Louisville football: Five realistic predictions for the 2020 season
Louisville loses a game it “shouldn’t” in 2020
Among the predictions here, this is the one that will rub some fans the wrong way. However, coming off of a season where the Cardinals had nearly every possible thing go right, there are bound to be setbacks.
Louisville’s 2019 season was an incredible turnaround as the Cards rose from the ashes of the dumpster fire that Bobby Petrino left behind. Going from 2-10 to 8-5 in one season in a power five conference is nearly unheard of, but if we are being completely forthcoming, it wasn’t without a little luck.
When Satterfield took over, he didn’t even know if his team could win more than three games. “I honestly believed that,” Satterfield said on What’s Next with Eric Wood podcast.
The Cards’ roster was not built for sustained success in the ACC conference. There was zero depth at any position, save running back and wide receiver. Nearly half of the team was playing out of where the new staff felt was the right position, and many of the players were tweeners that were not great fits in Satterfield’s system.
The success that was seen in the 2019 season was partly due to a remarkably healthy team that hit a hot streak and found ways to win.
Louisville’s only true injury setback was to starter Puma Pass early in the season, but that ultimately made way for to Micale Cunningham having a breakout season. The Cardinals had a healthy stable of running backs, and players on the offensive line only missed one game combined. The overall health of the team was remarkable.
At the same time, opponents saw a crazy string of starting quarterbacks leave the game against the Cardinals. The starters for WKU, Florida State, Boston College, Wake Forest, and Mississippi State all left the game at one point due to injury.
The Cardinals also won a handful of 50-50 games that could have gone either way. They managed to squeak out some close games against Boston College, Wake Forest, and Virginia that could have gone either way.
Ultimately, Louisville saw some good breaks fall their way. That is not to take away from all the great things that the 2019 squad achieved, but instead to point out that they could have just as easily been around .500 at seasons end.
Louisville travels to Virginia, Syracuse, and Boston College this season. All of those games should see the Cardinals favored, but they will enter with a target on their backs after securing unexpected wins in 2019.