(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

After the first six games of the ACC/Big10 Challenge the Big 10 has the lead 4-2. Louisville was able to score its new conference their second win of the night as they beat Ohio State in their first of these challenges 64-55. With the win the Cardinals take the overall lead in the series against Ohio State 5-4. The Cardinals start 6-0 for the first time since 2011 and have now won 31 straight against non-conference opponents at the Yum Center.

Louisville was facing an Ohio State team tonight that had been shooting at a 57% clip from the field and was statistically one of the best offensive teams in the country. Their guys had been scoring in bunches from all over the court. The Cardinals came out in the first half and stepped right up to the challenge. It what Coach Pitino called one of the finest defensive performances in a very long time the Cardinals held the Buckeyes to 23% shooting and an 18 point total in that first half. They would give up a little more in the second half due to some tired legs but not much still holding the Buckeyes well under their averages at 30% shooting and 55 total points. The defense would also force 14 turnovers, have 11 steals and block 5 shots. In the battle of very good offense and very good defense it was the defense that won the night as I thought it would. The Cardinals who are currently ranked #1 in the country in rebounds per game did another good job on the glass tonight. They won that battle 46-41.

My big question in my game breakdown was if Wayne Blackshear would show up in the first big game of the season. The answer to that question is a resounding yes… Wayne “made it Wayne” in the first half and carried the Cardinals offensively scoring 16 of their 35 points. He also had 5 rebounds and 1 steal in that big first half. Ohio State made their adjustments towards him in the second half but he would still lead the team in scoring tonight and had 22 for the game. It is great to see Wayne respond in a big game environment like this and if he can do this all season it will mean great things for the Cardinals.

I also mentioned in my game breakdown that Montrezl, Chris and Terry would be the difference makers in this game. I felt like these three were the dominate players on the floor at their positions. Montrezl had a dominate state line. He had a double-double with 10 rebounds, 13 points to go along with 2 assist, 1 block and 2 steals. Chris did a good job up front at keeping pressure on their guards especially in the first half, but really wasn’t that impressive on the offensive end and did force some things towards the end.

It was the kid from Louisville D’Angelo Russell that kept Ohio State in the game, but it was the kid from Ohio that helped ice the game for Louisville. Terry Rozier is a warrior and tonight he showed just how much of a gamer he is. He dislocated his pinky finger, gets it put back in place, taped up then comes back into the game and scores 9 very important points down the stretch to help Louisville seal the victory. He had 7 rebounds and 7 assist to go along with his 11 points on the night. His night wasn’t flawless, but the intangibles more than made up for it.

Gotta give a special atta boy to the “Big Egyptian” who came into the game tonight and provided some solid minutes after Onuaku and Mango got into foul trouble early. Anas had 7 rebounds and 2 big blocked shots. He looked very good in this big game setting. Coach Pitino said at half-time when asked by the ESPN sideline reporter that Anas “surprised the hell” out of him. I think he might have surprised the hell out of a lot of people tonight.

The Cardinals have a long way to go on the offensive end of the floor, and still have to find a way to get more production out of the bench. But they are playing defense better than anyone in the country right now and that is really special considering how early it is. This defense will only continue to get better over the course of the season and that makes me giddy. We will be in every game this season thanks to that defense, but it will take steady improvement on the offensive side of the ball for this team to win those tougher games especially in March. Our Cardinals passed the first tough test of the season and are 6-0. I’m really excited about this team. Go Cards!

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The Battle of the Bluegrass turned out to be a pretty good battle after all. I think it was a great representation of this game on its rivalry weekend debut and the state of Kentucky showed the college football world that we are more than just a basketball crazy state. Although after the game today UK fans can turn their attention to the hardwood. They won’t be going bowling unless they rent a lane.

