LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville (2-0) vs. Indiana (1-1) at Indianapolis, Saturday, noon ET (Big Ten Network)
Line: Louisville by 10 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Indiana leads 2-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Louisville coach Jeff Brohm's alma mater is off to its best start since 2017 when it won its first four. Brohm also returns to Lucas Oil Stadium, where his Purdue career started with a 2017 loss to the Cardinals, and ended with a loss to Michigan in last year's Big Ten title game. A second straight win would put Hoosiers above .500 for the first time since last October and would give eighth-year Indiana coach Tom Allen his 32nd career win to break a tie with the late John Pont for No. 6 in Hoosiers history..
KEY MATCHUP
Cardinals QB Jack Plummer vs. Indiana's pass defense. Plummer transferred to Cal after spending four seasons with Brohm at Purdue. The reunion seems to be working. But Plummer has thrown three interceptions this season, two last week against Murray State. The Hoosiers have allowed just 258 yards passing, 11th in the FBS, and limited Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr. to two catches in Week 1. Plummer must avoid the giveaways against what has, so far, been a solid defense.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Louisville: RB Jawhar Jordan and WR Jamari Thrash. Both possess the breakaway speed Brohm craves. Jordan already has two TD runs of 70 or more yards this season and has topped the 100-yard mark five times in the last seven games. Thrash has three TD receptions and four overall scores while averaging 17.0 yards per catch. He transferred into the program from Georgia State.
Indiana: QB Tayven Jackson and RB Jaylin Lucas. Jackson won his first career start last weekend and appears to give the somewhat conservative offense a little energy. Lucas is the Hoosiers' most dynamic playmaker. Last week, he had 10 carries for 90 yards and two scores, four catches for 39 yards and he's a threat on kick returns, too.
FACTS & FIGURES
Brohm went 4-1 against Allen during their battles for the Old Oaken Bucket, awarded to the winner of the annual Indiana-Purdue rivalry game. ... Last week's shutout was the Cardinals' first since 2020. ... The Hoosiers are playing their third straight game in Indiana though this will be the first time they travel off campus. ... Louisville rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to beat Georgia Tech in the season opener. The Cardinals are now 4-135 all-time when trailing by 15 or more points in the second half. .... Indiana had five TD runs last week, the most in Allen’s seven seasons ... The Cardinals used nine quarterbacks with five completing passes against Murray State. Both are single-game program records. ... Indiana’s defense is tied for No. 34 in FBS scoring defense (15.0 points allowed per game) while Louisville's 47.5 points per game ranks 13th.
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