As I get ready to head to Louisville for Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. kickoff, I can’t help but think about the matchups the ninth-ranked Clemson Tigers will face at Papa John’s Stadium.

I know a lot of you believe the Cardinals are an easier matchup than you once expected because of their 0-2 start to the season. But you need to listen to Dabo Swinney, Brent Venables and Tony Elliott when they tell you this is still going to be a hard game for Clemson to win.

Granted, Louisville has struggled on the defense side of the ball, but it’s not for lack of talent. It’s more as a result of failing to execute the game plan and schemes. The Cardinals are giving 32.5 points and 394.5 yards a game through the first two weeks of the season, but it is not as bad as it looks.

They actually played very well against Auburn in the season opener. The defense stopped Auburn’s power running game, limiting those Tigers to 190 rushing yards, while holding quarterback Jeremy Johnson to 11 of 21 passing for 137 yards and a touchdown. They picked Johnson off three times.

In other words, the defense gave the offense a chance to win the game, but an 82-yard fumble return for a touchdown and an interception on the game’s first play to set up Auburn’s first touchdown was too much for Louisville to overcome.

“Louisville is a good team. I know everybody is talking about how they’re 0-2 right now. Well, I wouldn’t look too much into that,” Swinney said. “Louisville is a good football team that I have no doubt will be in a bowl game at the end of the year and they have the same chance that we have to win this division.”

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