For the fourth straight year our Cardinals win the Governor’s Cup and end UK’s season beating them 44-40. This win closes the gap in the overall series 14-13 and extends the Cardinals modern-day lead to 13-8 since 1994. Coach Bobby Petrino is now 50-12 all-time at Louisville, 10-0 on Senior Day, and 5-0 against Kentucky as the Cardinals head man.

There could have been many story lines today and these games have had some great ones. My favorite was the game in 2011 when a true freshman named Teddy Bridgewater was thrust into the game in the hostile Commonwealth stadium to replace the injured Will Stein. Teddy led the Cardinals to a victory that evening ending what was then a UK winning streak. On that day then head coach Charlie Strong exclaimed that they would never lose to UK again.

Fast forward 4 years and those same players had their senior day ceremonies this afternoon. That proclamation made by coach Strong rang true for them and they never lost to Kentucky. And how they would win the last game was reminiscent of how they won the first one. This time it was a third string quarterback who grew up playing in the University of Kentucky’s back yard that would save the day and the streak. Kyle Bolin a red shirt freshman became the third Louisville QB this season to have his moment. He was called on after Reggie went down with a leg injury at the 11 minute mark of the second half. Down 13-0 it took Bolin just two plays to get the Cards in the end-zone for the first time and he never looked back. Playing with the confidence of a veteran starter and great moxie Bolin would complete 21 of 31 passes for 381 yards and three touchdowns.

The game where Teddy came in and ended the UK streak was my favorite in the series. But after watching Kyle Bolin take a drive that started on his own 4-yard line and lead the Cardinals 96 yards down the field for a touchdown and gutting it out to keep the streak alive I have a new favorite. It was a performance that a lot folks in this state will never forget. I know I won’t.

Another guy that deserves a lot of credit is DeVante Parker. One of the best if not the best wide receiver in the history of Louisville football has had his fair share of big moments in this game over the years. Today just might have been his best ever as he was the MVP with 180 yards and 3 touchdowns. This kid has made a huge contribution to this team and this program over the years. He stayed home and laid it all on the line for his hometown. You couldn’t have scripted a better ending.

Our defense didn’t have their best effort today. They did have some great stops in the red zone when their backs were against the wall. Might have been a different outcome had they not forced those early field goals. For all of the excitement I felt for the offensive performances it was incredible watching Gerod Holliman have the walk-off interception to tie the NCAA record and ice the game. The UK fan sitting in front of me got to here “he just tied the record on Ya” as he stormed away in disgust.

This one really did have it all today. The brawl between the players and coaches during warm-ups carried over into a game that was full of hard-hitting and competition. It was great to be there and to take it all in, and it was great to walk away on the winning side of things. It has been a great football season. I’d like to thank all of the coaches and players for all of their hard work and sacrifice. To go 9-3 in a new conference, after losing several star players including the starting QB. And under the guidance of a new coach is pretty solid. Can’t wait to see what Bowl game we get to go watch. Go Cards!

It hasn’t been pretty on the offensive side of the ball this season for the Cardinals, but they have bought into Coach Pitino and his defensive philosophy. That has helped them move to 5-0 in the early part of the season and that defense tonight helped them get a hard fought win over a pesky Cleveland State team. The Cards beat the Vikings 45-38 giving Coach Pitino his 700th win as a college coach. With the win the Cardinals are now 70-9 and have won 30 straight games against non conference opponents at the Yum Center.

It was another huge milestone tonight for a man that has left a mark on the game of basketball that will live on for many generations. At 700-245 all-time as a collegiate head coach Rick Pitino has seen and done it all. He’s a Hall of Fame coach who has built programs from scratch, returned programs to their glory, and now he’s just enjoying his life and teaching and molding players for their time between the lines and after. It has been a pleasure to watch Coach Pitino during my time as a college basketball fan, and even when he was on the enemy’s sideline it was hard not to respect his knowledge and understanding for the game. Pitino is just the sixth active coach with at least 700 career victories. I hope to see him win many more before he’s through.

