GAME NOTES: The Steve Kragthorpe era gets underway in Louisville this Thursday, as the 10th-ranked Cardinals take on the Murray State Racers in non- league play from Papa John's Stadium. Under the guidance of new head coach Kragthorpe, the Cardinals enter the season with high expectations after posting one of their best campaigns ever in 2006. Kragthorpe, who took over the program after Bobby Petrino accepted the head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons, inherits a team that is loaded with talent and experience. Last season, Louisville won the Big East title with a 6-1 finish and it posted a 12-1 overall ledger, which includes a 24-13 victory over Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. The expectations however, are even higher now and Kragthorpe, who went 29-21 as Tulsa's head coach the past four seasons, couldn't have come aboard at a more important time. As for MSU, it broke in a new head coach of its own last season, although things didn't exactly go well for Matt Griffin and the Racers. With a team full of underclassmen, the Racers struggled in many aspects of the game and stumbled to a 1-10 finish. The Racers, a member of the Football Championship Subdivision, even failed to win a single Ohio Valley Conference game (0-8), but they did gain valuable experience and that should play a big part in the team's turnaround in 2007. MSU unfortunately, must open its '07 campaign against a Louisville club that is not only extremely talented, but one that is riding an 18-game home winning streak. In terms of the all-time series, Louisville owns a 10-6 edge over MSU and that includes a 68-0 trouncing in the most recent meeting in 1990.

The Racers didn't have much success moving the ball last season, but that could have been due to the numerous freshmen and underclassmen that were in the starting lineup. With a year of experience now under their belts, MSU should be able to improve on the mere 285.1 total ypg it averaged in '06. At quarterback, the Racers will turn to redshirt freshman Jeff Ehrhardt to provide stability. Ehrhardt beat out Zac Barnard, who made nine starts last season, in the spring and he brings a solid arm and athleticism to this unit. A pair of sophomores in Charlie Jordan and Josh Jones return in the backfield and they are coming off a season in which they rushed for a combined 712 yards. Another sophomore, Rod Harper will also play a big role in the offense this season. Harper caught a pass in every game last season while leading MSU in catches (48), receiving yards (573) and touchdowns (eight).

Much like the offense, the Racers' defense didn't have much luck last year, allowing a whopping 430.4 total ypg, including 231.8 ypg on the ground. However, with the return of Nathan Williams and several other key starters, MSU should have no trouble improving on last year's numbers. Leading the way is senior linebacker Nathan Williams, who is a tackling machine. In just nine games last season, Williams posted 100 tackles and three sacks, as he earned all-league honors. Sophomore Tamar Butler will join Williams in the middle of the field and he is on the verge of becoming a star after posting 69 tackles and a team-best 9.5 TFLs in '06. In the secondary, the Racers will rely on a couple of seniors corners in Derrick Parrott and Koji Farrington. The duo combined for 74 tackles last season, but they need to be more aggressive when the ball is in the air, as they had just one interception between the two of them.

The Cardinals have possessed one of the top offenses in the nation the past few seasons and that includes 2006, when they ranked second in total yards (475.3 ypg). With the return of quarterback Brian Brohm and his top two targets, there is no reason to expect a drop off in '07. Now in his senior season, Brohm, passed on the NFL draft this past year, hoping that he could lead Louisville to the national title. Brohm, a legitimate candidate for the Heisman Trophy, has a strong and accurate arm and he is coming off a campaign in which he battled some injuries, but still threw for 3,049 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. The return of wideouts Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia give Brohm and the Cardinals one of the top receiving tandems around. Douglas, a senior, led the Cardinals with 70 catches and 1,265 yards last season, while the 6-6, 228-pound Urrutia (junior) posted 58 catches and 973 yards. In the backfield, Louisville will turn to the duo of sophomore Anthony Allen and junior George Stripling, whom combined for 865 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last season.

On the defensive side of the ball is where Louisville tends to get overshadowed due to its explosive offense. However, last year's unit ranked 17th in total defense (320.5 ypg) and that deserves some recognition. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, only four starters return from last year's group and that is a major concern for this team. Defensive end Peanut Whitehead started as a freshman last season and he showed a great deal of potential. Whitehead has great speed and with a year of experience behind him he should be able to improve on the four sacks he posted in '06. At the linebacker position, senior Malik Jackson is clearly the cream of the crop and he is a big time playmaker. Jackson is coming off a tremendous '06 campaign in which he posted team-highs of 16 TFLs, nine sacks and three fumble recoveries. In the secondary, junior corner Rod Council has an abundance of talent and he could be primed for a breakout year after a sub par '06 campaign.

The Cardinals are clearly the selection here, as they are the far superior team in ever aspect. This one could be out of reach by halftime.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Louisville 51, Murray State 0