No team in college football scored a bigger win than the Louisville Cardinals, who went down to Miami and upset the No. 2 Hurricanes on Friday night.
The win finally put the 5-1 Cardinals in the AP Top 25, but what did it do to the team’s bowl and playoff chances?
At BetKentucky.com, as part of our Kentucky college football betting season analysis, we’re setting exclusive odds on where the Cardinals will go bowling in 2025-26.
Bowl, Location | Conference Opponent | Odds | Percent Chance |
Duke’s Mayo, Charlotte | SEC | +100 | 50% |
Gator, Jacksonville | SEC | +300 | 25% |
Pop Tarts, Orlando, FL | Big 12 | +750 | 11.8 |
Military, Annapolis | American | +1825 | 5.2% |
CFP First Round, TBD | TBD | +1900 | 5% |
The Field (Other or No Bowl) |
| +3200 | 3% |
These odds are exclusive to BetKentucky.com as part of our Kentucky sports betting coverage; they will be updated all season.
Beating Miami put the Cards in the spotlight, and while it shortened their odds to make the playoff, Louisville is still considered a longshot to make the field of 12 for now.
Next up for UofL is Boston College this Saturday at home. The Eagles are just 1-6 this season and 0-4 in the ACC. However, this is a game that still should concern the Cardinals.
The Cardinals have now knocked off a ranked team in each of Jeff Brohm’s three seasons at his alma mater. However, in the previous two seasons, Louisville has followed that big win with a shocking loss. Two years ago, a 38-21 loss at Pitt (then 1-4) came one week after the Cards’ 33-20 victory over Notre Dame. Last year, Louisville allowed then 2-7 Stanford to score 17 points in the final 6:37 in a 38-35 stunner that happened a week after the Cardinals rolled over then No. 11 Clemson.
Will the third time be the charm for Brohm and the Cardinals?
BetKentucky.com will keep updating these odds and offer the best Kentucky sports betting promos all season.
Yes, the Cardinals can make the CFP, but it’s complicated. As it stands now, there are three undefeated teams (Georgia Tech at 4-0 and Virginia and SMU both at 3-0) and there are five one-loss teams (Pitt and Duke at 3-1, Louisville and Cal at 2-1 and Miami at 1-1). Louisville lost to Virginia and will host Cal on Nov. 8 and play at SMU on Nov. 22. UofL does not face Georgia Tech, and the Yellow Jackets toughest ACC foe remaining is Pitt, whom Louisville has already beaten.
Meanwhile, Virginia does not have games against either Tech, SMU or Miami, but the Cavaliers will play at Cal on Nov. 1 and at Duke two weeks later. Funny thing, Virginia does have a loss to North Carolina State. However, that’s a non-conference game for purposes of the schedule.
In short, we have a better chance of predicting the weather for Charlotte on Dec. 6 than predicting which two teams will play in the ACC Championship on that day in Charlotte. However, as long as Louisville wins out, they’ll be in the running for a CFP bid based on being a one-loss team with wins at Miami and SMU.
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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