It hasn’t taken very long for this Louisville Basketball program to feel the effects of losing their best shooter in Luke Hancock and their best scorer in Russ Smith. I don’t think the fans realized that the offense would take as big a step back as it has. Louisville’s 45 points tonight is the lowest score since 1997 vs. Temple, and the fewest points for the Cardinals in a winning effort since 1981. We do have some good offensive players in Wayne Blackshear, Terry Rozier, Chris Jones, and Montrezl Harrell, but we are going to need some guys on the bench to be developed throughout the season in order for the offense to improve. Louisville had 0 points off the bench tonight; first time since Dec. 5 2000 in a 70-63 loss to Georgetown. Guys like Quentin Snider and Shaqquan Aaron are pure scorers and have a ton of skill. When they learn the plays and get stronger it will help. Anton Gill is a good scorer but he is slumping right now… He will also come around. We didn’t have a very good night on the offensive side of the ball but got to give credit to Cleveland State they played a very good game and that zone defense really confused our guys tonight.

The good news is that this team is playing very good and very hard on the defensive side of the ball. They are also rebounding the ball very well at both ends of the floor. They are currently 5th in the country in FG% defense, 10th in scoring defense, 4th is steals per game, 5th in 3PT Defense, and 10th in total steals. They are currently 20th in the nation in defensive rebounds per game and 4th in the nation in offensive rebounding per game. The Cards are currently ranked #2 in Kenpoms Defense Adjustment Efficiency. The 59 points the Cardinals have allowed in two consecutive games is the lowest two game total since 1937. So right now defensive is the name of the game and it looks like that could be the identity of the 2014/15 group. The defense will also get stronger as more guys are developed.

Montrezl was marathon man tonight playing all 40 minutes of the game. His double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds really helped his team get over the hump tonight. He was the MVP of this game no doubt.

Terry Rozier is the most poised and mature player on the college level that you will ever see. Guys his age shouldn’t be able to see the big picture the way he does sometimes. That poise and big picture thinking carries over on the court and this kid goes out and does what he needs to do night in and night out. He had 11 rebounds tonight along with 9 points.

Wayne Blackshear has been able to string together a very good start for himself and he has also been a big lift to this team on the offensive side of the ball. Tonight he had 8 points and 5 rebounds.

I realize that there are going to be those fans that start freaking out and think the sky is falling especially after such a dismal offensive performance tonight. Coach Pitino tried to warn us that this game was going to be ugly and none of us listened. Yes the offense was bad, but this won’t be the norm. It will get better and this is a great defensive team. It is going to be fun watching the man that has 700 wins work his magic again this season and get the most out of this group of players. I’m ready to play some of the better teams on the schedule to see what our team is really made of. Tuesday will be a good test as Ohio State comes to town for the ACC/Big 10 Challenge. Go Cards!

The Global Sports Challenge has claimed its latest victim and it was the Savannah State Tigers tonight. The Cardinals led the game 23-0 with about 6 minutes to go in the first half and everyone in the building tonight knew that this one wasn’t going to be pretty. The lead at halftime was 41-7 and is the fewest points allowed by a Louisville team in a half in the last 34 years. When the final buzzer sounded it was the Cardinals 87-26. With the win the Cardinals move to 4-0 on the season, 68-9 all-time at the Yum Center, and Coach Pitino is just one win away from 700.

There’s really not much you can say about a game like this. And that was kind of the vibe in the post game press conference and the post game locker room. Coach Pitino didn’t have much to say about it and the players were hesitant to say much about the win other than they were happy and that they felt they had stuff they needed to improve on. It was a very professional and mature approach by the entire program. I don’t think anyone likes to win one like this so you just take it and move on.

It was a good game from a standpoint that some guys that normally don’t get to see much action got to get in the game. I thought Jaylen Johnson came in and gained some positive momentum. He had 5 rebounds and 7 points. I think that out of the freshman class that Jaylen along with Quentin and Chinanu really could contribute this season. These easy early games have at least helped these guys build up some confidence before they get thrown to the wolves later on.

