Louisville football was trending for a bit as a national sleeper pick to crash the College Football Playoffs, but college football analyst and Fox announcer Joel Klatt apparently disagrees.
Klatt is one of the most beloved college football reporters and announcers in the game. He tends to speak for the fans and says what he is thinking. However, the Cardinals fans aren't going to like his prediction, and neither will Miami or SMU.
The analyst appears to be extremely low on the ACC, as he only picked the Clemson Tigers to make the College Football Playoffs, suggesting he has low regard for the ACC.
Related: CBS analyst lets the secret out on Louisville Cardinals’ CFP hopes
Louisville and ACC get no love in Joel Klatt's CFP prediction
The ACC isn't regarded as one of the top leagues in college football, but Klatt throws major shade their way with his prediction. The former Colorado quarterback predicts just one ACC, Big 12, and Group of 5 team, four SEC teams, four Big 10 teams, and Notre Dame.
NEW: College Football Playoff Prediction via @joelklatt🏆https://t.co/MexwKtkPDh pic.twitter.com/9j70D2lGhW
— On3 (@On3sports) August 18, 2025
While he ends up predicting the Tigers to win the whole thing, the shade towards the ACC speaks volumes. Many fans are high on either Miami, SMU, or Louisville, or, as a matter of fact, all of them, but Klatt stated it came down to Miami or LSU, and he believes Miami will stumble against someone.
Louisville not making the College Football Playoffs isn't a hot take. The Cardinals are trending to make some experts' predictions, like Danny Kanell, but Louisville currently has +320 odds to make the playoffs, which puts them with the third-best odds in the ACC.
The Cardinals and the ACC deserve more attention ahead of the 2025 season. It is fun to play the sleeper role and to shock the nation, but it is also important to get the respect you deserve. And key returners like Isaac Brown and Chris Bell aren't getting that respect, as evidenced by ESPN.
So, while Louisville not making it isn't the surprise here, it is more the icing on top. The Cardinals should be thought of in the conversation, and the ACC should be respected more. Klatt predicting Clemson to win it all is a nice win for the ACC, but the conference is confident it will get at least two teams in the 2025 College Football Playoffs.
Related: Isaac Brown and Chris Bell just got the disrespect Louisville needed them to feel
For all the latest on Louisville football's offseason, stay tuned.