Thursday afternoon Cardinal news and notes

—The Louisville men’s basketball Twitter account has been giving away prizes and revealing the 2018-19 non-conference schedule throughout today.

Here’s what we have so far:

Nov. 8 vs. Nicholls State (season opener)

Nov. 13 vs. Southern (non-bracket preseason NIT)

Nov. 16 vs. Vermont (non-bracket preseason NIT)

Nov. 21 vs. Tennessee (Preseason NIT in Brooklyn)

Nov. 23 vs. Kansas or Marquette (Preseason NIT in Brooklyn)

Nov. 27 vs. Michigan State (ACC-Big 10 Challenge)

Dec. 1 At Seton Hall

Dec. 5 vs. Central Arkansas

Dec. 8 at Indiana

Dec. 12 vs. Lipscomb

Dec. 15 vs.Kent State

Dec. 18 vs. Robert Morris

Still to be announced is the Kentucky game date (would guess Saturday the 29th) and a game against an unnamed opponent (believe it will be an in-state foe the week before the UK game).

—Bill Connelly ranks all 130 FBS teams and has Louisville at No. 33.

—Nick Saban says both of his quarterbacks could see the field against Louisville.

“Both guys are playing pretty well, so we’ll just keep going and see if anybody separates,” Saban told ESPN on Tuesday.

”There could be a role for both of them, but there’s been no decision made either way. Just like every position, there’s good competition at quarterback, and nobody’s backing away from that competition.”

Few practices remain until Alabama’s Sept. 1 kickoff, and both QBs have made statements in scrimmages while getting equal reps in practices. Saban added that while he’ll make the final call on who’s under center during the 2018 campaign, he won’t make the decision alone or without the team’s overall influence.

”As much as anybody, the other kids on the team will let us know which one of those guys gives us the best chance to win,” Saban said. “The good thing is that we’ve won with both.”

—There have been a lot of really good things written in the wake of last night’s Urban Meyer suspension and gross press conference, but I especially liked this from Spencer Hall on the disease of unearned loyalty.

—There is gear being sold around campus featuring this Cardinal logo, which has drawn the attention of Louisville fans worried about it being potentially(?) NC-17.

Alternate design No. 1:

Alternate design No. 2:

Would buy all three.

—TopGolf Crush is coming to Cardinal Stadium (formerly PJCS, not the old one), and it looks pretty bad ass.

—The 2-0 U of L women’s soccer team will face road tests at Dayton and Michigan this week.

—Good thread on Ted.

—Jake Lourim spent four days in Columbus, Georgia figuring out how “the legend of Puma” came to pass.

That was corny as hell, but I swear to God I didn’t even mean to do it, so it’s staying in the post.

All along, Puma’s laid-back appearance belied his drive. He seemed quiet to everyone until he admonished a teammate’s effort. But the coach who knows him better than almost anyone saw the truth.

“I think he’s quiet because he’s observing everything,” Kegler said.

It’s deceiving to everyone. Since last winter, there has been a refrain from Louisville coach Bobby Petrino to his new quarterback: Walk faster.

“Guys that walk fast know where they’re going,” Petrino likes to say. He has nagged Puma about speeding up, but the quarterback will not.

Told of Petrino’s instructions, Lindsey smiled.

“Ain’t gonna happen,” the principal said. “He’s thinking about what his next step is.”

—The sixth-ranked U of L men’s soccer team opens the 2018 season Friday night at 7:30 against visiting St. Bonaventure. Here’s a preview.

—The Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson match play thing is going to be on Thanksgiving and only available on pay-per-view. That’s gonna have to be a no from your boy.

—U of L hoops recruit Omar Payne is in the process of setting his official visits.

—Eight Rutgers football players have been charged in a credit card fraud scheme.

—DeVante Parker’s week one status is still up in the air.

—USA Today lays out 10 possibilities for Teddy Bridgewater’s future.

3. Broncos: Case Keenum got a two-year, $36 million deal this spring from GM John Elway, who’s still looking for Peyton Manning’s successor. Keenum, 30, is coming off a breakout 2017 campaign in Minnesota, where he had a tremendous supporting cast. But prior to that, he epitomized undrafted journeyman.

2. Dolphins: Is Ryan Tannehill better than Bridgewater, a Miami native? Good luck finding someone to make a vehement case, though maybe Tannehill’s play will do it in his seventh season now that he seems back to full health himself.

1. Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, the top pick of the 2015 draft and presumed face of this franchise for the next decade, has been so-so on the field and now embarrassed the Bucs off of it. The club picked up his fifth-year option for 2019 before the NFL issued Winston’s three-game suspension for violating the personal conduct policy after he allegedly groped an Uber driver. Bridgewater has already led a team to the playoffs (Minnesota in 2015) — Winston never has — and his leadership, maturity and experience with adversity suggests he could be far better option than sticking with Winston and paying him $20-plus million annually beginning next year.

—The U of L baseball team is back on campus and gearing up for a run to Omaha in 2019.

—SB Nation’s preseason bowl projections have Louisville in the Sun Bowl.

—Jimbo Fisher’s contract is absurd.

—This shirt rules.

—Louisville City ripped Charlotte 3-0 last night.

—The new Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame class headlined by Bob Baffert was inducted last night.

—Clemson Sports Talk previews Louisville.

—Streaking the Lawn (Virginia) has Louisville at No. 6 in its preseason ACC power rankings.

6. Louisville Cardinals (0-1)

This week: vs. Alabama (at Orlando)

So the post-Lamar Jackson era is going to start off 0-1. That’s fine. S&P+ projects the Cardinals at 29th in the country, good for 5th in the Conference. Bobby Petrino could have a rough year on his hand, given the success they’ve seen the past few years, but maybe they’ll hit a wall and he’ll leave on a Sunday after a loss.

—The University of Louisville Foundation’s insurer is suing to avoid paying up to $10 million in legal costs for former foundation officials. Sure.

—The champion ham at the 55th Annual Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast and Auction sold for a record $2.8 million which makes absolutely no sense to me.

—Another ACC preview with Louisville at No. 5 in the Atlantic Division.

—And finally, R&R is back this afternoon from 3-6. I’ll probably be talking about cartoon bird logo junk.