Some of the stat lines are staggering… The 26 points allowed to Savannah State are the fewest since vs Georgetown College in 1947, Savannah State’s 19.6% Field Goal is the 2nd lowest by an opponent since 1972, Savannah State was 0-16 from the three point line. Louisville’s opponent in the NCAA last season St Louis was 0-15.

This one was just a massacre… Like Coach Pitino said it is really hard to know what to say about a win like this. I’m just glad to see the Cards get another victory, and do think that their defense is looking very good for this early in the season. Usually the offense is slightly ahead at this point but that’s not the case with this group. They are really getting after it on the defensive side of the ball and seem to have bought in early to what coach Pitino wants them to do. This can only be a good thing for later in the season especially when the offense catches up. After four games I am really confident that this team is going to do some great things this season and they are going to be fun to watch. Go Cards!

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In sports, just as in life it’s all about the moments, and it’s up to the members of the team and their fans to seize those moments. Then there are just a few times in a lifetime that there is that one really special moment. There is that moment for the team that makes all of the practice time worth it, all of the sacrifice worth it. That moment for the fans that made all of the dedication worth it, all the traveling worth it, all of the ups and downs worth it. Yesterday was one of those moments for the Louisville Cardinal Football team and the Cardinal Nation. The Cardinals and their fans made their very first trip to the beautiful, historical and legendary Notre Dame Campus yesterday and left last night celebrating their first victory over a legendary team. The Cardinals beat the Irish 31-28 in a game that will never be forgotten.

Demolition of old Cardinal Stadium began last week and I can only imagine the looks you would have gotten if you had looked over at someone on one of those cold Saturdays in the ’80s and told them that someday a ranked Louisville Football team would go into Notre Dame Stadium on senior day and beat the Irish. I hope that some of those players and fans from back during some of those darker years of the program got to be at Notre Dame last night. Those players and fans deserve moments like this more than anyone.

When I arrived on the campus of Notre Dame yesterday I took in all of the great sights and sounds. It was The Golden Dome, the Grotto, and Touchdown Jesus. The whole day leading up to the game was incredible and that whole place just oozes history… Then was the pre-game pageantry in Notre Dame Stadium. From the band taking the field to the raising of the American flag it was all pretty great. And seeing my Cardinals come out of that legendary tunnel and take that field sent cold chills down my spine. I was just so happy to be in that moment and to have had the experience up to that point and we hadn’t even played the game yet.

From Kick-off to the final horn this was a great football game. It went back and forth and both teams really gave their best efforts. On the offensive side of the ball it was a Red Shirt Sophomore and a true freshman that lead the way for the Cardinals. Talk about seizing their moment Brandon Radcliff and Reggie Bonnafon did just that.

Reggie accounted for 247 total yards of offense with three of Louisville’s touchdowns two rushing and one passing. He really showed a lot of poise under some very bright lights. He had some extra motivation from up above as he was playing to honor his late father. One of his father’s last messages to him came in the form of a wrist band that said to “Own Your Destiny”. I think Reggie did just that last night.

Brandon Radcliff has ran hard all season long coming up big in clutch situations but perhaps had his biggest moment last night grinding out some tough yardage when the Cards needed them the most. He had 136 yards and a touchdown. Time of possession was important in that game last night and Radcliff was called on many times to keep the ball in the hands of the Cardinals.

The offensive line did a really good job last night and I think they held their own in the trenches especially went it counted the most. They did a really good job run blocking and pass blocking which led to both Brandon and Reggie’s success last night.

Our defense has also held up in clutch situations all season long. And that unit also had their biggest moment of the season when the Irish had 1st and goal with 1:42 left in the game. The Cardinals stood strong holding them out of the end-zone especially when Brown sacked Golson for a 6 yard loss that eventually led to an incomplete pass and the missed field goal that sealed the game. The Defense was led by Terrell Floyed who had 8 tackles and Keith Kelsey who had 6 tackles on the night.

