Louisville Cardinals moonwalk into Citrus Bowl

Louisville entered November with an outside shot at the college football playoffs, with its only defeat to that point a defeat at Clemson that wasn't decided until the game's final play. But losses to Houston and Kentucky to end the regular season dropped this team from the ranks of the contenders, and even out of a spot in the Orange Bowl.

Instead, the Cardinals will play Louisiana State in the Florida Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31. For the high-powered Cardinals offense, the Tigers imposing defense will be perhaps the biggest test of 2016 on the year's final day.

It says something about the Cardinals that a matchup like this would be a disappointment. But a season that seemed to offer more tantalizing possibilities following a 63-20 blowout of Florida State instead ended with the bitterness of seeing the Seminoles snake the Orange Bowl bid away from the Cards thanks to a stronger finish.

That said, the Cardinals remain one of the more entertaining teams in the country, and the Citrus Bowl managed to create one of the more intriguing matchups of the postseason in this ACC-SEC clash.

LSU has the sixth-best scoring defense in the country, allowing just 16.4 points per game. Only Texas A&M broke the 21-point barrier on the Tigers this season. While the LSU offense has been better the second half of the season, it's the defense that's the star of the show for the Tigers most of the time.

On the other hand, Lamar Jackson is often good for that many points by himself -- he was responsible for 51 touchdowns during the regular season, 30 passing and 21 rushing. The Cardinals can score quickly or grind out drives, through the air or on the ground. Jackson is a human highlight film and has shredded defenses all season long.

It will be a contrast in styles between a Tigers team that runs the ball and chews up clock and a Cardinals team that flies through the air and scores early and often. Or, more pessimistically, between an LSU team that sometimes struggles to score with a Louisville defense that lately has had a hard time stopping anyone.

Jackson will be the player to watch. The Cardinals quarterback is one of the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy despite a difficult finish to the regular season. As he captures more postseason hardware, he'll have more eyes on him to see if he's been the benefit of bursting onto the scene and dominating subpar defenses, or whether he can handle one of the best defenses in college football.

NOTES, QUOTES

PLAYERS TO WATCH

--QB Lamar Jackson has already been named ACC Player of the Year, the first of many postseason honors he's likely to get. He was responsible for 51 touchdowns, 30 passing and 21 rushing. He's thrown for more than 400 yards twice in 2016, and set the school's single-season rushing record. That said, teams lately have had success by pressuring him while forcing him to stay in the pocket. If he breaks free of the initial attack, however, few are capable of chasing him down.

--LB Keith Kelsey isn't as flashy as some of his teammates, but he's the most reliable performer. The three-year starter led the team with 81 tackles, and will be looking to end his college career on a positive note.

--LB Devonte Fields was an All-ACC First Team selection, with five sacks and 42 tackles in his senior season. Fields can be as dominant as anyone in football, but he also has games where he's been neutralized with relative ease. If Fields is at his best in the Citrus Bowl, LSU will have a hard time keeping him out of its backfield.

--S Josh Harvey-Clemons finished fourth on the team with 61 tackles despite missing two games to injury. He's an aggressive defensive back who's strong both in run support and pass defense.