Things to watch for as Louisville visits Cincinnati in the Battle for the Keg of Nails, a game that will provide some clues about whether things are going to turn around anytime soon:

— An actual sold out stadium at Nippert Stadium where Cincinnati fans will actually outnumber U of L folks for the first time anyone can remember. The bandwagon is still taking on passengers. Good thing the Bengals are off to bad start, huh?

— Cards to choose to play defense if U of L wins the coin toss. Brian Brohm seems to get off to a slow start against better teams, especially those with animals on the defensive line. With our unpredictable punting game, three-and-out inside our 30 could be bad news indeed.

— Will Harry Douglas actually play? We’ve been disappointed the last two games with Harry deciding in the last few minutes that’s it’s not going to happen. I think he plays even if he’s still hurting.

— Will Patrick Carter continue to perform like Harry Douglas, as he did against Utah, catching nine passes for 154 yards? It would be great to have two Harries out there.

— Will U of L gain over 50 yards on the ground? That depends on which versions of Anthony Allen and Brock Bolen show up. They have been unstoppable at times, practically unused in some games. If they gain 120 yards combined, it will have been a good day for the Cards.

— The ESPN-U television crew will spend much of time in the broadcast booth and on the sidelines throwing down food before, during and after the game.