The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Louisville Cardinals are opening their 2020 seasons against one another at 8 p.m. ET Saturday at Cardinal Stadium. After a 9-4 record last year and a win in the First Responder Bowl, WKU is coming in with an eye to spark another quality season. U of L was on the positive side of .500 (8-5) last season and is hoping to kick off an even more successful year.
A pair of last-season defensive stats to keep an eye on: The Hilltoppers were 12th best in the nation (top 9%) in rushing touchdowns allowed, finishing the 2019 season giving up only 11. Less enviably, U of L ranked sixth worst in the nation with respect to passing touchdowns allowed last season, where the team gave up 31. The good news for U of L, of course, is that these forces working against them might not carry over into the new season.
Since the experts predict a loss, WKU will need to dig deep. We'll soon see whether they can make the experts look bad.



















