Recently, the Louisville football program completely changed the ACC race after it upset the former frontrunner and the No. 2 team in the nation, the Miami Hurricanes. Now, the Cardinals sit 5-1 and 2-1 in conference play, and the Cardinals' College Football Playoff path looks much clearer.
The ACC has three undefeated teams in conference play in Georgia Tech, Virginia, and SMU, and teams with one loss that are competing for a top spot are Louisville, Miami, Duke, Cal, and Pitt. With a lot of season left, fans can assume madness is going to happen, and there is a good chance some upsets will happen.
So, entering week 9, what does Louisville football's College Football Playoff picture look like following their win over Miami?
Louisville football's odds and path to CFP
As of right now, the Cardinals are given a 13.3 percent chance of making the College Football Playoffs, according to ESPN's FPI rankings. They have a 9.5 percent chance of winning the conference, which ranks them No. 5 behind Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia, and SMU.
However, right now, Louisville is tied for fourth place in the ACC, but they have already had both of their byes. For the Cardinals, the path to the ACC Title and College Football Playoffs is simple. Win out.
Now, obviously, much easier said than done, but with three teams undefeated in conference play, and four teams with just one loss, it is hard to imagine Louisville making it to Charlotte with two losses.
The Cards' remaining schedule doesn't look nearly as daunting as fans thought heading into the season. The Cardinals faced a 1-6 Boston College team this weekend and a 2-5 Virginia Tech team the following weekend. After that, they will begin their season-defining three-game stretch.
It starts at home against a 5-2 Cal, but ESPN Analytics heavily favors the Cardinals with a 90.8 percent chance of winning. Then, Louisville hosts Clemson on a Friday night, which many thought would be the game of the year. However, the Tigers are now one of the biggest disappointments in college football, sitting at 3-4 through seven games. ESPN Analytics gives the Cardinals a 61.7 percent chance of winning, and the Cardinals' fans feel confident about this game at home under the lights.
Then it is their game of the year, on the road against the SMU Mustangs. SMU had a slow start, losing to two Big 12 teams, but since starting the ACC games, they have gone 3-0 and have outscored their opponents by 48 points. SMU will be coming off a bye week and has a chance of being undefeated entering this crucial matchup.
If the Cardinals want to make it to Charlotte and the College Football Playoffs, their season is going to come down to this matchup. They must find a way to win on the road again in a challenging environment.
So, after the Cardinals' massive win, they have a blueprint to reach the ACC Championship game. They need a little help to overcome some upsets against Georgia Tech and Virginia, but the Cardinals' schedule is winnable, and this team has a path to make a run.