Over the past three seasons, Charlie Strong has talked a lot about getting University of Louisville football back where it belongs. But even he has to be surprised by what’s going on in the polls.
According to CBSSports, U of L is ranked No. 12 in the Associated Press poll and No. 10 in the ESPN/USAToday Coaches poll. What’s even more impressive, however, is that Louisville is projected to be ranked 10th when the BCS rankings are announced Sunday evening.
What Strong will tell you, however, is, “We don’t worry about that stuff and we don’t talk about the polls. We have to worry about ourselves and who we play next.”
Even the most staunch UofL fan would have to agree with the coach that this team has more than its share of challenges, with opposing teams averaging 23 points per game. The outcome of three of the past four games have come down to the final play.
Be that as it may, the people doing the voting are looking at the 8-0 won-lost record and giving UofL credit after an impressive comeback against Cincinnati on ESPN. While some may quibble with the schedule, they see a team overcoming a lot of obstacles, with an unflappable quarterback with a remarkable set of skills.
* * *
The turnout of 53,271 fans in miserable cold and rainy conditions was impressive, raising average attendance 52,386 per game after the four home games. Even the most optimistic among us were pleasantly surprised, anticipating large canyons on empty seats on a national ESPN telecast. Didn’t happen, the fans arrived early and stayed late.
There’s a special bond between Charlie Strong, this team and the community. I wasn’t surprised at all about the turnout. People love a winner and we’ve got one again.
One of the most impressive things this season is the enthusiasm of the student section, which is full of kids committed to their school and the football program. With more students living on campus, they’re much more committed than the days when U of L was largely a commuter school. Witht the continued housing expansion, it’s only going to keep getting better.