Three Top 25 Teams Highlight Louisville’s 2016 Football Schedule
January 26, 2016 | Football
Top 25 teams Clemson, Florida State and Houston dot 2016 schedule
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Highlighted by three teams who finished last season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 and six teams who played in bowl games, the University of Louisville's 2016 schedule was announced this afternoon by the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Coming off an 8-5 season last year, which included a win over Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl, the Cardinals will face another challenging slate this year that features a trip to Clemson, which dropped a 45-40 decision in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. After falling 23-17 in 2014 to the Tigers, the Cardinals return to "Death Valley" for a key league game on Oct. 1.
"This another challenging schedule overall," head coach Bobby Petrino said. "We have six teams who played in bowl games last season and three teams that finished the year ranked in the top 25. We have a lot of work to do before we start playing games, but with an experienced team returning, they understand the challenges ahead of them and know what kind of preparation is needed to be a successful football team."
Louisville will face No. 15 Florida State in the ACC home opener on Sept. 17 and also travels to face No. 8 Houston on Nov. 19, in its first visit to the Lone Star State since 2004. In the Seminoles last trip to Louisville in 2014, the Cardinals jumped out to a 21-0 lead before the 'Noles stormed back for a 42-31 win. Houston handed the Cardinals a 34-31 loss in the 2015 home opener.
Opening the home season on Sept. 1, the Cardinals will face Charlotte, a member of Conference USA, for the first time in school history. It would be the first time the Cards open the season on a Thursday since facing Murray State in 2007.
The Cardinals' third season in the ACC begins with a Friday night road game at Syracuse on Sept. 9. Louisville has won five of the last six meetings against the Orange, with the Cardinals winning two of the last three encounters in the Carrier Dome.
After facing the Seminoles on Sept. 17, the Cardinals will play at Marshall on Sept. 24, the first appearance in Huntington, W.Va., since 1977. The two teams have played 28 times in their history, with the Cards owning a 16-12 series advantage.
After their first bye week on Saturday, Oct. 8, the Cardinals return to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium for a pair of ACC home games, facing Duke on Oct. 14, and NC State on Oct. 22. It will be the first meeting with the Blue Devils - the ACC's alternating opponent this season, since 2002.
Louisville hits the road for consecutive league games, traveling to face Virginia on Oct. 29 and Boston College on Nov. 5. Louisville looks to avenge the 23-21 loss to the Cavaliers in 2014 – its first trip to Charlottesville in school history.
After facing Houston on Nov. 19, the Cardinals close the regular season slate when arch-rival Kentucky visits Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on Nov. 26. With the 38-24 win over the Wildcats last season, the Cards have evened the overall series at 14-14.
Head coach Bobby Petrino has 18 returning starters at his disposal this fall, including first-team All-ACC performer and the team's leading returning tackler in linebacker Keith Kelsey. The Cardinals also return 10 starters on the offensive side of the football, including sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was the MVP of the Music City Bowl win with a bowl-record 226 yards rushing and two scores.
Coming off an 8-5 season last year, which included a win over Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl, the Cardinals will face another challenging slate this year that features a trip to Clemson, which dropped a 45-40 decision in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. After falling 23-17 in 2014 to the Tigers, the Cardinals return to "Death Valley" for a key league game on Oct. 1.
"This another challenging schedule overall," head coach Bobby Petrino said. "We have six teams who played in bowl games last season and three teams that finished the year ranked in the top 25. We have a lot of work to do before we start playing games, but with an experienced team returning, they understand the challenges ahead of them and know what kind of preparation is needed to be a successful football team."
Louisville will face No. 15 Florida State in the ACC home opener on Sept. 17 and also travels to face No. 8 Houston on Nov. 19, in its first visit to the Lone Star State since 2004. In the Seminoles last trip to Louisville in 2014, the Cardinals jumped out to a 21-0 lead before the 'Noles stormed back for a 42-31 win. Houston handed the Cardinals a 34-31 loss in the 2015 home opener.
Opening the home season on Sept. 1, the Cardinals will face Charlotte, a member of Conference USA, for the first time in school history. It would be the first time the Cards open the season on a Thursday since facing Murray State in 2007.
The Cardinals' third season in the ACC begins with a Friday night road game at Syracuse on Sept. 9. Louisville has won five of the last six meetings against the Orange, with the Cardinals winning two of the last three encounters in the Carrier Dome.
After facing the Seminoles on Sept. 17, the Cardinals will play at Marshall on Sept. 24, the first appearance in Huntington, W.Va., since 1977. The two teams have played 28 times in their history, with the Cards owning a 16-12 series advantage.
After their first bye week on Saturday, Oct. 8, the Cardinals return to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium for a pair of ACC home games, facing Duke on Oct. 14, and NC State on Oct. 22. It will be the first meeting with the Blue Devils - the ACC's alternating opponent this season, since 2002.
Louisville hits the road for consecutive league games, traveling to face Virginia on Oct. 29 and Boston College on Nov. 5. Louisville looks to avenge the 23-21 loss to the Cavaliers in 2014 – its first trip to Charlottesville in school history.
After facing Houston on Nov. 19, the Cardinals close the regular season slate when arch-rival Kentucky visits Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on Nov. 26. With the 38-24 win over the Wildcats last season, the Cards have evened the overall series at 14-14.
Head coach Bobby Petrino has 18 returning starters at his disposal this fall, including first-team All-ACC performer and the team's leading returning tackler in linebacker Keith Kelsey. The Cardinals also return 10 starters on the offensive side of the football, including sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was the MVP of the Music City Bowl win with a bowl-record 226 yards rushing and two scores.
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