Let's take a look at Louisville football.
Best / Worst Case Record for :
Virginia | Miami | Duke | Georgia Tech | SMU | Boston College | Pittsburgh | Florida State | Virginia Tech | Cal | NC State | Clemson | Syracuse | North Carolina | Stanford| Wake Forest
Louisville
Louisville has been a program flirting with having a truly special season each of the last three years. Jeff Brohm and Louisville have won 28 games in the last 3 seasons, and may have become the ACC’s second-best program after Miami. SMU might have an argument here, but you get the idea. Louisville has been really good, and 2026 might be the year the Cardinals break through. Can we believe in Louisville over a full season, though? That’s been the question for a number of years. The Cardinals look great for weeks, then they lose a game they have no business losing. Jeff Brohm has been building Louisville since he got there in 2023, and if there’s a year for Louisville to make a run to the playoffs, this could be the year.
Will Go 11-1 (7-1) if:
Louisville knocks off Ole Miss in game one. This game can be the same kind of catalyst for Louisville that Notre Dame was for Miami last year. Ole Miss probably won’t be as good as the 2025 version that got to the semi-finals of the college football playoff, but QB Trinidad Chambliss is back, and that’s a legitimate top 25 team. Louisville at their best has proven they can play with and beat anyone, but it’s maintaining that consistency over a full season. This is a talented team on both sides of the ball. The schedule doesn’t have Clemson or Miami, and they get SMU at home. They could very well be favored in every game after that Ole Miss one. The offense has to be better than 70th like last year. If it’s top 40, and the defense remains solid, I can see 11-1. There’s a lot of optimism that Ohio State QB Lincoln Kienholz will be able to elevate the offense.
Will Go 8-4 (4-4) if:
Louisville plays with the inconsistency we’ve seen the last 3 years. When Louisville is good, they’ve been great, ask Miami, but there have been several inexplicable losses over the last few years. The schedule has plenty of landmines after Ole Miss. Even SMU at home is dangerous; then there is a game at NC State. Road games at Syracuse, at Georgia Tech, and at Kentucky are tricky as well. The offense has a ton to replace, and it was inconsistent last season. If those out of nowhere loss show up again, it could be a disappointing 8-4 season.
