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This year, the Louisville Cardinals are playing really well. Their coach, Jeff Brohm, who graduated from Louisville, helped them reach a big championship game last year. Even though they lost to Florida State, it showed they were strong. This season, they’ve had tough games but managed to win some important ones and haven’t lost any bad matches even with a 6-3 record.
Louisville’s best victory this season was against Clemson.
They beat Clemson, which made it harder for Clemson to make it to the playoffs. So far, Louisville’s losses have been close games against top teams like Miami, Notre Dame, and SMU. Looking ahead, they could finish with eight or nine wins if they do well in their remaining games against Stanford, Pittsburgh, and Kentucky. Only the game against Pitt might help improve their ranking significantly. But losing more games could be bad news for teams like Miami and SMU.
If Louisville ends up with a 9-3 record, it could make it easier for the ACC to have two teams in the playoffs. The ACC has been competing with other conferences like the Big Ten and SEC for spots in the College Football Playoff. If Notre Dame and Louisville both win their remaining games, several teams from this group could make it to the playoffs. The Big Ten isn’t doing great beyond its top teams, which might limit how many of their teams get in.
However, if Louisville loses to Stanford, it would hurt the ACC’s chances of getting another team into the playoffs. It could also affect Notre Dame if they lose again. Losing to Pittsburgh wouldn’t be too damaging for the ACC, but a loss to Kentucky could benefit SEC teams like Georgia and Ole Miss. For Georgia, it would make their close win over Kentucky look better, while Ole Miss wouldn’t look as bad for losing to Kentucky at home.
In conclusion, if Louisville keeps winning, it could stop discussions about Notre Dame or other ACC teams taking playoff spots away from each other. Ending the season with a 9-3 record would give all three playoff contenders a win worth noting. Other teams with multiple losses could still cause surprises for others in the race.
Ultimately, the ACC needs its third and fourth best teams to be strong to get two spots in the playoffs.
