CLEMSON — Though many might be expecting No. 11 Clemson to run away from Louisville, Dabo Swinney is not one of them.

The Tigers’ head coach knows his team has its hands full with quarterback Tyler Shough, running back Isaac Brown and wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks and the Cardinals offense when they play at Memorial Stadum Saturday night.

“This is a really good football team coming in here. Really talented,” Swinney said. “They got three losses, but all of them are a touchdown or less and their three losses are to teams that are a combined 22-2.”

Louisville is averaging 36.6 points and 460.0 yards per game. Shough leads a passing attack that is one of the ACC’s best, ranking third at 302.8 yards an outing. Brooks leads the conference in receptions and yards and ranks in the top five in just about every other category.

Brown, a true freshman, is averaging a league best 7.55 yards per carry and has six rushing TDs.

“They can score points on anybody,” Swinney said. “They do a great job putting a lot of pressure on you offensively, because you have to match them.”

Louisville (5-3, 3-2 ACC) at No. 11 Clemson (6-1, 5-0 ACC)

Kickoff: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson

TV: ESPN

Spread: Clemson -10.5

Over/Under: 62

Series: Clemson leads series 8-0

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Clemson wants to keep its lead in the ACC standings and move a step closer to clinching a spot in the ACC Championship Game. After Louisville, the Tigers have just two conference games remaining and can possibly clinch a spot in the title game after trips to Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh in the next two weeks.

KEY MATCHUP

In five of their eight games this season, Louisville’s defense has allowed the opposing quarterback to lead the team in rushing. That means Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is very important to the Clemson running game, which he has been all year. Though the Cardinals have stopped opposing running backs, quarterbacks have been running wild. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings ran for 113 yards on 10 carries and scored on a 59-yard TD run.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Shough might be the guy tossing the ball and Brown is explosive in the run game, but make no mistake about it, Brooks is the guy that makes things happen in the Louisville offense. Brooks single handedly rallied the Cardinals to a come-from-behind victory at Boston College last week, as he had eight catches for 120 yards. He leads the ACC with 44 catches for a league leading 799 yards and a league leading 8 TDs. He is averaging 18.2 yards per reception and has 24 more catches than his closest teammate.

T.J. Parker is without a doubt Clemson’s best pass-rusher, and he has been getting better and better with each passing week. Louisville has struggled to protect at times, allowing 13 sacks so far this year. Parker has five sacks this year, including two in the Tigers’ win over Virginia two weeks ago, a game in which he also was credited with a strip sack. Parker has the ability to take over a game, and Clemson might need him to in order to slow down Shough and Louisville passing game.

THIS AND THAT

Former Clemson greats Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins will be inducted into Clemson’s Athletic Hall of Fame during the first timeout of the first quarter on Saturday. Boyd and Watkins combined to give Clemson and the ACC one of its better passing duos from 2011-’13. When it was said and done, Boyd was Clemson’s all-time winningest quarterback and passing leader, while Watkins’ college career ended as the Tigers’ top pass catcher in terms of catches, yards and tied for touchdowns. Boyd is still Clemson’s all-time leader in career passing TDs, rushing TDs by a quarterback, total touchdowns, passing yards, attempts and completions.

FINAL ANALYSIS

This is going to be a tough game all the way around. Louisville’s offense will put stress on Clemson’s defense and will ultimately get theirs. The question is can Clemson’s defense get enough stops? Cade Klubnik and the Clemson offense will get its as well, though the game will be decided by how much success the Tigers’ offensive line has against the Cardinals talented defensive front.

PREDICTION

Clemson 38, Louisville 27