Games in Morgantown aren’t for the weak of heart.

West Virginia football tradition goes way back, as does the rabid fan support. One has to have respect for the program and be wary of the locals. If you second guess yourself, show fear, or allow yourself to be intimidated, they’ll run roughshod over you, laughing at you, mocking your fans on your way out of town.

The University of Louisville football team hadn’t won a game there since becoming a member of the Big East Conference in 2005. The odds of winning a game with a rebuilding program, a team overloaded with sophomores and freshmen and a team lacking much offensive prowess were very long. Especially against a team boasting one of college football’s most prolific offenses.

But if you play for Charlie Strong, you know life in the loser’s lane is far worse than anything that West Virginia can throw at you. Besides, he has taught what to expect, has prepared you for it, has confidence in you, and expects you to win. Continuous improvement is more than a theme on a locker room banner, it’s an early earmark of the Strong era.

Louisville  defeated a top 25 team, won a third consecutive game for the first time since the Bobby Petrino era, got back on the winning side of the won-lost record, gained some recognition for the hard work, and restored a good measure of respect for UofL football.

The fact that all this occurred in Morgantown made the win all that much sweeter.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.

4 thoughts on “Happy days here again for Louisville football”
  1. Well it could be said we won there before. Or more accurately would have had the officials known the rule book regarding kick receiving interference. And the BE had to apologize to UofL for it but of course that didn’t change the outcome.

  2. If you’re talking football, WV has more wins and a higher winning percentage than the Cards.

  3. I’m glad the Big12 overlooked us. We get Boise St., Houston, Navy and the rest we’ll be better off and we’ll still be in a good basketball conference.

  4. As I stated when all the WVU fans were running their mouths, this is how you do your talking! Only wish the Big 12 administrators were better sports fans they would have known that Louisville is the superior school historically…they may have been ranked at the right time but they have done nothing. Nice work Big 12 and good look WVU.

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