Louisville football fans have heard a lot about how favorable their schedule is for the rest of the season. The Cardinals are 2-1 and have already played their toughest games against Ole Miss and SMU; now, looking at their schedule, they have no more ranked opponents.
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However, that doesn’t mean it's just a bunch of cupcake opponents. Conference games are never a given, and while Louisville is favored to win every game, ESPN Analytics says the Cards still have to show up and win each one.
Louisville’s schedule has a few tricky opponents; while they may not be ranked this weekend, they are no guaranteed win. One game in particular stands out: the last game of the season against Kentucky.
Louisville-Kentucky is going to be a thrilling rivalry showdown
Yes, Louisville’s schedule certainly isn’t as hard as Oklahoma's or Texas's, where the two SEC schools are playing an absurd schedule. But the Cards still have a few toss-up games. One of them is their huge rivalry game against Kentucky.
Rivalry games are never guaranteed wins, and after Kentucky just dominated Texas A&M on the road, this one may look even tougher than some have thought. Right now, ESPN Analytics gives Louisville about a 60 percent chance of winning the Governor’s Cup, the Cardinals' lowest chance of winning in their remaining games.
Kentucky defeated Texas A&M 31-21, after being led by Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey. The QB1 completed 78 percent of his passes, threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns, while CJ Baxter added 87 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Kentucky and Louisville are each 2-1, and both have beaten a top-25 team. Louisville has a much better loss: the Cardinals played Ole Miss to the final seconds, while Kentucky lost by 28 at home to Alabama, which is why Louisville is ranked No. 16 and Kentucky remains unranked.
Other games that may come to mind are Louisville’s games against Pitt or Georgia Tech, but with this game on the road and how big of a rivalry it is, this feels like the clear choice.
Kentucky and Louisville have played since 1912 and have played every season since 1994. While Kentucky has the better record against Louisville, with the Cardinals being 17-20, Louisville has dominated the last two games against the Cats, including a 41-0 win last year and a 41-14 win in 2024.
This year's in-state battle should be a good showdown between Louisville and Kentucky, and looking at the Cards' schedule, it is clearly their toughest opponent.
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