The countdown is on for Louisville Cardinals football fans and Kentucky college football betting customers as coach Jeff Brohm’s team kicks off its 2025 season in less than a month. While many are eager to see the Cards open the season against in-state foe Eastern Kentucky, they’re also excited about their team’s prospects for the postseason.
UofL should be a lock to play in the postseason for the fifth straight season, but where exactly will the Cards fly to in December or January? At BetKentucky.com, we’ve done our research on our initial 2025-26 Louisville bowl projections:
Bowl, Location | Conference Opponent | Odds | Percentage Chance |
Gator, Jacksonville, FL | Southeastern Conference | +300 | 25% |
Duke’s Mayo, Charlotte, NC | Southeastern Conference | +400 | 20% |
CFP First Round, TBD | TBD | +600 | 14.3% |
Pop-Tarts, Orlando, FL | Big 12 Conference | +750 | 11.8% |
Las Vegas | Big Ten Conference | +750 | 11.8% |
The Field | +725 | 12.1% |
These odds are exclusive to BetKentucky.com as part of our Kentucky sports betting coverage; they will be updated all season.
Having played in the Sun Bowl last season, it’s unlikely the Cardinals will go back to El Paso. The same holds true for the Holiday Bowl, where UofL played after Brohm’s first season at his alma mater.
Then-USC quarterback Miller Moss dazzled the Cardinals defense by passing for six touchdowns in the Trojans’ 42-28 victory nearly two years ago. Now, Moss takes over the offense at Louisville from Tyler Shough, whom the New Orleans Saints drafted in the second round.
Moss will have talented receivers Chris Bell (43 receptions, 737 yards, four touchdowns) and Caullin Lacy (18, 196, one). Lacy, a former 1,300-yard receiver at South Alabama, played just five games last season because of an injury. In addition, the Cardinals boast a top backfield with Isaac Brown (165 carries, 1,173 yards, 11 TDs) and Duke Watson (67, 597, seven) returning from impressive freshmen seasons.
Moss has odds of +5000 to win the Heisman Trophy this season, according to BetMGM Kentucky Sportsbook, and Brown has odds of +40000 at Circa Sports.
The biggest question before Louisville will be its defense. UofL should have no problems scoring, but will the Cards be able to keep ACC rivals Clemson, SMU and Miami out of the end zone? If they can win two of those three and avoid any upsets that have tripped them up in the past two seasons, then the Cards should be in the running for the ACC Championship Game and a potential College Football Playoff berth.
Oddsmakers at bet365 Kentucky Sportsbook give Louisville odds of +350 to be one of 12 teams to make the CFP.
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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