It really is funny how sometimes things tend to come full circle. Tom King was the first coach to attempt to build a football program at Louisville. King played at Notre Dame under Knute Rockne. Louisville football would see their first sign of success under the guidance of King. And last night the Louisville football program had one of their biggest successes in Notre Dame Stadium. It was a great moment and one that I hope every Cardinal Fan young and old got to enjoy and will never forget. Go Cards!

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I know these exempt games are good for practice and to prepare the teams for the season ahead, but it really is like leading the lamb to slaughter. And tonight Jacksonville State was the sacrificial gamecock. The Cardinals were dominate in every aspect of the game and won the game in big fashion 88-39. With this win the Cardinals move to 2-0 on the season and are now 14-0 in home openers under coach Pitino. Their record at the KFC Yum Center is 67-9 and Coach Pitino is now just 3 wins away from 700.

The Cardinals were about as sharp tonight on the offensive side of the ball as you could ask for. Yes the other team was at a total mismatch but when you look at this game from an execution standpoint the Cardinals did a great job. Instead of coming out and coasting through this game the Cardinals came out and played hard on every possession. Ball movement was the thing that stood out the most in this win. The Cardinals had 15 assist in this one, 13 of those came from the starting unit. Wayne had 5 (his career best) and Chris had 5. All five starters were in double figures. A hustle stat that stands out in a big way was the fact that the Cards out-rebounded them 60-26… It was the most rebounds that a Cardinal team has had since January 19th vs East Carolina.

On a day where he was named in the first Top 50 of the Wooden watch-list, was named player of the week by CBS Sports, ESPN, and the ACC Montrezl Harrell came out and led the Cardinals in scoring tonight with 15 points and he also grabbed 7 rebounds. He played very hard and will do so in every game this season. I’m going to enjoy it all that I can.

It was great to see Wayne Blackshear exit the game tonight for the final time with a big smile on his face. If anybody deserves some things to go his way it’s Wayne. He had a great night having a career high 5 assist, grabbing 9 rebounds and scoring 12 points. Coach Pitino said that he wanted to see “Chicago Tough” Wayne this season and so far he’s getting just that out of his senior.

Mr consistency Terry Rozier is a player that is going to give you what you need of him every time he hits the hardwood. Tonight he had a very efficient performance scoring scoring 13 points on 5-7 shooting. Watching him tonight it just amazes me at how hard he plays and how effortless he makes it look.

Coach Pitino called Chris Jones the best player on the floor tonight. He raved in the post game about how Chris has matured both on and off the court. He was very disruptive on the defensive side of the ball tonight and had 5 steals. He also had 6 rebounds, 10 points and 5 assist.

And what about our phenomenal freshman Chinanu Onuaku… This kid might end up on the list of most impressive freshman at Louisville. He recorded his first double-double tonight in his early Louisville career. 10 rebounds, and 12 points to go along with 1 assist, 1 block and 2 steals. Oh yea and he was 5-5 from the field. We really needed one of our freshman to step up this season and so far Nanu is answering the call.

Mango came off the bench tonight and played really hard.. He had 10 rebounds himself. I was critical of he and Nanu last week but tonight they both gave the kind of effort that this team needs from them in that 5 spot.

As I said above this game really had no chance at being competitive and I would have felt really sorry for the Gamecocks had it not for that big paycheck they will get for that beating tonight. It was worth it for them and it was a good night for our team as well. They really showed some moxie tonight and came out very business like and took care of what they had to and now they move on down the road. It was another great night at the KFC Yum Center.

