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Sports

Cincinnati-Louisville Preview Capsule

Associated Press
Published | Updated

FRIDAY

Cincinnati (5-1, 1-0 Big East) at No. 16 Cincinnati (7-0, 2-0), ESPN

Line: Louisville by 4

Series Record: Cincinnati leads 29-21-1

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Cincinnati wants to bounce back from last week's nonconference loss at Toledo and stay close to the Big East leaders. Louisville aims to stay within reach of first-place Rutgers and end a four-game losing streak to the Bearcats.

KEY MATCHUP

Cincinnati rushing game vs. Louisville run defense. The Bearcats have the Big East's best offense (467.5 yards), its top ground game (225.7 yards) and its No. 2 rusher in senior George Winn (607 yards, 4 TDs). The Cardinals counter with the conference's fourth-best defense, fifth-best against the run (125.9). The Cardinals allowed 197 yards on the ground to South Florida last week. Cincinnati will no doubt try to exploit that soft spot, while Louisville aims to shut down Winn and force Bearcats QB Munchie Legaux (53 percent completion rate) to throw.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cincinnati: RB/KR Ralph David Abernathy IV. The sophomore is coming off a career-best 98 rushing yards against Toledo, including a 52-yard run to set up a score. He's second in conference all-purpose yards (135.3 per game).

Louisville: DE Lorenzo Mauldin. The sophomore had two sacks against South Florida, one of which forced a fumble that he also recovered. He leads the Cardinals with 4.5 sacks.

FACTS & FIGURES

Cincinnati is 13-9-1 in Louisville and has won the past two at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. ... Louisville seeks its first 8-0 start since the 1925 team finished the season with that record. ... The winner gets the Keg of Nails trophy, a replica of a keg used to ship nails.