2013-14 Louisville Football: What to Expect When You’re Expecting

As the 2013-14 college football season gets underway in a matter of days, Horses and Hoops looks at the Louisville Cardinals and the expectations surrounding possibly the most intriguing season to date.  Of course, the 2014-15 season will usurp the intense intrigue of this season, but I digress.

Many fans around the commonwealth are treating this season the same way they treated the 2013 NCAA Tournament.  Everyone could anticipate the Cardinals could win the title, but many felt it best not to voice such excitement.  For those who risked it all and piped off about the Road to the Final Four and eventual champion, major kudos go to you guys (and gals).

So what are the expectations?  Let’s look at them together, shall we?

1) The Cardinals live up to the hype and win the inaugural American Athletic Conference.

Possible?  Yes.  Probable?  Yes.  Just as in previous years, Louisville has the athleticism and know-how to win its conference.  While us quite types worry about a fluke loss to a Connecticut or an SMU, the confident extraverts are not timid about the possibility.  And why would they?  It’s not like the American is the ACC of 2014 or the Big Ten or SEC of old or present.

2) Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater wins the Heisman Trophy.

The days of the brothers Brohm, the Redmans, the Ragones and the LeForses have ushered in the era that is Teddy Bridgewater football.  What we fans have witnessed over the past two years has been nothing short of transformational.  The spark that #5 brings to Cardinal Football is evident and is completely understandable.  Just look at the man – the myth, the numbers and the integrity.  TB is a man’s man when it comes to college football quarterbacking.

Can he win the ultimate award?  My sources say yes.  Assuming the Cardinals don’t lose a game, the only kink in the plan I see is if head coach Charlie Strong decides not to put a pounding on opponents.  We all know Charlie is a stand-up coach who doesn’t dabble in disrespectful taunting, but if the Cards don’t do some serious damage and allow Teddy to put up video game numbers then we may find our QB critiqued in terms of “well, Louisville didn’t beat up on opponents” or “well, his numbers aren’t high enough compared to [insert other Heisman candidate here]” and he could slip in the voting tallies.

My best advice is for the Cardinals to punish their opponents relentlessly in the first half.  Allow TB to put up terrific numbers early and there will be no fear of a lack of statistics.

3) Louisville makes its way to its first national championship game.

Possible?  Yes, especially with this schedule.  Probable?  Maybe, depending on how we perform when winning.  And depending on how other teams perform throughout the season.  This is the point where us quiet types are extremely timid when it comes to shouting to the rooftops about the 2013-14 season.  Will you catch me predicting a title game appearance?  Nope.  Will I be heard doubting the appearance?  Nope.  Will I be heard boasting the possibility?  A little.

4) Louisville wins its first national football championship.

Seeing as how we crushed the Florida Gators in the 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl, the detractors must temper their expectations about a title game matchup featuring the Cardinals.  The Gators were arguably one win away from playing for the title in 2013 and very few outside Kentucky bet on Charlie Strong’s squad to win, much less win how they did.

I don’t believe there is a fan in Louisville who doesn’t want to see a UofL-Alabama matchup or a UofL-LSU title game or some derivation thereof, and I believe the media will salivate over such a matchup as well.  If [when] we make it to the title game, the media will have a field day with showing a true transformation of a football program in a small amount of time that will test the big dogs of the sport.

I hope an SEC team awaits us in the final game.  Even if we lose, there is no shame in losing to a great team from a great conference.  That is the only way to go out.  Do you think Notre Dame is at all embarrassed for losing to Alabama in 2013?  Those who bash the Irish after losing to a dynasty are obviously fans of teams who did not make the final.

We shall see in short order whether the Louisville Cardinals can extend the Year of the Cardinals into 2014.  With all things on God’s green Earth, it is completely possible.  Like the birth of a beautiful, first-born child, the unknown awaits us and we must take it one step at a time.  No one really knows what to expect – all we can do is prepare and believe that no tragedy will befall us.

And we wait.  I’m prepared.  Are you?