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No. 22 Football Looks To Reclaim Keg Of Nails Friday At Louisville

No. 22 Football Looks To Reclaim Keg Of Nails Friday At LouisvilleNo. 22 Football Looks To Reclaim Keg Of Nails Friday At Louisville

Nov. 11, 2008

Game Notes | Season Statistics | Live Video | | Listen


PREVIEWING THE 48TH BATTLE FOR THE KEG OF NAILS


GAME 10: No. 22/22 CINCINNATI at LOUISVILLE

Friday, Nov. 14 | 8 p.m. EST | Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (42,000) | Louisville, Ky.

Series: UC leads 25-21-1
Last Meeting: UofL 28, UC 24 (Oct. 13, 2007 - Nippert Stadium)
Television: ESPN2: Sean McDonough (PXP), Chris Spielman (ANA), Rob Stone (SL)
Streaming: www.ESPN360.com
Radio: 700 WLW & XM Channel 173: Dan Hoard (PXP), Jim Kelley, Jr. (ANA) Tom Gelehrter (SL), & Mo Egger (Host/ENG)

SETTING THE MATCHUP

NO. 22 BEARCATS TRY TO RECLAIM THE KEG OF NAILS FRIDAY AT LOUISVILLE
The No. 22 ranked University of Cincinnati football team returns to the field Friday, playing their second-straight BIG EAST road game, taking on Louisville in the 48th battle for the Keg of Nails at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. in game that will be televised by ESPN2. One of the most unique rivalry trophies in college football, the Keg of Nails was initiated by fraternity chapters on the UC and UofL campuses, signifying that the winning players in the game were "tough as nails." The BIG EAST rivals are separated by 105 miles of I-71.

THE SERIES
Cincinnati and Louisville meet for the 48th time on the field Friday. UC holds a 25-21-1 advantage in the series, but the Cardinals have won the past five meetings and nine of the last 10.

THE COACHES
Brian Kelly, the 2007 BIG EAST Coach of the Year, is in his second full season at the helm of the Cincinnati football program with a 18-5 record and an 18-year career mark of 155-56-2. Kelly led the Bearcats to a school-record-tying 10 wins in 2007 and a victory in the Papajohns.com Bowl. He won two NCAA Division II National Championships at Grand Valley State and led Central Michigan to the 2006 Mid-American Conference Championship. He is the leader in victories among active BIG EAST coaches and is the only current BIG EAST coach with 150 or more career wins.

Steve Kragthorpe is 11-10 in his second season as Louisville's head coach. He is 40-31 overall in six seasons as a head coach.

STREAKS, STORYLINES, SIDEBARS

  • UC is ranked No. 22 in both national polls this week.
  • UC is in the last part of its toughest stretch of the season, playing four games in 21 days with three coming on the road.
  • The Bearcats played one of the first games of the 2008 season on Aug. 28 and UC will play the last game of the regular season with its 11:30 p.m. EST kickoff at Hawai'i on Dec. 6.
  • UC is bowl eligible for the seventh time in the past nine years.
  • Quarterback Tony Pike, playing with a broken left (non-throwing) arm, has helped lead UC to consecutive victories over ranked teams, knocking off USF and West Virginia.
  • UC has used four quarterbacks this season, Chazz Anderson, Zach Collaros, Dustin Grutza, and Pike. Grutza started the first two games before breaking his right fibula at Oklahoma, and Collaros led UC to a 17-15 come-from-behind win at Akron.
  • The UC defense has produced 16 sacks in its last six games after recording three in the first three games of the season.
  • Defensive end Connor Barwin has seven sacks on the season, tied for the BIG EAST lead and 19th best nationally.