2016 Football Preview – AAC – Louisville Cardinals

Looking for 2016 Louisville Cardinals predictions? The Louisville Cardinals are a good program, one that in other years would be very worthy of sleeper status but this season it is hard to imagine them being able to get the big victories they need in conference to have a special season.

NCAA Football Gambling Lines

Louisville Cardinals
2015/16 Record: 8-5
Head Coach: Bobby Petrino
Odds to win ACC: 10/1
Odds to win National Championship: 66/1
Win Total: 9
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Louisville Cardinals Handicapping

And we do mean big with tilts against a couple of Top 10 teams – Clemson and Florida State looming large. That is a tough go for any program.

Even though this may be a third place team in the the Atlantic Division it could still be a Top 20 national team thanks to an exciting, athletic quarterback and let’s face it a coach in Bobby Petrino, who knows how to coach up an offense.

You may not like the guy and you may want to question his decision making but there is no doubting his ability to craft offenses that put points on the board.

Pair that with a defensive mentality instilled during the Charlie Strong era and there is good reason to be bullish on these Cardinals.

The question is whether they can outperform and be elite.

2016 Louisville Cardinals Predictions: Team Strengths

Last year the offense surged late thanks to the development of now sophomore QB Lamar Jackson. More mobile than previous Petrino quarterbacks he can make defenses pay with his feet as well as his arm.

Coming into his sophomore season and with the job all to himself he is expected to thrive and the offense could easily jump to the 30+ppg range this season.

The offense is also an experienced group with three linemen returning as well as top back Brandon Radcliff.

The defense should thrive thanks to the bulk of its starters returning too. The secondary should be Top 20 in the nation after a mediocre performance last season with all of the returning starters being upperclassmen.

Devonte Fields is one of the best edge rushers in the nation and he should make it easier for that group that includes playmakers like Shaq Wiggins.

2016 Louisville Cardinals Predictions: Team Weaknesses

Having a great defense means strength up front. The Cardinals are turning over key starters on the defensive line including Sheldon Rankins who was a top draft pick.

If they cannot have an impactful group up front then the defense will be mediocre at best. DL Chris Williams was originally an Ole Miss recruit who went the Junior College route.

He was great at that level last year buyt they will need him to be an immediate contributor.

Even though the offensive line has experience they were mediocre last season.

Jackson can hide some of their faults with his mobility but they want to have balance and they need this group to perform if they are going to beat the really good teams on their schedule and surprise folks.

2016 Louisville Cardinals Predictions: 8-4

The Cards have a schedule that could produce a trip to the playoffs, if they can beat Florida State at home and win at Clemson and at Houston. I think the most likely scenario is that they win one of those three games.

With the total set at nine I think oddsmakers are suggesting they will lose all three yet sweep all of their other contests. That’s a very plausible scenario so i don’t see much value in the total right now.

The same goes for their ACC championship odds. Likely they would need a big win, and some help, just to take the division and play in the title game.

Even if you are bullish on the Cardinals the payoff is not very good at its current number – you would be better off taking them to win straight up against Clemson and rolling it into an win over FSU, plus the other games it would take just to get there.

If they did make it to the title game they would likely be favoured though.

If you are bullish on Louisville I say bet them to take the whole thing (national championship), just sprinkle a little on it. Or the better way to play them is to back them in underdog situations in the big games listed above.

They are more than capable of making those field goal games.

2016 Louisville Cardinals Football Schedule

• 9/1/16 7:00 PM ET CHAR
• 9/9/16 8:00 PM ET @SYR
• 9/17/16 12:00 PM ET FSU
• 9/24/16 TBD @MRSH
• 10/1/16 TBD @CLEM
• 10/14/16 7:00 PM ET DUKE
• 10/22/16 TBD NCST
• 10/29/16 TBD @UVA
• 11/5/16 TBD @BC
• 11/12/16 TBD WAKE
• 11/17/16 TBD @HOU
• 11/26/16 TBD UK

What do you think about our 2016 Louisville Cardinals predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2016!

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