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The first game of the college basketball season is in the books and for the 11th straight year our Cardinals start it off with a win. Louisville beat Minnesota tonight 81-68 in the Armed Forces Classic. It was the 18th time that a Father and Son coached against each other and after the outcome of this game the dads now lead 16-2. Richard Pitino has a good team and he is a very good coach but he won’t join Ed Dibble Jr and Jan van Breda Kolff as the only sons to beat their dads in a college basketball game. With the win the Cardinals even the overall series with Minnesota 3-3, and Coach Rick Pitino is now just four wins away from 700 in his career.

Louisville has always been a team under Rick Pitino that relies on the defense to generate offense. And while this team has a ton of offensive potential it was the defense again tonight that helped this team find their offensive rhythm and score points when they needed them the most. The Cardinals scored 18 points off turnovers and had big efforts from Montrezl, Terry and Chris.

Montrezl was all over the court and making big play after big play. He had a career night to start his season scoring 30 points, and grabbing 7 rebounds. He was 3-4 from the 3-point line and also showed off that little 15 foot jumper a few times. His most impressive moment for me came when he threw down an alley-oop on the offensive side of the ball and then sprinted down the floor to take a charge on the defensive side of the ball. Its hustle plays like that along with his polished offensive game that makes him a solid candidate for National Player of the Year. He made a good opening statement tonight and boy I’m glad that he came back for another year.

Terry is one of those players who lets the flow of the game come to him and doesn’t force anything. Before you know it he has 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assist and 4 steals without a single turnover. Coach Pitino said about Rozier after the game “I’ve not seen a guy work that hard in a long, long time at both phases of the game.” And Terry made it look effortless.

Chris had a very solid first game himself with 13 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assist. He was also very disruptive on the defensive side of the ball and had 3 steals. I really think he and Terry work well together and they do very well in their joint effort to run the offense.

The most impressive freshman of the night was Quentin Snider. This kid carries himself with such confidence and it carries over into his game. He had 7 points with 4 rebounds and didn’t have a single turnover. He hit a big three point shot late in the game when Minnesota was making a little run that sparked a 19-2 run for the Cardinals. I said after watching him in the scrimmages that I loved his moxie and he didn’t disappoint me tonight.

The biggest area for concern for this team will be what it can get from the 5 spot. Tonight between Onuaku and Mango it was 4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assist, 1 block, and 1 steal. I do feel like the more experience Nanu gets the better he will get as the season progresses. I have to say that I really expected a lot more from Mango considering how he finished last year. It may also take him some time to get it going.

It is no secret that the Cardinals multiple 30 win seasons have come on the back of some really great defensive teams. I think this team will carry on that tradition. The Cardinals were very active in their pressing defense tonight and were flying all over the court. They held a pretty solid shooting team to just 40% from the floor and 22% from behind the arc just .87 points per trip. The Cardinals had 11 steals and forced 18 turnovers. If this team can continue down this path their offensive prowess will just be an added bonus to the arsenal.

Just a day before he would coach in the first game of the season against his legendary father Richard Pitino gathered with his family in Puerto Rico for the Christening of his son. Tonight Richard’s father gave him another baptism by fire. No doubt that the younger Pitino will take this loss and build on it and I do think his team will be very good this season. I really like Richard Pitino and really want to believe that the Louisville job will be his someday when Rick decides to head to the rocking chair. This really was a fun game to watch from the build up to the end. I was satisfied with how the Cardinals played and think we will have something for them come March. The road started tonight folks enjoy the rest of the season. Go Cards!

(photo courtesy @UofLFlyingCard)

The last ACC game of the season did not go without any drama. This one went back and forth with the Cards and Eagles throwing blow for blow. But after some great defensive play and some great play by the freshman quarterback it was the Cardinals who would emerge victorious 38-19. They now move into the lead in this series 4-3. With the win the Cardinals finish their inaugural ACC football season 5-3 and in 3rd place of the Atlantic division. The Cards still have a shot at getting Coach Petrino another 9 win season. His record at UofL is now 48-12 overall.

