By Ed Peak
Way too many college football bowl games for some people. A team has to be really bad not to make the post season. Football fanatics love every one of the bowls.
Had it not been an influx in bowl games several years ago Louisville (7-5) would not be practicing for the Music City Bowl, December 30th, against Mississippi State (6-6).
Some of my sportswriter associates and radio talking heads make fun of the non-championship games. Yes. There are too many bowl games. But UofL’s invitation is perfect in this situation.
Remember Charlie Strong’s first season in 2010. Louisville earned a 30-27 come-from-behind win over Southern Mississippi in the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl. That game seemed to set the tone for future Cardinal teams. This season is no different. A win over the Bulldogs might would be a milestone win for Satterfield. ” We need to have fun and enjoy the experience,” he said. “We need to take this and build on it.”
Satterfield, the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year, had 15 extra practices to help this team work on its weaknesses and sharpen its skills. If the Cardinals win they finish 8-5, it would certainly help recruiting and be a huge reward for the players that stayed through the horrible Bobby Petrino II coaching regime.
He has already surpassed Petrino in most of the ways that count, creating reason for optimism, generating confidence where there was none, creating an close-knit family atmosphere with players playing for each other and their coaches. More wins this past season than anyone had a right to expect. No matter how the Cards fare this weekend, they will be much farther along that they were a year ago.
Satterfield earned ACC Coach of the Year honors, not even close. He and his staff made football fun again. The Music City Bowl is special in so many ways for University of Louisville football fans, sticking with their team through some of most challenging times in the program’s history.