Ranking Louisville football's 2020 schedule by match-up intrigue

The ACC released the 2020 conference schedule on Wednesday, and we ranked each match-up from least intriguing to most exciting for Louisville football. rnIt's that time of year already for everyone around Louisville football to get 90 percent of their predictions wrong. So we figured, why not take a stab at it?rnrnComing off of a ridiculously awesome, mind-blowingly satisfying comeback season, Louisville football still looks primed for more future success and hungry for more opportunities in 2020.rnrnAnd for second-year head coach Scott Satterfield and company, they appear aplenty.rnrnLouisville faces a back-loaded schedule that also has a sprinkle of Clemson in the early going, and we can't wait to break it all down for you.rnrnUntil then, here are all twelve of Louisville football's regular season match-ups ranked from least to most intriguing in 2020.rn 12. Murray State rn September 19th rnrnSomebody had to be last!rnrnAnd in a season where Louisville football faces a gauntlet of tough, exciting teams, Murray State is not one of them.rnrnThis is a pay game and nothing more. No offense to all my pals who attended Murray State (most underrated college experience in the country) but this is going to be a blowout.rnrnIf you want to stay late in the parking lot and enjoy the tailgate, this is the game to do so.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%2011-9" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_40470" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] LOUISVILLE, KY - SEPTEMBER 15: Quarterback Malik Cunningham #3 of the Louisville Cardinals jukes past a defender during the third quarter of the game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Cardinal Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 11. Western Kentucky rn September 26th rnrnI get married on this day, and I'm pretending this game doesn't exist for the sake of my sanity.rnrnHowever, when Jacob is mouthing me score updates during the wedding, I fully expect them to be closer than one would think.rnrnAfter hanging with the Cards for a half in Nashville in 2019, Western went on to win eight out of their last ten games to finish the season 9-3.rnrnHead coach Tyson Helton loses some important pieces, but this is Western's biggest game of the year and Helton will be looking to prove last season's turn around was not a fluke. The young up-and-coming coach is certain to be a hot name on the coaching market in 2021.rn 10. at Boston College rn October 19th rnrnIt seems like Louisville always catches Boston College right at the time of year when the weather is starting to turn and the Cards are going to be forced to play some grown man football.rnrnI lamented the fact that the Cards caught the Eagles on the same weekend two years ago, and here we go again. The first quarter of the season in Louisville and Clemson (and inside at Syracuse) will feature games in steamy weather.rnrnThis will be the first "fall" weather game of the season.... BUT that's really the only reason I'd be worried.rnrnBoston College loses nearly every contributor that gave the Cards fits over the last three years, and head coach Steve Addazio got the boot in favor of first-time head coach Jeff Hafley.rnrnWhile Hafley made out okay with a quickly-assembled 2020 recruiting class, it may be 2-3 years before BC gets back to where they were in 2018.rnrnSo while the second game of a northeastern road trip is never fun, the blow is softened by a lack of proven players on both sides of the ball. This is a game in which the Cardinals should take care of business if they hope to take another step forward in 2020.rn 9. at Syracuse rn October 3rd rnrnDino Babers and the Orange were massively underwhelming in 2019 after starting off the season in the top 25.rnrnSyracuse will look to bounce back in 2020, and there's potential to do so.rnrnThe Orange were riddled with injuries on both sides of the ball last season, and their offensive line was just bad. Like 2017 Louisville bad.rnrnTo help ease the sting of a poor season, Babers replaced both his offensive and defensive coordinators, and he will get another shot with veteran quarterback Tommy DeVito .rnrnThe real question mark is still Cuse's defense in 2020. The Orange loses almost all of its key contributors from an impressive pass rush upfront, and only return Andre Cisco , who will likely be an All-ACC safety in the preseason.rnrnRoad games are never easy in a power five conference, but Louisville dropped 50 on Syracuse in three quarters this season, and the Cardinals should only improve on that fast Carrier Dome turf.rnrnThere are plenty of question marks on Louisville's defense entering this season, but the last thing Syracuse wants is a shoot out, and it feels like that is what the Cardinals will bring.rnrnThere are no guarantees, but this feels like one of Louisville's easier conference wins.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%208-5" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_50478" align="aligncenter" width="3200"] LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 26: Javian Hawkins #10 of the Louisville Cardinals runs with the ball against the Virginia Cavaliers on October 26, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 8. at Virginia rn November 7th rnrnBronco Mendenhall's squad ended 2019 on a sour note after getting shellacked by Clemson and taking one on the chin against Florida in the Orange Bowl.rnrnStill, the Cavaliers are coming off of one of their better seasons in school history and feel like a program on the rise.rnrnThey will have to continue their ascension, however, without Bryce Perkins and his two stud receivers Joe Reed and Hasise Dubois .rnrnWhile the offense is rebuilding, the UVA defense projects to be one of the best in the ACC. They return the bulk of their starters from last season, and they will likely lean heavily on the ground game to try to shorten things