Kentucky at Louisville

Kickoff: Sunday, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Spread: Louisville by 13.5

Watchability: High. Aside from Syracuse, which plays Northwestern, Louisville is the only Big East team to face an opponent from a BCS conference in its opener. Besides that, it's a rivalry game (and the only thing on Sunday afternoon).

Shining stars: Louisville: QB Teddy Bridgewater. Kentucky fans certainly remember Bridgewater, as he replaced starting quarterback Will Stein last season in Lexington to lead the Cardinals to their first victory over the Wildcats in five years. Bridgewater, now a sophomore, is expected to be one of the best players in the Big East in 2012. Kentucky: WR La'Rod King. His numbers may not show it, but King is an above average receiver for the Wildcats. The problem throughout his career, however, has been poor quarterback play. If new Kentucky quarterback Maxwell Smith -- who beat out last year's starter, senior Morgan Newton -- can find King, he may be able to cause problems in the Louisville secondary.

Who could steal the show: Louisville: WR Charles Gaines. The Kentucky defensive backfield is fairly weak, and Gaines -- a lightning fast freshman -- has been impressive during the preseason. Bridgewater has a host of receivers available, and any one can have a huge game. Kentucky: QB Smith. All eyes will be on Bridgewater and the Cardinal offense, but Smith could be a surprise. He experienced far more downs than ups last season, but that can be said about most freshman quarterbacks in the SEC.

You going? Ranking the road trip: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium is a terrific football stadium. It's a fun atmosphere, and it should be rocking Sunday. However, Hurricane Isaac has decided to make an appearance, and, though weaker, some forecasters are calling for as much as 6 inches of rain. Wear a poncho.

Magic number for Louisville: 2. The Cardinals had sustained a level of dominance over the Wildcats during the Bobby Petrino era, however all that good was undone when Steve Kragthorpe arrived. He lost three straight to the 'Cats, but now head coach Charlie Strong is trying to make it two wins in a row.

Magic number for Kentucky: 2,060. That's the number of tickets the University of Kentucky returned unsold to Louisville. Usually Wildcat fans cram into Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, but not this year. Louisville will have a decided home-field advantage.

The game comes down to: Composure. If the young Cardinals can mantain their composure in the rain, they win easily. They are the superior team on both sides of the ball. One area of concern, however: kicking. If the game comes down to a field goal, Strong is not confident in his place kickers.

Prediction: Louisville 30, Kentucky 17

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Big East, follow bloggers Evan Hilbert and Matt Rybaltowski @CBSBigEast.