Louisville football's final regular season is upon us as the Cards are set to play for the Governor's Cup this afternoon against their in-state rival, the Kentucky Wildcats. It has been a rollercoaster of a season, and one in which injuries have been the main story. Now, with Louisville on a three-game losing streak, the Cardinals are trying to end the season on a positive note.
The Cardinals snapped a five-game losing streak to Kentucky with a dominant 41-17 win last season. The Cats are currently 5-6 on the season and are 2-6 in the SEC. Kentucky went on a three-game winning streak, including wins over Auburn and Florida, but its streak was snapped last week after a 45-17 loss to Vanderbilt.
This game won't be the prettiest, but with a rivalry game, fans can expect a lot of emotion at L&N Stadium. So, let's dive into what the final odds are and make some predictions.
Betting odds for Louisville vs. Kentucky
Odds courtesy of FanDuel, and as of 6am ET on Saturday, Nov. 29.
Spread: Louisville -2.5
Moneyline: Louisville -138 Kentucky +118
Over/Under: 46.5
Prediction
The Cardinals are definitely without Chris Bell, Antonio Watts, and Miller Moss, and their star running backs are questionable heading into the game. This looks like it will be a depleted Cardinals squad, causing the line to shift drastically: Louisville was once a 6.5-point favorite but is now only a 2.5-point favorite entering the game.
ESPN Analytics only gives Louisville a 53.2 percent chance of winning this afternoon, and if Moss and the running backs are all out, it looks like it will be an uphill battle. With the Cards' offensive injuries, it will be hard for this team to score against Kentucky. The Cards will put up a fight and make it a game in the first half, but in the second half, Kentucky will pull away, and Louisville won't be able to keep up.
Prediction: Kentucky 27 Louisville 14