1. 2–0 against teams that made CFP
Louisville played two teams that ended up in the playoff field this season, and they beat both. While that might seem surprising given how the season ended, the ceiling for this Louisville team was as high as any in the ACC. Despite finishing .500 in the conference, the Cardinals were once in a position where they could have ended up ACC champions or even in contention for an at-large CFP berth. Losing their final three ACC games cost them far more than a trip to Charlotte — it cost them a real chance at national relevance.
Back in early September, when Louisville mounted a second-half comeback against James Madison and pulled away for a 28–14 win, no one expected that victory to be over a future playoff team. But that game turned out to be the Dukes’ only loss of the season. They finished as the fifth highest-ranked conference champion and earned their automatic bid. Louisville needed a defensive touchdown that night just to survive, and JMU proved throughout the year that they could compete with anyone in the Power Four.
Then came the Miami win on a Friday night in mid-October. With Miami coming off impressive victories over then-ranked USF, Florida, and Florida State, Louisville walked into that game as heavy underdogs. But the Cards showed up ready to play, and once again the defense set the tone in an upset that shifted expectations for the rest of the season. That performance had Louisville fans — and much of the country — believing this team was a real threat in the ACC and maybe even capable of sneaking into the CFP. That was all before the month of November changed everything.