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Monday evening Cardinal news and notes

Baby Bobby Petrino (Aka Calloway Kull) is ready for Halloween and the continued chase of a College Football Playoff berth.

By Mike Rutherford

I_medium Spread check: Louisville by 25.

I_medium I'm going to write more about this later in the week, but twice this morning when I was walking the dog, people stopped me to talk about the Cards and their chances of making the College Football Playoff. It struck me afterward that in the 114-year history of Louisville football, this is the second time ever that the Cards have had a legitimate shot at winning a national championship once Halloween has rolled around. That's pretty remarkable.

Don't go me wrong, I'm still as invested in the various playoff scenarios as anyone, and if Louisville doesn't wind up getting a shot in the national semifinals, I will be disappointed; but neither of those things change the fact that this has been, and continues to be, the most damn fun I've ever had as a Cardinal football fan.

Here's to where we are and where we could go over the next few weeks.

I_medium We didn't officially have a Card Chronicle Halloween Costume Contest, but I'm still declaring this one as the winner.

I_medium The updated bowl projections from SB Nation still have Louisville taking on Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl.

I_medium The new S&P rankings from Football Outsiders still have Louisville at No. 3 behind only Michigan and Alabama.

I_medium Pat Forde's College Football Playoff projection says no team is close to the top four at the moment, but that if you're considering one-loss teams, Louisville leads that pack.

I_medium No question that this is when the tide turned on Saturday:

I_medium Updated national championship and Heisman odds from Mr. Bovada:

Odds to Win the 2017 CFP National Championship

Team                   10/25/16            Current Odds (10/31/16)

Alabama                       8/5                    8/5

Clemson                       7/1                    5/1

Ohio State                    9/2                    5/1

Michigan                       6/1                    11/2

Louisville                      9/1                    9/1

Washington                   9/1                    9/1

LSU                              20/1                  25/1

Texas A&M                   66/1                  33/1

Wisconsin                     40/1                  33/1

Florida                          75/1                  40/1

Oklahoma                     33/1                  40/1

Auburn                          40/1                  50/1

Nebraska                      40/1                  50/1

Baylor                           50/1                  75/1

West Virginia                 40/1                  75/1

Oklahoma State            Off the Board    150/1

Virginia Tech                 Off the Board    150/1

Boise State                   75/1                  Off the Board

Florida State                 100/1                Off the Board

Tennessee                    150/1                Off the Board

Utah                             100/1                Off the Board

Odds to win the 2016 Heisman Trophy

Player                              10/25/16            Current Odds (10/31/16)

Lamar Jackson (QB Louisville)                           1/3                    1/3

Jabrill Peppers (S Michigan)                              15/2                  9/2

Deshaun Watson (QB Clemson)                         15/2                  9/2

Jake Browning (QB Washington)                        10/1                  20/1

JT Barrett (QB Ohio State)                                 12/1                  33/1

Jalen Hurts (QB Alabama)                                  22/1                  33/1

Dalvin Cook (RB Florida State)                          40/1                  50/1

I_medium Lorenzo Mauldin notched his first career interception on Sunday, and appropriately enough, it was on a pass that had been deflected by Calvin Pryor. Here he is talking about the team's performance after the game.

I_medium Jimbo Fisher is the latest person to be less than thrilled over the officiating in a Clemson game, and he let the world know about it Saturday night. It cost him $20,000.

I_medium Prized NC State recruit Omer Yurtseven won't get the Enes Kanter treatment from the NCAA, but he will have to sit out the first nine games of this season.

I_medium Jaylen Smith does his best "Well Actually Baby" impression, and it's glorious.

I_medium Former Texas TE Jermichael Finley dressed up as "Hot Seat Charlie Strong" for Halloween. It raised a few eyebrows in Austin.

I_medium Tim Keown of Sports Illustrated has a pretty heartbreaking story about Teddy Bridgewatwer and what he's going through right now.

"I swear he's the nicest guy I've ever met in my life," Boone says. "He's a sweet guy -- and that's not a word you usually associate with football players, but he really is. His genuine sincerity toward everything is just ... you're like, 'Wow, he's really a good person.' He never says a bad word, he's never mad."

Wide receiver Adam Thielen says, "Across this league, everyone has respect for Teddy," and he cites Sam Bradford as proof. Bradford texted get-well wishes to Bridgewater the day after the injury -- about the same time the Vikings' front office started asking tight ends coach Pat Shurmur, once Bradford's offensive coordinator in St. Louis and Philadelphia, for a detailed scouting report on his former quarterback. Three days after that, Minnesota traded a first-round and a conditional fourth-round pick to the Eagles to turn Bradford into its Next Man Up.

Nobody knows when Bridgewater will play again. The team says he'll be back next year, but there's no guarantee. His knee dislocated, and the impact tore multiple ligaments connecting the patella to the tibia and fibula. When the Vikings traded for Bradford, back when nobody expected Minnesota to start the season 5-1, it was noted that Bridgewater is under team control through 2017.

"Everyone still loves Teddy," Bradford says. "Teddy's the guy. There's no moving past Teddy. That's just how it is, and how it should be."

Greatest human being alive.

I_medium Donovan loves the kids.

I_medium Jeff Walz will participate in ESPN's national women's basketball media day on Tuesday.

I_medium Pretty cool moment for Terry Rozier last week playing against his childhood idol.

I_medium Recruiting analysts talk with the C-J about how Louisville managed to land a loaded 2017 recruiting class despite simultaneously dealing with the NCAA.

I_medium The Cards are still No. 2 in ESPN's ACC power rankings.

I_medium 'Preciate ya, Tom.

I_medium Andrea Adelson examines what the close wins from Clemson and Louisville mean in the grand scheme of things.

I_medium Our man at the Crestview News Bulletin likes Louisville by nine over Boston College.

I_medium Like it.

I_medium Most people seem to agree that there are seven teams competing for four playoff spots at the moment. Jon Solomon of CBS ranks the other teams that still technically have a shot to play for the national title.

I_medium Guarantee she won.

I_medium The ACC continues to play out pretty much as planned, which means the most stressful moments for the conference are going to come from games outside the league.

I_medium The ACC Digital Network looks at the best Halloween costumes from around the conference.

I_medium Gorgui's about to get paid.

I_medium Erin McCrudden has been selected to play in the 2016 Victory Sports Tours/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I Senior Game which will be held on Saturday, November 19 at 2:30 p.m.

I_medium And finally, happy Halloween, boys and girls.

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