As the No. 19 team in the country, Louisville football has cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time this season — a direct result of upsetting the No. 2 Miami Hurricanes last week. It was another statement win under Coach Jeff Brohm that reignited a fan base that had one foot in basketball season after the loss to Virginia. Suddenly, expectations for this year’s Cardinals are right back on track.
But all that momentum could evaporate quickly if Louisville slips up against Boston College this week. As 25.5-point favorites, there’s no world where the Cards should lose to a 1–6 BC team that’s dropped six straight. Still, this game is as much about avoiding self-inflicted wounds as it is about the opponent.
Louisville fans are on top of the world right now, but if the Cardinals want to make it to the ACC Title game, it all starts this weekend. The ACC has three teams undefeated in conference play, and their schedules are not nearly as daunting as the Cardinals. So, the blueprint is simple: the Cards must win out. So for that to happen, they have to have the mindset of going 1-0 every weekend, which means they have to take care of business this weekend.
So, here are the five biggest questions facing Louisville heading into Saturday’s matchup.