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No. 17 Louisville visits North Carolina to open ACC schedule
No. 17 Louisville (1-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) at North Carolina (0-1, 0-0), Saturday Noon ET (ESPN).
Line: Louisville by 10.
Series record: Louisville leads 4-3.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The Cardinals need a win in their league opener with a visit from reigning national champion Clemson coming in week three in the rugged ACC Atlantic Division race. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, are trying to win their third straight league opener but have major questions that start with uncertainty at quarterback.
KEY MATCHUP
Louisville QB Lamar Jackson vs. UNC's defensive front. Jackson is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner who tallied 478 yards of total offense in last week's win against Purdue. North Carolina's defensive front will have to contain Jackson's scrambling to limit big plays, something the Tar Heels showed last week they're still susceptible to despite having more experience throughout the unit.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Louisville: WR Jaylen Smith. The 6-foot-4 junior had eight catches for 117 yards and a touchdown in the season-opening win against Purdue. He gives Jackson a big target and has the potential to create matchup problems for defensive backs.
UNC: RB Michael Carter. The freshman ran for 94 yards and two touchdowns in last week's loss to California. Carter also had nine catches for 53 yards, though he had a first-half fumble in his college debut.
FACTS & FIGURES
UNC is at risk of falling to 0-2 for the first time under Larry Fedora and the first time since 2010. ... This is the first meeting between the teams since Louisville joined the ACC in 2014. ... Fedora didn't publicly commit to a starting quarterback for this one. LSU graduate transfer Brandon Harris started last week but ceded most of the second-half work to redshirt freshman Chazz Surratt. ... Louisville coach Bobby Petrino is 2-0 against UNC with both wins by lopsided margins: 34-0 in 2004 and 69-14 in 2005. ... Louisville is 2-1 in ACC openers. ... UNC has lost four straight games against FBS opponents.
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