College Football Rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 projections for 2020
By Zach Bigalke
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 8-5 in 2019. won Music City Bowl 38-28 vs. Mississippi State. Louisville Cardinals. 20. player. 849
Scott Satterfield’s first season as the head coach at Louisville was an unqualified success, as the Cardinals concluded 2019 with a 38-28 win over Mississippi State at the Music City Bowl in Nashville. Louisville finished 8-5 after the victory, a quick rebound that put the program back on the foundations it rested on before the tail end of Bobby Petrino’s second term ended in collapse.
Sophomore quarterback Micale Cunningham continued his breakout in Dwayne Ledford’s offense. Cunningham completed nearly 70 percent of his passes against the Bulldogs, going 16-of-23 for 279 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The quarterback added 81 rushing yards, bolstering the 105-yard rushing performance by freshman running back Javian Hawkins. They will constitute the backbone of an offense that loses some seniors from the two-deep but could be even stronger.
Challenging Clemson for the ACC Atlantic will be difficult, but as the Cardinals mature as a team in Satterfield’s system they could be the Tigers’ biggest threat in 2020. The confidence in Satterfield coupled with a more experienced roster will have voters considering Louisville for a top-20 spot in in the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll.