Louisville, Ky. (Trinity) 23 Harry Trotter 5-11 190 RB SO Atchison, Kan. (Fort Scott) 23 Lyn Strange 6-1 195 S FR Leon, Fla. (North Florida Christian) 24 Zykiesis Cannon 6-0 188 S SR Mauldin, S.C. (Carolina Academy) 25 Dae Williams 6-1 235 RB R-FR Sapulpa, Okla. (Sapulpa) 26 Chris Taylor-Yamanoha 6-2 183 WR R-FR Rohnert Park, Calif. (Rancho Cotate) 27 Anthony Johnson 6-1 179 CB FR Coconut Creek, Fla. (Chaminade-Madonna) 28 Mason King 6-3 213 P SO Louisville, Ky. (St. Xavier) 29 Malik Williams 6-3 215 RB SR Wilson, N.C. (Alan Hancock College) 30 Khane Pass 6-1 207 S SO Columbus, Ga. (Carver) 30 Jeffery Banks 6-2 206 WR SO Olive Branch, Miss. (Pearl River) 31 Malik Staples 6-1 222 LB SO Suwanee, Ga. (Peachtree Ridge) 31 Jack Duane 5-10 157 WR SR Chatham, N.J. (Chatham) 32 Stacy Thomas 6-1 240 LB SR Miami, Fla. (Gulliver Prep) 33 Colin Wilson 6-1 221 RB FR Green Cove Springs, Fla. (Clay) 34 Jeremy Smith 6-2 224 RB SR Hammond, La. (Fresno City CC) 35 Lamarques Thomas 6-0 184 S SO Clinton, Miss. (Clinton) 35 Greg Bethel 6-0 195 RB FR Louisville, Ky. (Moore) 36 Evan O’Hara 6-0 209 K JR Florence, Ky. (Boone) 36 Maurice Burkley 5-9 191 RB FR Naperville, Ill.