JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Final bowl preps are underway for the Louisville Cardinals.
The Cards will practice one last time today ahead of Saturday's TaxSlayer Bowl meeting with Mississippi State before a visit to a Naval station near Jacksonville.
The Cards will enter the game without two big names on the defensive side of the ball in Jaire Alexander and James Hearns, both of which announcing this week they will skip the game and enter the NFL Draft.
Defensive Coordinator Peter Sirmons says the decision of Alexander and Hearns reflects "college football right now" and says the next man up will be ready.
Louisville and Mississippi State both enter Saturday's game with 8-4 records. This will be the fifth time the teams have met on the gridiron, splitting the previous four games .
Kickoff is at noon Saturday and you can hear it on NewsRadio 840 WHAS.