up.rnrnMendenhall doesn't mind winning ugly, and the Cavs are likely to try and go that route in this one. Louisville will have to avoid turnovers if it wants to escape Charlottesville with a win.rn 7. NC State rn September 3rd rnrnLouisville opens the season hosting NC State for an important Thursday night primetime conference showdown.rnrnThe Cardinals used a strong third quarter to put away the Wolfpack in 2019, and like all but one ACC team, ran through and past the Pack for a pretty easy victory.rnrnLike Syracuse, State got rid of its offensive and defensive coordinators in the offseason, but unlike the Orange, the Wolfpack return almost everyone from a season ago.rnrnDave Doeren is on the hot seat entering the season, and a team projected to finish in the top half of the conference in Louisville would be the perfect opportunity to set the tone.rnrnHowever, Louisville is a solid team at home, especially in home openers, and particularly on Thursday night games. The crowd figures to be rocking and Louisville will have a real opportunity to win its season opener for the first time since Lamar Jackson left the program.rn 6. Wake Forest rn November 14th rnrnA turning point in the 2019 season for the Cardinals was their shootout victory over Wake Forest. The Cardinals offense was electric from start to finish and they saw contributions from nearly every offensive starter.rnrnEntering 2020, Wake has a ton of question marks. The Demon Deacons lose quarterback Jamie Newman as well as dynamic receivers Scotty Washington and Kendall Hinton .rnrnThey lose significant role players as well at linebacker, corner, tight end, offensive line, and running back as well.rnrnStill, Wake back up Sam Hartman will step into the presumed starter role, and he is just as dynamic as Newman. The Deacons also return electric receiver Sage Surratt, who shocked the college football landscape when he opted to return to school and running back Kenneth Walker III figures to thrive in an increased role.rnrnHead coach Dave Clawson has changed the Culture at Wake, and though the Deacs will feature a ton of fresh faces in the starting lineup, this game won't be a cakewalk.rnrnWake is Louisville's final conference game, which means the Cardinals will have a chance to set the tone early and perhaps apply some pressure on other teams at the top.rn 5. Kentucky rn November 28th rnrnComing off of back-to-back losses in the Governor's Cup for the first time in a decade, one would think that Kentucky would be higher up on a list of significant games.rnrnWhile the Cardinals' hosting of the Wildcats on Thanksgiving weekend is almost certain to be a contentious one, there are simply too many great games on the back end of this schedule to put this game any higher.rnrnLouisville went into Kroger Field and took it's most embarrassing L of the season as Lynn Bowden rushed for nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns.rnrnBowden is gone, but Kentucky returns a triumvirate of terrific running backs, one of the best offensive lines in the country, and quarterback Terry Wilson looks like he will finally be healthy. They have a ton of massive depth on the defensive line, and bring in one of their best recruiting classes ever.rnrnKentucky wasn't special last year given its talent level, but it continues to build depth, and its style of play will continue to pose a threat to Louisville.rnrnAmong ACC teams, Louisville is about mid-tier in size and athleticism, and that works. Against Kentucky's massive offensive and defensive linemen, however, the Cardinals have some things to work on.rnrnSatterfield and company will have a lot more depth to work with this season, and with another year to learn and prepare, Louisville definitely stands a chance to make this a better game and potentially end the season on a high note.rnrn[nextslide teaser="No.%204-2" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_50479" align="aligncenter" width="3200"] LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 19: Michel Dukes #19 of the Clemson Tigers against the Louisville Cardinals at Cardinal Stadium on October 19, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 4. at Clemson rn September 12th rnrnLooking at Louisville's schedule and matching it up with the Cardinals' opponents' open dates, we knew there was a good chance that they would draw Clemson in one of the first two games of the season.rnrnI feel like there is not a better time to catch the Tigers in 2020 than week two.rnrnLouisville will have a chance to dive into 2020 against NC State at home and get their feet under them before running into the death star, and it just feels like finding the soft spot in their schedule.rnrnGeorgia Tech is going to be an ACC bottom feeder once again, and Clemson will take out all of its frustrations from its National Title game defeat on the Yellow Jackets.rnrnThen, the Tigers return home to host Louisville. The Cardinals may have an opportunity, in a similar fashion to North Carolina last season, to catch Clemson before they truly hit their stride and make a game of it.rnrnRemember, Louisville hung tough with the Tigers last season, even after some tough breaks early on. Now, in year two under the new regime, the Cardinals will have 9 days to prepare.rnrnWill they come out victorious? It seems highly unlikely, but Satterfield and company have been there before and Louisville feels like a team that is built to test the Tigers.rn 3. Florida State rn October 24th rnrnFlorida State feels like a game that Louisville will have circled on its calendar right away.rnrnThough the Cardinals finished above the Seminoles in the ACC standings by season's end, Louisville dropped back-to-back games against FSU in heartbreaking fashion.rnrnIn 2018, Louisville's mind-boggling play-calling flipped a game that was in-hand to a last-second defeat, and ultimately torpedoed its entire season out of control.rnrn2019 ended similarly with a confusing interception that led to another confusingly