College Football: Week 1 Watchlist - KENTUCKY v LOUISVILLE

Kentucky at Louisville

Two teams who took totally different roads last year; Louisville with the preseason hype struggled to a 6-6 record and Kentucky surprised everyone going 8-5 and beating Florida State in the Music City Bowl. That was last year and the big question of this game is which quarterback will erase those memories of Andre Woodson and Brian Brohm? Who are Hunter Cantwell and Justin Pulley besides the next guy?



Louisville’s QB Hunter Cantwell is a big (6-5 236lb) senior who has been patiently waiting for his time to shine. He has to erase the memories of a horrible season filled with losses and many off-field dramatics and discipline problems. Cantwell is the real deal with a rocket arm and huge hands (10.5 inches) but needs to find rhythm and consistency with new receivers Scott Long and the little 5-9 Trent “Fast” Guy.

In typical Louisville fashion they have a big running back 6-0 238lbs Brock Bolen. Bolen will try to run over people with his power and has decent enough hands to be a threat out of the backfield. The Cardinals will once again have a high-powered offense averaging somewhere around 30 points a game.

The defense has been the question mark the last few years for this Louisville team. How many points are they going to give up this week? I don’t know how they will be but at least they have a whole new defensive coaching staff, which can’t do any worse than last years 31.4 ppg allowed.

Kentucky had a great 2007 season and I’m sorry to say this, but that won’t happen again. I don’t know how Curtis Pulley will play and I haven’t seen him live, but I know he is no Andre Woodson. Pulley isn’t the only new starter on offense as they have to replace their RB, TE and WRs. The only key contributor on offense returning is undersized receiver Dicky Lyons. Sorry Wildcats I loved your story last year but I don’t think this group can compete at this high level.

One good thing I can say about this 2008 Kentucky team is they have an experienced defense with eight returning starters. The problem is they're not that good. They had some flashes of "goodness" early on, then let Mississippi State score 31 at home in Commonwealth stadium. They do have one star on the D and I have a little man crush on him, Defensive-End Jeremy “put ya in a” Jarmon. Jarmon is only a Jr and mark my word he will be an NFL player, he has speed, quickness and a great motor. Hey one bright spot in eleven players isn’t that bad, right, I mean we have only one sun for 6 billion people, right?

Hey, the teams might not be that good, but it is a rivalry game and both teams will play their hearts out to say they’re the better team in the Bluegrass state.

Prediction
Kentucky Louisville
17 31