Murray State @ Louisville preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2011 ) Murray State 9, Louisville 21

A sensational defensive effort overshadowed a hum-drum offensive showing by the Louisville Cardinals in a season-opening win over the Miami Hurricanes. Bobby Petrino and the Cardinals' offense should have a great opportunity to fine-tune things Saturday as they host the Murray State Racers. The Cardinals rolled to a 31-13 victory over the Hurricanes behind a strong game from Dominique Brown, who set career highs with 33 carries and 143 rushing yards in the rout.

The story of the opener was Louisville's new-look 3-4 defense, which forced three turnovers while holding Miami to one third-down conversion in 13 opportunities. "I thought the defense really did a great job all night long, especially on third down," Petrino told reporters after the game. The Racers shouldn't provide much of a test despite rolling to a 73-26 drubbing of Union Kentucky College in its opener, led by senior quarterback CJ Bennett's five touchdown passes.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: None.

ABOUT MURRAY STATE (1-0): Things couldn't have gone much better for the Racers in the season opener, as they rode Bennett's career-best TD barrage and punt-return scores from Shawn Samuels-Connell and Janawski Davis to their biggest victory since an 83-14 evisceration of Campbellsville last Sept. 7. Murray State finished in the middle of the pack in the Ohio Valley Conference a season ago, but was ultimately done in by a 1-5 record away from Roy Stewart Stadium. That doesn't bode well against a Louisville team that is 7-1 in its last eight home games.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (1-0): Petrino, making his return to the Cardinals following an eight-year absence, lavished praise on a unit that excelled despite dealing with a new defensive coordinator in Todd Grantham, a new alignment and seven new starters. "Our defensive staff had a great plan going in and really worked hard at it," Petrino said. "That's the thing that I really noticed, how fast our defense played." Safety James Sample (eight tackles, interception) and running back Corvin Lamb (97-yard kickoff-return TD) were named co-ACC defensive back and specialist of the week, respectively.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Louisville has allowed fewer than 14 points in six of its last eight home games.

2. Brown's 33 carries were 10 more than any other ACC player accumulated in the opening week.

3. Petrino, who previously coached Louisville from 2003-06, is 42-9 at the helm of the Cardinals over his career.

PREDICTION: Louisville 56, Murray State 7