ORANGE MAY BE IN FOR LONG AFTERNOON; THE HIGH-POWERED LOUISVILLE OFFENSE WILL LIKELY HAVE ITS WAY WITH SYRACUSE.(Sports)

Byline: Donnie Webb Staff writer

Louisville, Ky. -- The stars are aligned and suggest the University of Louisville football team is about to hang the moon on Syracuse.

The Cardinals (2-1, 0-0) have the No. 1-ranked offense in the country, they are coming off a crushing last-second loss to bitter rival Kentucky, and they'd love nothing better than to re-establish their might against the Orange (0-3, 0-0).

The anticipated carnage begins at noon today at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

Syracuse is a 37-point underdog against Louisville. The Orange is ranked 101st in total defense and 116th in total offense among 119 teams in Division I-A. To suggest Syracuse might somehow, some way morph into a functioning football team and take down the mighty Cardinals seems, well, a reach.

Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson said this week that his defense can only do so much against an offense that averages****55 points and 617 yards a game.

"I'm going to tell you this: They are very good," Robinson said. "You're not going to stop Louisville's offense. If they are going to be stopped they are going to be stopped by themselves. You can maybe control it and that's what I think you have to work to do, is control it. There is a fine line in there."

The Orange has yet to approach any fine line this season. It has been outscored in three losses by a combined score of 118-32.

Still, the depth of defeat has not seemed to take the fight out of the Orange. Though players appeared a bit shell-shocked after the losses to Washington and Iowa, there was a feistier tone from some this week.

Perhaps it's the idea that no one likes being invited out to dinner, only to find out they're the main course.

"I'm pretty sure they want to blow us out and do it in good fashion," said Syracuse defensive tackle Tony Jenkins. "I'm sure that's their thing, that they want to show they do have a great team ... display they're the best team in the Big East."

Jenkins said it'll be hard for Louisville to overlook Syracuse, despite its current record. The Orange has given the Cardinals fits the last two seasons. In 2005, Louisville carried a 24-17 lead into the fourth quarter, though it eventually put the Orange away 41-17. Last season at the Carrier Dome, Louisville earned a 28-13 victory. However, the No. 6-ranked Cardinals led only 21-13 in the fourth quarter.

Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe, who is in his first season with the Cardinals, said his team has turned the page from its loss to Kentucky. He said the challenge for the Cardinals was to channel their "disappointment" and "anger" in a direction that would help them improve. He did his best not to disparage the Orange.

"Although they're 0-3, they've played well in spurts," he said. "They're talented. Their quarterback is gaining confidence. They've got some playmakers on the outside. The offensive line, you can see them starting to jell a little. They've played some good teams. I think Greg's an excellent coach."

Louisville's defense has not played well. The Cardinals have given up 42 and 40 points in their last two games. During their home game against Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 6, fans booed the Louisville defense.

Those issues finally came back to bite Louisville against Kentucky. Maybe there's hope for Syracuse?

"I look at Louisville and I see good players," Robinson said. "At the same time, I would really like to see our offense do well. There were some flashes the other day and I just would like to see it continue to grow and develop. That's really what you have to count on right now that we are going to get better. It would be a real good time to get a lot better."

Louisville's offense is so prolific and talented, it can almost overcome any obstacle. Senior quarterback Brian Brohm has already passed for 11 touchdowns 1,142 yards - in three games. He's coming off a 366-yard passing performance in the loss to Kentucky.

The Cardinals have three main targets in wide receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia and tight end Gary Barnidge. Those three have caught 50 passes for 925 yards and 10 of 11 touchdowns from Brohm. Douglas has six straight 100-yard receiving games, and Urrutia averages nearly 19 yards a catch.

"I honestly think that we have the athletes that can play man, that can play press and can play them on the line and also play our zone," said Syracuse cornerback Dowayne Davis. "We're going to do the best we can.

"They pass the ball. They're definitely going to pass a lot more, which is good for the defensive backs. We definitely want to get some work out there, definitely. That's what we need. We can't back down to no challenge."

Donnie Webb can be reached at 470-2149 or dwebb@syracuse.com.

