Week nights and nationally televised games are back on the University of Louisville football schedule, the 2011 version of which was announced Friday.
U of L will open against Murray State University on Thursday on ESPN. The Cards will be on the cable network again the following Friday against Florida International. Both games are at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
The following week Charlie Strong’s troops will clash with the University of Kentucky in Lexington.
Big East Conference play opens against Cincinnati on Oct. 15 at Paul Brown Stadium, another Friday night affair to be televised by ESPN. The final game will be at Tampa against South Florida, also a Friday night game on a network to be announced later.
“The schedule will certainly be very challenging,” head coach Charlie Strong said. “I expect the Big East to be extremely competitive and balanced a lot like last season. Every team is capable of competing for the conference championship. I’m excited to have four games already scheduled on one of the ESPN networks, which increases the visibility of our program as we continue to build upon it.”
Thursday, Sept. 1 — Murray State, Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
Friday, Sept. 9 — Florida International, Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
Saturday, Sept. 17 — At Kentucky, Lexington
Saturday, Sept. 24 — Open
Saturday, Oct. 1 — Marshall, Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
Saturday, Oct. 8 — At North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Saturday, Oct. 15 — At Cincinnati, Cincinnati
Friday, Oct. 21 — Rutgers, Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
Saturday, Oct. 29 — Syracuse, Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
Saturday, Nov. 5 — At West Virginia, Morgantown, WV
Saturday, Nov. 12 — Pittsburgh, Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
Saturday, Nov. 19 — At Connecticut, Storrs, Conn.
Friday, Nov. 25 — At South Florida, Tampa, Fla.