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Louisville Football: What’s a realistic outcome for Cardinals in 2019?

By Michael McDaniel

CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 03: Jawon Pass #4 of the Louisville Cardinals drops back to pass against the Clemson Tigers during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 03: Jawon Pass #4 of the Louisville Cardinals drops back to pass against the Clemson Tigers during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KY – DECEMBER 05: Scott Satterfield the new head coach of football team at the University of Louisville talks to the media before the start od the Louisville Cardinals against the Central Arkansas Bears at KFC YUM! Center on December 5, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY – DECEMBER 05: Scott Satterfield the new head coach of football team at the University of Louisville talks to the media before the start od the Louisville Cardinals against the Central Arkansas Bears at KFC YUM! Center on December 5, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Where are the wins coming for the Cardinals in 2019?

  • Week 1: Notre Dame (Sept. 2)
  • Week 2: Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 7)
  • Week 3: vs. Western Kentucky (Sept. 14)
  • Week 4: at Florida State (Sept. 21)
  • Week 5: BYE
  • Week 6: Boston College (Oct. 5)
  • Week 7: at Wake Forest (Oct. 12)
  • Week 8: Clemson (Oct. 19)
  • Week 9: Virginia (Oct. 26)
  • Week 10: BYE
  • Week 11: at Miami (Nov. 9)
  • Week 12: at NC State (Nov. 16)
  • Week 13: Syracuse (Nov. 23)
  • Week 14: at Kentucky (Nov. 30)

Congratulations on the new job, coach.

Your welcome aboard gift is a Labor Day night opener against College Football Playoff semifinalist Notre Dame. At least, it’s at home, right?

OK, 0-1.

Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky follow the date with the Irish, with the Western Kentucky game taking place at a neutral site in Nashville. Hopefully Louisville can snag two wins there, but that’s far from a certainty. Those games aren’t pushovers.

Following the three game stretch to open the year, Louisville travels to Tallahassee to face Florida State, which is followed by a bye week and a home game against Boston College.

The BC game opens a stretch of three out of four at home in the month of October, as they follow the game against the Eagles with a trip to Wake Forest, and then home games against Clemson and Virginia.

It’s not likely, but if Louisville can snag three wins in the five game stretch of Florida State, Boston College, Wake Forest, Clemson, and Virginia, bowl eligibility and a Coach of the Year trophy for Scott Satterfield is not out of the question.

Louisville better get their winning done before that Clemson game, because the closing stretch of Clemson, Virginia, at Miami, at NC State, home against Syracuse and at Kentucky is far from kind. That could likely be 0-6 down the stretch unless they pull a couple of upsets.

Next. Top 30 skill position players for 2019. dark

Prediction: 3-9, 1-7 ACC

The stretch in October that I mentioned above is the key to the season, but I don’t expect it to be great in the first year under Satterfield. This isn’t an indictment of him or the coaching staff, it’s just a brutal hand they were dealt with the schedule and the roster, which has some talent but is deficient across some key areas, including the offensive and defensive lines.

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