Today's game

Who: Louisville (2-1) vs. Syracuse (0-3)

When: noon

Where: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (42,000)

TV: TW 26

ORANGE MAY BE IN FOR LONG AFTERNOON; THE HIGH-POWERED LOUISVILLE OFFENSE WILL LIKELY HAVE ITS WAY WITH SYRACUSE.(Sports)

Byline: Donnie Webb Staff writer

Louisville, Ky. -- The stars are aligned and suggest the University of Louisville football team is about to hang the moon on Syracuse.

The Cardinals (2-1, 0-0) have the No. 1-ranked offense in the country, they are coming off a crushing last-second loss to bitter rival Kentucky, and they'd love nothing better than to re-establish their might against the Orange (0-3, 0-0).

The anticipated carnage begins at noon today at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

Syracuse is a 37-point underdog against Louisville. The Orange is ranked 101st in total defense and 116th in total offense among 119 teams in Division I-A. To suggest Syracuse might somehow, some way morph into a functioning football team and take down the mighty Cardinals seems, well, a reach.

Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson said this week that his defense can only do so much against an offense that averages****55 points and 617 yards a game.

"I'm going to tell you this: They are very good," Robinson said. "You're not going to stop Louisville's offense. If they are going to be stopped they are going to be stopped by themselves. You can maybe control it and that's what I think you have to work to do, is control it. There is a fine line in there."

The Orange has yet to approach any fine line this season. It has been outscored in three losses by a combined score of 118-32.

Still, the depth of defeat has not seemed to take the fight out of the Orange. Though players appeared a bit shell-shocked after the losses to Washington and Iowa, there was a feistier tone from some this week.

Perhaps it's the idea that no one likes being invited out to dinner, only to find out they're the main course.

"I'm pretty sure they want to blow us out and do it in good fashion," said Syracuse defensive tackle Tony Jenkins. "I'm sure that's their thing, that they want to show they do have a great team ... display they're the best team in the Big East."

Jenkins said it'll be hard for Louisville to overlook Syracuse, despite its current record. The Orange has given the Cardinals fits the last two seasons. In 2005, Louisville carried a 24-17 lead into the fourth quarter, though it eventually put the Orange away 41-17. Last season at the Carrier Dome, Louisville earned a 28-13 victory. However, the No. 6-ranked Cardinals led only 21-13 in the fourth quarter.

Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe, who is in his first season with the Cardinals, said his team has turned the page from its loss to Kentucky. He said the challenge for the Cardinals was to channel their "disappointment" and "anger" in a direction that would help them improve. He did his best not to disparage the Orange.

"Although they're 0-3, they've played well in spurts," he said. "They're talented. Their quarterback is gaining confidence. They've got some playmakers on the outside. The offensive line, you can see them starting to jell a little. They've played some good teams. I think Greg's an excellent coach."

Louisville's defense has not played well. The Cardinals have given up 42 and 40 points in their last two games. During their home game against Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 6, fans booed the Louisville defense.

Those issues finally came back to bite Louisville against Kentucky. Maybe there's hope for Syracuse?

"I look at Louisville and I see good players," Robinson said. "At the same time, I would really like to see our offense do well. There were some flashes the other day and I just would like to see it continue to grow and develop. That's really what you have to count on right now that we are going to get better. It would be a real good time to get a lot better."

Louisville's offense is so prolific and talented, it can almost overcome any obstacle. Senior quarterback Brian Brohm has already passed for 11 touchdowns 1,142 yards - in three games. He's coming off a 366-yard passing performance in the loss to Kentucky.

The Cardinals have three main targets in wide receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia and tight end Gary Barnidge. Those three have caught 50 passes for 925 yards and 10 of 11 touchdowns from Brohm. Douglas has six straight 100-yard receiving games, and Urrutia averages nearly 19 yards a catch.

"I honestly think that we have the athletes that can play man, that can play press and can play them on the line and also play our zone," said Syracuse cornerback Dowayne Davis. "We're going to do the best we can.

"They pass the ball. They're definitely going to pass a lot more, which is good for the defensive backs. We definitely want to get some work out there, definitely. That's what we need. We can't back down to no challenge."

Donnie Webb can be reached at 470-2149 or dwebb@syracuse.com.

