Rutgers @ Louisville preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 26, 2010 ) Louisville 40, Rutgers 13

THE STORY: Rutgers looks to stay on the inside track toward a Big East title when it travels to Louisville on Friday night. The Scarlet Knights currently sit atop the standings with a 2-0 league mark, just the second time they have won their first two Big East games in 21 seasons in the conference.

TV: ESPN2. LINE: Louisville -2.

ABOUT RUTGERS (5-1, 2-0 Big East): The Scarlet Knights have made a living off opponents’ mistakes thus far, leading the nation in turnover margin (2.17). Rutgers is tied for the national lead with 24 takeaways, ranking second with 14 interceptions and third with 10 fumbles recovered. The defense has been depleted recently, however, with LB Marvin Booker (knee) and DL Michael Larrow (ankle) both lost for the season last week against Navy.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (2-4, 0-1): The Cardinals let a golden opportunity slip away in their Big East opener last weekend, giving up 18 unanswered points in the second half of a 25-16 setback at Cincinnati. QB Will Stein (621 yards passing, 5 TD, 1 INT), who had missed two games with an injured shoulder, made a brief return against the Bearcats in place of Terry Bridgewater (709 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT). Both are expected to play Friday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The road team has won each of the last two meetings in lopsided fashion — Louisville rolled to a 40-13 victory last season, while Rutgers earned a 34-14 win in 2010.

2. Excluding the three-point thrillers in 2006 and 2007, the average margin of victory in games between the two schools since 1986 is 37.2 points.

3. Rutgers is third in the nation with 51 blocked kicks since 2002, including four this season. LB Jamal Merrell has three blocks in 2011, including two at Syracuse.

PREDICTION: Rutgers 27, Louisville 17. According to head coach Charlie Strong, the Cardinals are struggling with confidence right now —and that seems unlikely to improve against the surging, opportunistic Scarlet Knights.