No. 9 Notre Dame visits rebuilding Louisville on Labor Day

Posted August 29, 2019 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, Notre Dame running back Tony Jones Jr (6), runs in a touchdown against Ball State during the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind. There is no Dexter Williams in the backfield this season for No. 9 Notre Dame. Instead, the Fighting Irish will look to a stable of running backs to pick up the slack, including Tony Jones and converted wide receiver Jafar Armstrong. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File) The Associated Press

No. 9 Notre Dame (12-1 last season) at Louisville (2-10), Monday at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN).

Line: Notre Dame by 18.

Series record: Louisville leads 1-0.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Notre Dame begins its quest for another berth in the College Football Playoff after losing last season to eventual national champion Clemson. The Fighting Irish also aim to even the series after losing 31-28 to the Cardinals in South Bend, Indiana, on Nov. 22, 2014. Louisville begins the uphill climb from its worst finish since 1997 under first-year coach Scott Satterfield, who built one of the nation's top offenses at Appalachian State.

KEY MATCHUP

Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book vs. Louisville's defense. Book is a dual threat who completed 68% of his passes for 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for 280 yards with four scores. Book will challenge a 3-4 defense that yielded 44.1 points and 483.4 yards per game last season. The Cardinals return seven defensive starters, but will break in a new system with several players in different spots.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Notre Dame: FS Alohi Gilman. The senior returns as the Irish's top tackler with 95 stops last season, including 18 against Clemson. The former Navy transfer also had two interceptions and three tackles for loss.

Louisville: QB Jawon Pass. The junior begins his second consecutive opener as the starter in search of consistency and success after bouncing in and out of the lineup last season. He completed 54% of his passes for 1,960 yards and eight TDs as a sophomore but also threw 12 interceptions.

FACTS & FIGURES

Notre Dame is playing its first Labor Day game. ... Book returns as the nation's third-most accurate passer behind Southern Mississippi's Jack Abraham (73.1 and Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa (69%). ... Satterfield was 51-24 with three consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles in six seasons at App State. ... Cardinal coaches are 9-11-2 in their debuts. ... Louisville is playing its third Monday night game and first since beating Miami (Florida) 31-13 to begin the 2014 season.

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FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2018, file photo, Stanford wide receiver Trenton Irwin is stopped by Notre Dame safety Jalen Elliott (21) and linebacker Asmar Bilal during the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame's second-year defensive coordinator Clark Lea has spent all spring, summer and preseason looking for replacements for graduated 2018 tackle leaders Te'von Coney and Drue Tranquill. In grad student Bilal and junior Drew White he may have found two of many. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, Notre Dame wide receiver/running back Jafar Armstrong (8) runs with the ball against Ball State during the first half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind. There is no Dexter Williams in the backfield this season for No. 9 Notre Dame. Instead, the Fighting Irish will look to a stable of running backs to pick up the slack, including Tony Jones and converted wide receiver Jafar Armstrong. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this July 17, 2019, file photo, Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield speaks during the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college football media day in Charlotte, N.C. Another season begins for the Louisville Cardinals with another new defensive coordinator and system to learn. Satterfield expects growing pains with the transition, but he's encouraged by Louisville's effort so far.(AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) The Associated Press

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