NC State football returns to Carter-Finley Stadium this Saturday with yet another 7:30 p.m. kickoff, this time against Louisville on the ACC Network.

The Wolfpack is ranked No. 25 in the coaches' polls with a 5-2 overall record and 2-1 mark in the ACC. Louisville is 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the conference, but is coming off a two-touchdown victory at home over Boston College, 28-14, following its bye week.

Here is a full scouting report on Louisville:

Junior linebacker Yasir Abdullah (No. 22)

Abdullah is currently one of the ACC's best pass rushers. He is third in the conference with six sacks, and he has registered one in five of Louisville's seven games.

For the season, Abdullah has 30 total tackles, and he leads Louisville with nine hits for loss, which is tied for second in the league. He has also broken up a pair of passes and has a QB hurry. It's as a pass rusher where he has made his mark, however.

In Louisville's four ACC games, Abdullah has four sacks. He had three in 11 games last season, when he also forced three fumbles.

Cornerback Kei'Trel Clark (No. 13)

After transferring from Liberty following the 2019 season, Clark made second-team All-ACC when he tied for for the conference lead with 10 pass breakups in 2020. He also had a pick and a fumble recovery in his Louisville debut season.

He has further cemented his status as a shutdown corner with three interceptions through seven games this year, tied for second most in the ACC. Add in his five pass breakups, and Clark is tied for the league lead with eight passes defended.

Redshirt junior quarterback Malik Cunningham (No. 3)

The numbers say it all for the athletic Cunningham.

Now in his third year as the primary starter, Cunningham has completed 63.2 percent of his career pass attempts for 6,839 yards and 51 touchdowns against just 22 interceptions. Yet, he's equally dangerous as a runner, carrying for 2,068 yards and 31 scores as a Cardinal.

Cunningham is averaging a career-best 68.6 yards per game on the ground thus far through seven games this year, and he is accounting for 309.1 yards per game of total offense in 2021.

Sophomore H-back Marshon Ford (No. 83)

Ford is turning into a major walk-on success story for the Cardinals.

He emerged in 2019 with 20 receptions for 292 yards and seven touchdowns, and then last fall added 25 catches for 309 yards and six scores. Ford led all ACC tight ends in 2019 in scoring receptions and was second among that group last season.

Although he has not reached the touchdown as much thus far this year, just once in seven games, he leads the Cardinals with 30 catches for 313 yards.

Redshirt freshman running back Jalen Mitchell (No. 15)

The Cards use a balanced running attack and have three tailbacks that can get carries in a game, not to mention Cunningham at quarterback. Mitchell has been the most frequently used thus far.

Mitchell flashed a year ago as a rookie, carrying 52 times for 347 yards and two scores, averaging an impressive 6.7 yards per rush. He has carried over that success this year. The big back at 5-foot-10, 221 pounds has rushed a team-high 96 times for 424 yards, also tops on the squad. His three rushing touchdowns are the most by anyone not named Cunningham (13).

Mitchell has also added eight catches for 80 yards.

1. The best rushing attack NC State has faced yet: On paper, this is strength against strength. NC State is eighth nationally in allowing just 91.4 yards per game on the ground and 13th giving up 3.1 yards per carry. It joins Georgia as the only team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) allowing only one touchdown on the ground.

Louisville however is averaging 201.0 yards per game rushing, almost 20 yards more than any opponent NC State has played this year. It is fourth in the ACC in rushing yards per game. The best rushing attack the Pack has faced in ACC play has been Boston College, who ranks ninth in the league at 157.3 yards.

In its last three games, all against league foes, Louisville has rushed for 208, 233 and 331 yards respectively on the ground, the latter most coming against a Boston College team that held the Wolfpack to 130 yards on the ground the week prior to traveling to Louisville

The Cards' rushing average is 31st nationally, and its 5.0 yards per carry is 29th.

2. A ball hawk defense: Louisville has shown some vulnerability to passing attacks. Wake Forest threw for 324 yards and Virginia for 487, and those represent the Cards' two ACC defeats.

But even in those two games, Louisville had a combined three interceptions. It has nine for the season in seven games, most among teams in the ACC and tied for 14th nationally.

It has an interception in all but the season opener against Ole Miss.

3. A physical line of scrimmage: In addition to running the football, Louisville is good at protecting the quarterback. Granted, having an athletic quarterback like Cunningham can sometimes skew the sacks allowed statistics, but Louisville is tops in the ACC and 14th nationally in fewest given up thus far with just eight in seven games.

On the other side of the field, Louisville is fourth in the league with 21 sacks, which is also tied for 21st nationally. It could prove to be the most aggressive pass rushing team NC State has faced this season.

1. Protect the football: Louisville overcame four turnovers of its own Saturday against Boston College by forcing three — two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

It is through the air where redshirt sophomore Devin Leary has to be careful. The Cards have proven to be good at getting pressure on the quarterback, so Leary needs to be precise in his decision-making.

If he can be, then there is potentially yards to be gained through the air. Louisville ranks just 116th out of 130 FBS teams in passing yards allowed per game at 276.3.

2. Protect against the big plays: Louisville has been a big-play offense since head coach Scott Satterfield arrived three years ago. It is the only team in the country to have multiple gains of 90-plus yards on offense this year. It has six plays of 50 yards or more, tied for 23rd in the country.

With Cunningham's ability to run the football, it puts a lot of strain on defense that is now down four starters. One player in particular to keep an eye out for is redshirt sophomore receiver Tyler Harrell, who reportedly has been timed at under 4.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Harrell has only eight catches in seven games, but three went for touchdowns and he is averaging 34.0 yards per catch.

Statistically Louisville is the best offense NC State has faced this year at 450.1 yards per game. Making the Cards earn yards by staying on schedule vs. chunk plays could be a difference-maker for the defense.

3. Start strong: Louisville has not been a strong second half team in 2021. It was outscored 21-3 in the fourth quarter of a loss at home to Virginia. It nearly blew a 31-13 halftime advantage at Florida State by going scoreless in the second half of what was an eight-point victory.

The only opponents Louisville has outscored after halftime were Ole Miss, who built up a 26-0 lead on its way to a 43-24 victory, and Eastern Kentucky from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) by a 10-0 margin.

An early lead may also force Louisville to become more predictable with Cunningham at quarterback, which is always a plus.

1-8 Louisville's record under Satterfield when it does not force a turnover. It is also 3-13 when trailing in the turnover margin.

3-14 Louisville's record under Satterfield when trailing at halftime. It is 7-12 when the opponent scores first and 0-13 when trailing going into the third quarter.

100 Yards rushing on 13 carries by Cunningham against NC State in 2018, his first career 100-yard rushing effort. In 2019, Cunningham threw for four touchdowns in a Cardinals' victory, second most in a game for Cunningham in his career.

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