Today's game

Who: Louisville (2-1) vs. Syracuse (0-3)

When: noon

Where: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (42,000)

TV: TW 26

ORANGE MAY BE IN FOR LONG AFTERNOON; THE HIGH-POWERED LOUISVILLE OFFENSE WILL LIKELY HAVE ITS WAY WITH SYRACUSE.(Sports)

Byline: Donnie Webb Staff writer

Louisville, Ky. -- The stars are aligned and suggest the University of Louisville football team is about to hang the moon on Syracuse.

The Cardinals (2-1, 0-0) have the No. 1-ranked offense in the country, they are coming off a crushing last-second loss to bitter rival Kentucky, and they'd love nothing better than to re-establish their might against the Orange (0-3, 0-0).

The anticipated carnage begins at noon today at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

Syracuse is a 37-point underdog against Louisville. The Orange is ranked 101st in total defense and 116th in total offense among 119 teams in Division I-A. To suggest Syracuse might somehow, some way morph into a functioning football team and take down the mighty Cardinals seems, well, a reach.

Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson said this week that his defense can only do so much against an offense that averages****55 points and 617 yards a game.

"I'm going to tell you this: They are very good," Robinson said. "You're not going to stop Louisville's offense. If they are going to be stopped they are going to be stopped by themselves. You can maybe control it and that's what I think you have to work to do, is control it. There is a fine line in there."

The Orange has yet to approach any fine line this season. It has been outscored in three losses by a combined score of 118-32.

Still, the depth of defeat has not seemed to take the fight out of the Orange. Though players appeared a bit shell-shocked after the losses to Washington and Iowa, there was a feistier tone from some this week.

Perhaps it's the idea that no one likes being invited out to dinner, only to find out they're the main course.

"I'm pretty sure they want to blow us out and do it in good fashion," said Syracuse defensive tackle Tony Jenkins. "I'm sure that's their thing, that they want to show they do have a great team ... display they're the best team in the Big East."

Jenkins said it'll be hard for Louisville to overlook Syracuse, despite its current record. The Orange has given the Cardinals fits the last two seasons. In 2005, Louisville carried a 24-17 lead into the fourth quarter, though it eventually put the Orange away 41-17. Last season at the Carrier Dome, Louisville earned a 28-13 victory. However, the No. 6-ranked Cardinals led only 21-13 in the fourth quarter.

Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe, who is in his first season with the Cardinals, said his team has turned the page from its loss to Kentucky. He said the challenge for the Cardinals was to channel their "disappointment" and "anger" in a direction that would help them improve. He did his best not to disparage the Orange.

"Although they're 0-3, they've played well in spurts," he said. "They're talented. Their quarterback is gaining confidence. They've got some playmakers on the outside. The offensive line, you can see them starting to jell a little. They've played some good teams. I think Greg's an excellent coach."

Louisville's defense has not played well. The Cardinals have given up 42 and 40 points in their last two games. During their home game against Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 6, fans booed the Louisville defense.

Those issues finally came back to bite Louisville against Kentucky. Maybe there's hope for Syracuse?

"I look at Louisville and I see good players," Robinson said. "At the same time, I would really like to see our offense do well. There were some flashes the other day and I just would like to see it continue to grow and develop. That's really what you have to count on right now that we are going to get better. It would be a real good time to get a lot better."

Louisville's offense is so prolific and talented, it can almost overcome any obstacle. Senior quarterback Brian Brohm has already passed for 11 touchdowns 1,142 yards - in three games. He's coming off a 366-yard passing performance in the loss to Kentucky.

The Cardinals have three main targets in wide receivers Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia and tight end Gary Barnidge. Those three have caught 50 passes for 925 yards and 10 of 11 touchdowns from Brohm. Douglas has six straight 100-yard receiving games, and Urrutia averages nearly 19 yards a catch.

"I honestly think that we have the athletes that can play man, that can play press and can play them on the line and also play our zone," said Syracuse cornerback Dowayne Davis. "We're going to do the best we can.

"They pass the ball. They're definitely going to pass a lot more, which is good for the defensive backs. We definitely want to get some work out there, definitely. That's what we need. We can't back down to no challenge."

Donnie Webb can be reached at 470-2149 or dwebb@syracuse.com.

Today's game

Who: Louisville (2-1) vs. Syracuse (0-3)

When: noon

Where: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (42,000)

TV: TW 26