The Cardinals showed a lot of moxie tonight and showed just what they are made of. With our top receiver out, our top defensive player out, our starting QB out, they could have very easy folded up the tents after some things weren’t going their way early. But they stayed the course and emerged with a very good win on the road to finish out their ACC season. We have grown used to watching our football teams step up and create big moments for themselves over the last few years. That is a part of the culture now that doesn’t appear to be going away. Cardinal Football is a winner.

The offense got off to a slow start tonight and was especially bleak in the red-zone. But Coach Petrino stayed the course and with Gardner out things started to pick up late in the second quarter and really started off well to start the 3rd quarter when Reggie Bonnafon lead a heroic drive down the field on 14 plays covering 75 yards. He topped it off with a touchdown pass to Eli Rodgers. This drive would put the Cardinals ahead for good. Bonnafon would finish the game with a gutsy 69 yards and two touchdowns. He really did show a lot of heart tonight, and while there is still a long way to go with him he proved tonight that he is on the right path. The offense would put up 423 yards on a very good BC defense. I have to give a big shout-out to the Cardinals offensive line that held their own again tonight.

The other offensive stand-out tonight was DeVante Parker. He recorded his third straight 100-yard performance and fifth dating back to last season. He finished the game with 8 receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown. DeVante is now Louisville’s leading receiver and has only played in 3 games this season. We can only assume what would have been had he been healthy for the whole schedule.

The Cardinals defense really put out another great effort holding a very good run game to just 166 yards on the night and they really locked things down when they needed to late in the 4th quarter with a big goal-line stand. The guy leading the way for these big stops was Gerod Holliman. Gerod had 3 big interceptions making him the all-time leader in a season at Louisville and #6 all-time in a career. At 13 interceptions he is just one away from reaching the NCAA record for a single season. Our guys on the defensive line really came through tonight as well.

It seemed like our first season in the ACC went by pretty fast. Cardinal fans have to be really pleased at how it ended. This team can really build off the momentum of this win and carry it into the last two games. A nine win season and finishing the season ranked in the top 25 are still very possible. And each win just upgrades the Bowl game. I know I’m really happy with how the team fought their way through the ups and downs and am very excited to watch this program continue to grow under the leadership of the current coaching staff. Two games and a Bowl left to cheer for this group of young men who have given their all for us this year. Let’s enjoy them… Go Cards!

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Cardinal Fans had waited a very long time for another moment. And tonight it looked like the home team would deliver. The Cardinals had a great chance at another one of those program defining wins tonight but fell short losing to the #2 ranked Florida State Seminoles 42-31. The series now stands at 2-13. The loss tonight will keep the Cardinals in third place in the Atlantic Division of the ACC at 4-3. Coach Petrino is now 47-12 all-time at UofL, 26-2 at home in Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and the loss snaps a 22 game win streak as the Cardinals head coach.

http://youtu.be/IS2XRpGqK6Y

At first it looked like this was going to be one of those games like we witnessed in the Sugar Bowl where Louisville came out and just took over from beginning to end. But the Seminoles who had won 23 straight weren’t going down without a fight. Jameis Winston and the defending champs kept the nations #1 defense on the ropes during the second half gaining 370 yards of offense and scoring 35 points. Winston had 401 yards and 3 touchdowns and pulled off some heroics in the second half that Louisville fans had seen in the past with a guy named Teddy. With a record crowd of 55,514 behind them Grantham’s guys got their second wind in the 4th quarter and had a huge sack at the 5:55, but the offense couldn’t move the chains on the ensuing possession. That was all she wrote for our Cardinals as FSU would take the lead for good.

The post-game theme for our losses this season have usually fell along the lines of poor offensive line play, poor QB play, etc. Tonight the offensive line held their own with solid run and pass blocking. It was their best effort of the season as a whole. They only had one penalty that was a false start late in the 4th. This was a very encouraging takeaway from this game.