long last-minute touchdown after Louisville scored 24 unanswered points.rnrnFor Cardinals who were on both teams, Florida State is a team that they know they can beat, and will desperately want to in front of what should be a lively home crowd.rnrnHowever, Louisville will have to do so against a squad led by a big name up-and-coming coach in Mike Norvell. The man responsible for turning around the Memphis program is now tasked with getting the Seminoles in order.rnrnDon't forget there is some bad blood in the recruiting waters already. Two Louisville commits, Chubba Purdy and Josh Griffis , both flipped to FSU on early signing day. The loss of Purdy was one that will sting for some time, as he was one of Louisville's highest-rated commits ever and the quarterback of the future. AND Purdy will probably be vying for playing time against former Cardinal Jordan Travis .rnrnThere's going to be no love lost all around between these two teams who will likely be battling for the second spot in the ACC Atlantic over the next few years in an attempt to eventually climb closer to conference superiority with Clemson.rnrnEnough of the heart-breaking losses on and off the field. Louisville will be out for blood, and that's why they rank as the third most interesting game.rn 2. Virginia Tech rnOctober 31strnrnAs it so happens, Louisville has drawn what could be the top two teams in the ACC Coastal Division this season.rnrnThough the Cards haven't faced the Hokies since 2006, many fans remember how contentious that '06 Gator Bowl became. Two programs who have risen on a similar trajectory, backed by similar fan bases and two young budding coaches.rnrnTech's Justin Fuente will lose long-time legendary defensive coordinator Bud Foster, but he will retain the entirety of what was a solid defense in 2019, as well as a deep offensive line and a budding young quarterback.rnrnHendon Hooker completed 61 percent of his passes a year ago and threw for 13 touchdowns to only two interceptions in the back half of the season.rnrnHooker and company will look to improve upon last season, and with the same pieces in place, the Hokies project as a top 15 team to start the year.rnrnA Halloween night match-up of two likely top 25 squads is good enough reason to land Tech at No. 2.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Louisville%20football's%20most%20intriguing%20game%20of%202020" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_47976" align="aligncenter" width="3200"] LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - SEPTEMBER 02: Tommy Tremble #24 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reaches for a touchdown against the Louisville Cardinals on September 02, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]rn 1. at Notre Dame rnNovember 21strnrnIf you break down Louisville's 2019 and 2020 schedules, they stack up pretty similarly.rnrnThere are the teams Louisville should beat: The WKU's, EKU's, Murray State's, of the world.rnrnThere's the in-between teams: Syracuse, Wake Forest, Boston College, Miami, etc.rnrnAnd then, there are the two teams that perhaps the Cardinals have no business beating: Clemson and Notre Dame.rnrnBoth the Tigers and the Fighting Irish are superior recruiting schools, they have long-standing traditions, amazing fan bases, multiple national titles, and hall of fame coaches. They are the definition of traditional blue bloods. Winning is expected there, and they don't place themselves on the same level as Louisville.rnrnBut, while Clemson feels like that team every year that is just untouchable (the Cardinals are 0-6 against the Tigers since joining the ACC), the same can't quite be said of Notre Dame.rnrnThe Irish made the College Football Playoffs two seasons ago and were ultimately eliminated by Clemson ironically enough. And last season saw the Irish finish an impressive 11-2 with losses only coming to Michigan and Georgia.rnrnStill, they don't have that same "untouchable" feeling or quality around them like they did for three or four decades.rnrnIn 2014, Louisville went into South Bend and got a win, and last season, the Cardinals went toe-to-toe with the Irish in a season opener on the heels of a 2-10 season.rnrnNotre Dame is obviously still the more talented team, but it doesn't feel like Louisville will be afraid of going to South Bend.rnrnIt's a game that will have serious implications on and off the field. Catholic roots run deep in the city of Louisville, and Cardinals fans are likely to bring thousands of fans once again to Notre Dame Stadium. For many, when Louisville's football program was an afterthought decades ago, Notre Dame was the local team many cheered for. But now that their hometown team has surfaced as a power five contender over the past two decades, it has been fun coming together of two teams, two fan bases, and two traditions that have nothing but the utmost respect for each other.rnrnOn the field, Notre Dame is likely to be vying for national respect. The Irish have two real tests vs Wisconsin at Lambeau Field and hosting Clemson early in November.rnrnIf the Irish win one of those games, they are almost certain to be in the playoff conversation once again.rnrnPerhaps the same can be said of Louisville. Though there are plenty of uncertainties around this team, its not crazy to think the Cardinals could travel to Notre Dame as a highly-ranked squad.rnrn[story_link_next description="3%20observations%20from%202020%20football%20schedule" url="https://bigredlouie.com/2020/01/22/louisville-football-3-things-from-the-2020-schedule-announcement/" /]rnrnAnd if the stakes are high, this could be among the most intriguing games the Cardinals will play in years.

Big Red Louie

Ranking Louisville football’s 2020 schedule by match-up intrigue

The ACC released the 2020 conference schedule on Wednesday, and we ranked each match-up from least intriguing to most exciting for Louisville football.

12. Murray State

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