Everyone I know, sportswriters included, enjoys prognosticating about upcoming football seasons. With that in mind, I invited several area sports media members to predict the football records of Louisville and Kentucky during the 2022 season.
Las Vegas has Louisville winning 6.5 games (six or seven) while Kentucky wins eight. Personally I think that is low for both teams. I’ll take the over. Their selections with a few comments:
Charlie Springer, UofLCardGame: “I will give the Cardinals eight wins against four losses while leaving the Kentucky predicting to others.”
Ed Peak, UofLCardGame: Louisville 9-3 overall, 7-1 conference. “This is the season Scott Satterfield has waited for. Year four. These are his players. This team has some depth plus it should score lots of points. A very good bowl game should be in the Cards.” (Notice no UK prediction either).
Steve Springer, Murray Ledger Sports & UofLCardGame: UofL 7-5. “Look for Louisville to climb back over .500 this season, but not by much. An improved running game and an even more experienced Cunningham could make a couple games difference.” (UK who?).
Rick Bozich, WDRB: Louisville 7-5, Kentucky 8-4. “The Cardinals have one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country, Malik Cunnngham. His health is paramount. It is critical Louisville gets off to a fast start as the back end of the schedule has five ranked teams. UK can no longer play the no respect card.”
Tom Lane, WDRB: Louisville 8-4, Kentucky 10-2. “Louisville will have to win a game or two they are not supposed to,” said Lane. “A veteran quarterback and some quality transfers get them over .500. “Kentucky has a pretty user friendly schedule with eight home games. Stoops has been building something.”
John Lewis, WDRB: Louisville 8-4, Kentucky 10-2. “Malik Cunningham is a exceptional dual quarterback. We’ll see if he can take it to the next level.”
Fred Cowgill, WLKY: Louisville 8-4, Kenutcky 11-2. “This is a make or break season for Head Coach Scott Satterield, coming off back to back losing seasons. Gifted quarterback Malik Cunningham returns. But is the supporting cast is good enough to make the Cards a winner again.”
Kent Spencer, WHAS TV: Louisville 7-5, Kentucky 8-4. “The big thing for Louisville will be how a new batch of receivers perform and if their secondary can hold up.”
Nick Roush, KSR Radio: Louisville 7-5, Kentucky 10-2. “The schedule is not kind to the Cards. The Cards have one of the oldest teams in college football and do-it-all quarterback in Malik Cunningham.”
Oscar Combs, Wildcat News: Louisville 7-5, Kentucky 9-3. “Injuries and or suspensions could alter these predictions by a game in either direction.”
John Spears, BIG X Sports Radio: Louisville 5-7, Kentucky 8-4. “Louisville is playing against a ton of good quarterbacks.”
Tony Burke, BIG X Sports Radio: Louisville 4-8, Kentucky 10-2.
WAVE3, WGTK 970, WHBE 680, and the Courier-Journal did not return ballots.
I think all these guys predicting a little above break even for the Cards are close.
And kentucky should be about the same as last year with what they have returning, player-wise and with their MAC level start to the year.
Fred’s attention should be elsewhere though, he just needs to get better and focusing on getting rich off of Catholic subsidization.
The aforementioned sportscaster is likely looking for an easy settlement. The end game seems clear.