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Louisville vs. Virginia Tech football game first look: Story lines, key players and odds

Alexis Cubit, Louisville Courier Journal
·5 min read
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A loss to Pitt was no reason to panic.

Louisville learned from the defeat and bounced back with a 23-0 win over Duke on Saturday. The Cardinals found a balance in the passing and running game while their defense continues to elevate its performances each week.

Now in sole possession of second place in the ACC standings, No. 15 U of L is in control of its own destiny and will advance to the ACC championship game if it wins the rest of its conference contests. The Cardinals look to take their next step toward that goal when they host Virginia Tech at L&N Stadium on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Here are three story lines to follow ahead of the ACC contest:

Protecting home field ... and the football

Jeff Brohm is 4-0 at L&N Stadium as U of L's coach.
Jeff Brohm is 4-0 at L&N Stadium as U of L's coach.

Louisville has yet to lose at home this season. The Cardinals’ last home loss was to Florida State, 35-31, on Sept. 16, 2022. Since then, the program has won nine straight games at its home stadium.

A big part of extending that streak to 10 will be taking care of the football on Saturday against Virginia Tech. Jeff Brohm said ball security was his team's top priority going into the Cardinals’ game against Duke, and it showed. While U of L had one fumble it didn't record any turnovers and was able to convert a forced turnover from its defense into a 24-yard field goal for the 23-0 lead.

Ball security will continue to be a point of emphasis against Virginia Tech, which has recovered five of its opponents’ nine fumbles.

No more trap games

One of the highlights of Louisville’s season was its 33-20 win over Notre Dame. But the lowest point came a week later when it fell to Pitt, 38-21. Against Virginia Tech, the Cardinals will have an opportunity to show they learned from the defeat.

Like the win over the Fighting Irish, U of L's victory against Duke was a commanding top-25 win. The Cardinals continue to rally behind a “one-game season” mentality and will need to take the motto to heart to avoid a repeat of the Pitt game.

Hokies on the rise

Virginia Tech has improved significantly over the course of the season. After losing three of its four nonconference games and averaging 21.5 points per contest, the Hokies (4-4, 3-1 ACC) opened ACC action with a 38-21 win against Pitt.

They’ve now won three of their four league games, averaging 30.6 points per contest and are currently third in the ACC standings. Their most recent win came via a 38-10 decision over Syracuse, holding the Orange scoreless in the first and fourth quarters.

The Hokies are fourth in the ACC in total defense under second-year coach Brent Pry, allowing 316 yards per game. Despite the 39-17 loss to Florida State on Oct. 7, Virginia Tech is one of only four teams that have held the Seminoles to 40 or fewer points this season.

Three Louisville football players to watch

Jawhar Jordan (25) barreled his way through the Duke defense to score U of L's first touchdown against Duke on Saturday.
Jawhar Jordan (25) barreled his way through the Duke defense to score U of L's first touchdown against Duke on Saturday.

Devin Neal, junior safety: Stepping in as a starter in place of M.J. Griffin, the Baylor transfer has been a solid force in Louisville’s secondary. Neal's 38 tackles rank third for U of L this season and he has a team-leading three interceptions to go along with five pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

Jermayne Lole, graduate defensive lineman: Once considered one of the best interior defensive linemen in the country, Lole has struggled to stay on the field over the past few seasons. As he gets closer to being 100% healthy, the California native is another dominating force on Louisville’s line. He recorded two tackles, a sack, pass breakup and forced fumble against Duke.

Jawhar Jordan, redshirt junior running back: Few teams have been able to contain Jordan with Duke becoming his latest victim. After using the bye week to rest and rehab an injured hamstring, the New York native posted a career-high 163 yards on 21 carries with two scores against the Blue Devils. He’s 176 yards away from reaching 1,000 rushing yards on the year while averaging 103 yards per game and 7.5 yards per rush.

Three Virginia Tech football players to watch

Antwaun Powell-Ryland, junior defensive lineman: The Hokies’ fourth-leading tackler (29), Powell-Ryland has a team-best 11 ½ tackles for loss and nine sacks on the season after totaling four tackles, including two for loss, against Syracuse.

Keli Lawson, redshirt sophomore linebacker: The Virginia native has a team-leading 66 tackles on the season and has posted three double-digit tackling performances. Lawson continued his dominance against the Orange with a team-high seven tackles, including one for loss, and a quarterback hurry.

Kyron Drones, redshirt sophomore quarterback: Drones has totaled 1,237 passing yards with seven touchdowns and is Virginia Tech’s second-leading rusher with 400 yards and four TDs on the ground. Against Syracuse, the Texas native who transferred from Baylor went 15-for-24 passing for 194 yards and a score to go along with 56 yards on eight carries.

Louisville vs. Virginia Tech odds

Louisville is a 10-point home favorite against Virginia Tech, according to the DraftKings college football odds.

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How to watch Louisville vs. Virginia Tech football game

Who: No. 15 Louisville (7-1, 4-1 ACC) vs. Virginia Tech (4-4, 3-1)

When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4

Where: L&N Stadium, Louisville

TV: ACC Network

Radio: Paul Rogers (play-by-play) and Craig Swabek (analyst) will call the game on Louisville Radio Network (93.9 FM and 970 AM).

Streaming: Qualified subscribers can stream the game at espn.com/watch.

Rising in the polls: U of L enters final month of regular season ranked among top 15 nationally

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Jeff Brohm, Louisville football vs Virginia Tech odds, keys: ACC game