Louisville Cardinals Football 2007 Predictions

I know, the season's already started, which makes predictions much easier. But I haven't had a chance until now to publish the following forecast.

That said, my prediction for the Murray State game is what I truly expected (obviously the game's already been played).

• Aug 30, Murray State, Win (by 55).
• Sep 6, Middle Tennessee, Win (by 35).
• Sep 15, at Kentucky, Loss (by 8).
• Sep 22, Syracuse, Win (by 45).
• Sep 29, at North Carolina State, Win (by 20).
• Oct 5, Utah, Win (by 4).
• Oct 13, at Cincinnati, Win (by 2).
• Oct 27, Pittsburgh, Win (by 22).
• Nov 8, at West Virginia, Loss (by 16).
• Nov 17, at South Florida, Win (by 4).
• Nov 29, Rutgers, Win (by 34).

The Kentucky game stands as the easiest debacle to spot. Kentucky's playing with renewed enthusiasm, and I predicted years ago (in an editorial published in The Courier-Journal on Thanksgiving Day in 2004, I think it was) that Wildcat fans would come to view great things in Commonwealth Stadium due to the professional leadership and insight wielded by AD Mitch Barnhart. Unless the Cardinals truly rise to a new level of spirit, belief and play, this game will stand as a spoiler for the ages (as the Cards look to be ranked in the top five or six teams in the nation when the game rolls around).

West Virginia, playing at home, will be tough to beat. They've got an outstanding quarterback and running back, both of whom are likely to see playing time in the NFL. The Cards, again, will have to play truly inspired to escape with a victory. Seeing as the Louisville program is still subject to bush league meltdowns (witness the 2006 Rutgers loss that should have been a blowout victory), I don't possess the necessary confidence to predict a win on the road against a likely top five team (of which the Mountaineers are certainly a worthy candidate).

As for the Rutgers game in 2007, there's one thing to say; paybacks are hell. Rutgers may well enter this last game of the year undefeated (or with one loss to West Virginia, which the Scarlet Knights play at home in Jersey), but the Cards will take care of that. It won't even be close.