Rivalry in the Bluegrass State, Legaux Undergoes Surgery

On Saturday, the #7 Louisville Cardinals (2-0) will look to advance its unbeaten record against the Kentucky Wildcats (1-1). The team is finally hitting the road this season and what a better opponent than its in-state rival.

For the Wildcats, it will be their first meeting against the Cardinals under new coach Mark Stoops; he’ll look for the win against a team loaded with talent.

Teddy Bridgewater

Quarterback Teddy Brigewater is still living up to the Heisman hype and sits as the top contender at 4/1. In his first two games, he’s already thrown 752 yards, an FBS-leading nine touchdowns and a 76.7 percent completion rate. Louisville is averaging 46.5 points with 545.0 yards of total offense per game.

Bridgewater has found success thanks to a wealth of targets including his veteran wide receiver corp.:  Damian Copeland, DeVante Parker, Eli Rogers and his tight end Ryan Hubbell as well as new faces in the mix, Kai De La Cruz, Robert Clark and a second tight end. Gerald Christian.

He likes to spread the wealth around and De La Cruz has been a pleasant surprise for the team. After returning punts in 2012, he showed he was ready for more in Week 1 with a team-leading four receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns (one 40-yard run).

Bridgewater has won twice against Kentucky. In the 2012 game, Bridgewater went 19 for 21 and 232 yards in a 32-14 win and in the previous year, he was 10 for 18, 106 yards and two scores in a 24-17 victory.

Stoops said of Bridgewater via The Associated Press, “He’s so fast and so patient. He doesn’t hurry anything. He plays fast without being in a hurry, if that makes sense. He’s very cool, and he’s got a very live arm and he can make any throw. You could just see the confidence in him the more he’s played.”

The Cardinals are yet to play some solid competition but Louisville’s season is about to get started. After Kentucky, there’s No. 18 Florida, No. 13 South Carolina and then No. 1 Alabama.

For Kentucky, they’ll enter the game with confidence after last week’s 41-7 rout of Miami of Ohio. Quarterback Maxwell Smith passed for 310 yards and three touchdowns while quarterback No. 2, Jalen Whitlow, tossed for 103 yards (10 for 12) and ran for 48 yards with one touchdown.

Can this duo do it again versus this more talented team? Probably not but it’s worth watching even as Vegas gives the Cardinals another win (-14.5, 60 o/u).

Legaux Undergoes Surgery

After beginning of the season in a battle for the starting quarterback role, Cincinnati (1-1) Munchie Legaux has exited the competition after last week’s gruesome knee injury against Illinois (1-1).

Munchie Legaux

On Friday, Leagaux underwent surgery for torn ligaments and he’ll be out for the season. He could return in 2014 if he can get a NCAA medical redshirt. There is optimism by the team this will happen.

Should Leagaux play in his final season, he could again undergo a quarterback competition against Notre Dame transfer Gunner Kiel.

Meanwhile for the rest of 2013, sixth-year senior quarterback Brendon Kay will take over as quarterback. He’s been battling a sore shoulder but will be good to go for Saturday’s game against Northwestern State (2-0).

He is experienced and is the best option for the Bearcats at this time.

And it will be good enough to lead Cincinnati to a win this week (-29.5, 55.5 o/u).

In other AAC action, UCF remains undefeated (2-0) and will take on the Big Ten’s Penn State (2-0). Under the lights, both teams are expected to have some big offensive plays but the Nittany Lions may have the advantage defensively. However, the Knights have only given up one touchdown over two games. This has them ranked at No. 4 for giving up points.

Central Florida stood up to Ohio State earlier this season but could be challenged playing at Happy Valley. Penn State gets the win (-5, 50.5 o/u).