Cardinals Announce 2001 Gridiron Schedule
February 08, 2001 | Football
Feb. 8, 2001
LOUISVILLE, KY -- The University of Louisville announced today its 2001 football schedule which features a trio of national television appearances. Among the Cardinals' five home contests this fall, two will be televised as part of Conference USA's television package with ESPN and ESPN2 while the Cardinals' road game at East Carolina will be shown nationally.
"I think our football team will be challenged with this schedule," said fourth-year head coach John L. Smith. "The number of non-Saturday games will make preparations interesting, to say the least. As for the conference portion of our schedule, there aren't any gimmies. Playing those last four of five on the road will definitely test us."
The most intriguing of the five home matchups will be a Tuesday night October 16 game with C-USA rival Southern Miss. The contest will feature the past two C-USA regular season champions.
Twelve days before the Cards' and Golden Eagles' rare Tuesday night appearance, U of L will take the national stage for a Thursday night rematch of the 2000 AXA Liberty Bowl as Colorado State visits Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.
The remainder of the Cards' home schedule features traditional Saturday contests with Western Carolina opening the home season on Sept. 8.
U of L's defense of its C-USA title begins Sept. 29 as Memphis visits PJCS while the University of Houston closes the 2001 home slate on Nov. 10.
The Cardinals will play six road games for the first time since 1996 as they make two non-conference and four C-USA trips.
U of L opens the 2001 season with the annual battle for the Governor's Cup as it travels to Lexington to take on the University of Kentucky. Two weeks later, the Cardinals will visit Champaign, Ill. and take on the Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois on Sept. 15.
Following a three-game homestand, U of L will close the 2001 campaign playing four of the final five contests on the road.
The Cardinals travel to Cincinnati on Oct. 27 and Tulane on Nov. 3 before returning home on Nov. 10.
A short work week sends U of L to East Carolina on Thursday, Nov. 15 and the Cardinals close the 2001 season with a trip to C-USA newcomer TCU on Saturday, Nov. 24.
2001 U of L Football ScheduleDate Opponent TimeSat. Sept. 1 at Kentucky TBASat. Sept. 8 WESTERN CAROLINA TBASat. Sept. 15 at Illinois TBASat. Sept. 29 MEMPHIS * TBAThurs. Oct. 4 COLORADO STATE (ESPN) TBATues. Oct. 16 SOUTHERN MISS * (ESPN) TBASat. Oct. 27 at Cincinnati * TBASat. Nov. 3 at Tulane * TBASat. Nov. 10 HOUSTON * TBAThurs. Nov. 15 at East Carolina * (ESPN) TBASat. Nov. 24 at TCU * TBA-- 30 --
* - denotes Conference USA game Home games in Bold CAPS.All times to be announced Updated 2/8/01
