The Louisville Cardinals' 2025 football season has come crashing down. Without starting quarterback Miller Moss and their top two running backs Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown, the Cardinals suffered yet another defeat on Saturday, a 38-6 loss at SMU.
Not only was it Louisville’s third consecutive loss, but it was also the worst loss in the Jeff Brohm era. Now, the Cardinals (7-4 overall, 4-4 ACC) will look to right the ship with a home game against archrival Kentucky this Saturday in a game of great Kentucky sports betting interest.
Regardless of what happens against the Wildcats, the Cardinals will still be bowl bound this season.
| Bowl, Location | Conference Opponent | Odds | Percent Chance |
| Pinstripe Bowl, New York | Big Ten | +150 | 40% |
| Military Bowl, Annapolis, MD | American | +250 | 28.6% |
| Duke’s Mayo, Charlotte | SEC | +800 | 11.1% |
| Pop-Tarts, Orlando | Big 12 | +1900 | 5.0% |
| Other (Field) | +555 | 15.3% |
At BetKentucky.com, as part of our Kentucky college football betting season analysis, these are our exclusive odds on where the Cardinals will go bowling in 2025-26.
Louisville’s loss in Dallas was the stuff made from nightmares. Moss had accounted for 96.1% of Louisville’s passing yards during the first 10 games, and the two Browns were responsible 87.8% of the rushing yards during that span as well.
Then, on the first offensive play of the second half, the Cards loss receiver-kick returner Caullin Lacy, who was a top 10 player nationally in all-purpose yards per game, to an apparent ankle injury.
And on Monday, Brohm announced senior receiver Chris Bell, whose 917 yards are 12th-best nationally, would miss the final home game of his college career with an injury he suffered late in Saturday’s loss.
Despite all the injuries, DraftKings Kentucky Sportsbook still lists the Cards as a three-point favorite over the Cats, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 45-17 defeat at Vanderbilt.
Just a couple weeks ago, Louisville was on the cusp of the College Football Playoffs. Now, as BetKentucky’s odds see it, the Cardinals are most likely to spend their holiday seeing the bright lights of Broadway.
The Pinstripe Bowl, or whichever bowl Louisville gets, won’t be anything like the 12-team CFP. However, it would give Brohm and the team extra practices, and that could be crucial to determine if backup quarterback Deuce Adams is the starter for next season.
Adams, a redshirt freshman, struggled Saturday in his first college start but he also showed potential. It’s likely he’ll play at least some against Kentucky on Saturday, according to Brohm’s comments. A bowl game against a Power 4 school could also help him emerge for next season, perhaps letting Brohm and his staff focus their efforts elsewhere in the transfer portal.
So, though the CFP isn’t happening for the Cardinals this season, the next month or so could enhance their odds for it next season.
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USA Today photo by Brett Davis
Year | Bowl | Result |
2024 | Sun Bowl | Win, 35-34 vs. Washington |
2023 | Holiday Bowl | Loss, 42-28 vs. Southern Cal |
2023 | Fenway Bowl | Win, 24-7 vs. Cincinnati |
2021 | First Responder Bowl | Loss, 31-28 vs. Air Force |
2019 | Music City Bowl | Win, 38-28 vs. Mississippi State |
Author
Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
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