It is officially game week, as the Louisville Cardinals and this new-look Pat Kelsey squad will take the floor together for the first time. UofL and the Cardinals will face Kansas in a thrilling preseason matchup as the two historic programs square off on Wednesday in Lawrence at 7 p.m. local time.
Louisville basketball vs. Kansas: how to watch, injuries, more for preseason matchup
Louisville basketball fans can’t wait for the season to start, as the Cardinals have high expectations for this season, especially after the moves Kelsey made. Louisville and Kelsey built one of the most expensive, top rosters in college basketball, and the 'Cardinals' preseason ranking in the first AP Poll proved it.
Louisville ranked No. 11 in first AP Poll
The first AP Polls were released minutes ago, and UofL ranked just outside the top 10 at No. 11.
BREAKING: Preseason College Basketball AP Poll🏀https://t.co/g4z17LVdWP pic.twitter.com/dYJufsSTG0
— On3 (@On3) October 19, 2026
Louisville enters the season with Final Four dreams and expectations, and its No. 11 ranking backs them up. Louisville brought in 11 players this offseason, including eight from the Transfer Portal, three from the 2026 recruiting class, two 5-stars, and multiple 4-stars.
The Cardinals have a case for a higher ranking than No. 11, but after last year and a roller-coaster season against elite, ranked teams, many Cardinals fans are happy with the No. 11 ranking. They have the ceiling to be a top-five team in the country, but Louisville being ranked just outside the top 10 makes it clear they have to prove it.
They certainly have the schedule to prove they can be a top team in the nation, as they will face No. 2 Duke, No. 7 Texas, No. 9 Virginia, No. 14 Miami, No. 16 Michigan, No. 19 Texas Tech, and No. 23 Kentucky. So, the Cardinals have the schedule and path to make their case for a top-10 finish, but with Louisville building a completely new team, the AP Polls make it clear they need to see results first.
There is so much to look forward to this upcoming season, as Kelsey made huge adjustments. This team is expected to be physical on defense with Flory Bidunga, Karter Knox, and Seth Trimble, explosive on offense with Jackson Shelstad and Adrian Wooley, and extremely deep with 5-star freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr. and 4-star transfers Alvaro Folgueiras and De'Shayne Montgomery.
Louisville will look to make a run to the Final Four for the first time since 2013, and Kelsey built the perfect roster to do just that. Louisville's first preseason game is this Wednesday against No. 17 Kansas, and the 'Cards' first regular-season game is November 2 against Chattanooga.
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