(Photo cred @uoflfootball)

The annual battle for state bragging rights on the gridiron won’t take place until the third week of the season, and that is far enough away that coaches and dignitaries from both Louisville and Kentucky’s program will be able to get along long enough to get a round of golf in today. But Before hitting the links during the Governor’s Cup Luncheon both Charlie Strong and Mark Stoops spoke to the media for a few minutes.

The game will take place this year on September 14th at 1:00pm in Commonwealth Stadium. The Cards will start their season as favorites to win the newly formed AAC conference while the Cats look at another season expected to finish last in a powerful SEC. Expectations for both teams will be high with the fan-bases. Cardinal Nation is riding high off of an incredible year and a big win over Florida in the Sugar Bowl while Big Blue Nation has high hopes due to the recruiting spark Stoops has put into their program over the past couple of months.

Coach Strong will have to manage his teams expectations while keeping them focused on each opponent they will face this season. Not only are they going to be big time favorites to beat UK they will probably be favored in every game this season. Here are some of Coach Strong’s comments:

Coach Strong: “I am happy with this football team, we know what is ahead of us and what needs to get done.”

Coach Strong: “You would like to think the team has matured. They understand the work ethic and they know they have to improve.”

Coach Strong: “We like the expectations. When you want to be a top notch program, this is where you want to be.”

Coach Strong seems really excited about this team and when he was asked in a round-about way about Michael Dyer he said “no new members of my program” right now. But did say in regards to transfers “Anytime we bring a young man in we hope to influence his life in a positive way”, “We need to make sure we have an impact on a player’s life. He’s going to become us, we aren’t going to become him.”

Coach Strong on the team’s overall health,“we are fairly healthy.” and notes that DeAngelo Brown has an Achilles injury & Jamaine Brooks a knee injury.

The only comments of Mark Stoops I payed any attention to was when he said “I’d like to congratulate Coach Strong, he has done a fantastic job.”

39 days Cardinal…..