Will Gardner had some sloppy passes but had a pretty solid performance overall with 330 yards and one touchdown. His play tonight was also a very encouraging takeaway. And what can you say to describe Louisville’s version of “Thunder and Lightning” duo of Michael Dyer and DeVante Parker. Dyer appears to be back to his SEC form as he rumbled for 134 yards with 3 touchdowns while Parker bolted his way to a career best 214 yards. These guys have combined for 653 yards of offense in the past two games. It’s a shame we didn’t have these guys at full strength all season, but I’m really excited to have them for the rest of the way. I know the offense was only 1-11 on 3rd down conversion, but I do think they have improved every game.

If the blame falls anywhere tonight it would have to fall on the Louisville defense. For the first time this season they just gassed out and couldn’t hold serve for this Louisville team. I really think depth is an issue for this unit and that’s what separates the great defenses from the elite ones. 488 yards of offense and 31 points should be enough to win at home. There were some standout performances on this side of the ball. James Sample had 15 tackles and Gerod Holliman added two more interceptions to his national lead. He now has 10 on the year and is tied for the all-time record at Louisville. I still think this defense is among the best in the country. They just ran into Jameis Winston tonight and he’s a pretty good player.

My outlook for this team when the season started was to make it to a good bowl game and to retain the Governor’s Cup for a 4th straight season. We are bowl eligible and have some great games left. There is still a lot to look forward and I’m excited to watch this team finish out. We have a lot of great guys who are busting their asses and that needs to be enjoyed and celebrated. Losses are tough but there were a lot of positives to take away from this one. We are on the cusp of having a special football program here at Louisville. Go Cards!

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

It was homecoming in Louisville on Saturday and over 50,000 fans watched the Cards beat the Wolfpack 30-18. The Cardinals extend their overall lead in this series 4-1. With this win Coach Petrino is 47-11 all-time at UofL, 26-1 at home in Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and has won 22 straight as the Cardinals head man. The most important thing about the win on Saturday is that it makes the Cardinals bowl eligible for a fifth straight year.

Things really started to come together for the Louisville offense on Saturday and it was probably the most encouraging day of the season for this unit. The first notable difference was on the offensive line. They did an incredible job in pass protection and really hit their marks in their run blocking also. These guys had made a lot of mental mistakes over the past couple of weeks, but today they didn’t have a single penalty. The offense only had 4 penalties total for 33 yards. I could see a big improvement in the execution today.

On a day where coming back is celebrated it was Michael Dyer and DeVante Parker who came back to the Cardinal line-up that will be remembered the most. Both of these guys have been battling injuries through the first half of the season and today both of them showed signs that they are healthy and ready to take the Louisville offense to the next level. Having his best day with the Cardinals since transferring in Dyer had 24 carries for 173 yards and 1 touchdown. He became the 4th Cardinal running back this season to have a 100 yard day.
DeVante tied a career high with 9 catches for 132 yards in his first game back from the toe injury. These guys accounted for around 80% of the Cardinals offensive production on Saturday combining for 305 yards. Really makes you think about what could have been had these guys been available all season.

I also thought that Will Gardner had a solid game on Saturday. He seems to gain more confidence with every throw. He had 203 yards with 2 touchdowns.

The #1 defense in the country again lived up to their reputation and held the Wolfpack out of the end-zone for most of the game allowing only one late touchdown. James Sample had 11 tackles, and James Burgess had 8 to lead their unit. Four different players had a sack and Gerod Holliman got his 8th interception of the season. These guys have been playing lights out and they give so much of themselves every weekend. The bye week is going to be great to give these guys a chance to rest up for the final push of the season. The biggest games of the season are on the horizon. Lorenzo Mauldin had a hamstring issue but reports after the game indicate that it might only be a minor issue.

The Cardinals will now take a great defense, improving offense with the return of Parker and Dyer into the bye week. We watched this team take a very positive step forward on Saturday and I’m looking forward to seeing what our guys will have for Florida State in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the best is yet to come. Go Cards!