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The 2019 national championship game hasn’t even been played yet, and already we have our first early top 25 for the 2020 college football season. It features Louisville, which is why we’re going to talk about it.
According to Bill Bender of The Sporting News, Scott Satterfield’s second year will feature the No. 19 team in the sport.
No. 19 Louisville
Scott Satterfield led the Cardinals to eight wins in an impressive turnaround in Year 1, and there’s no reason to believe that growth won’t continue in Year 2. Malik Cunningham emerged as the right quarterback with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions, and the offensive line play should continue to improve. Javian Hawkins could emerge as a legit Doak Walker Award candidate in this offense, too. More depth is needed on defense, but this is the best bet to challenge Clemson in the ACC Atlantic.
U of L is the highest-ranked team from the ACC outside of No. 1 Clemson. North Carolina (21) and Virginia (23) also make Bender’s cut.
Now maybe the best part about this meaningless organization of teams for a season that’s still nine months away from kicking off is that it has pissed off fans of a certain unranked team from the SEC to no end.
Louisville ranked #19 in Preseason rankings
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) January 10, 2020
Kentucky Unranked
That is RIDICULOUS https://t.co/KTf3occ5rV
Kentucky beats Lousville by 100 without a QB and is unranked and Louisville is 19. lol
— Cranjis Mcbasketball (@brad_2325) January 10, 2020
LOL. Kentucky 45. Louisville 13. UK returns 18 starters give or take. Hilarious.
— Billy Rowengartner (@BRowengartner) January 10, 2020
Louisville in and Kentucky not? That is insane. #BBN
— Kelly Evans (@kelrhon) January 10, 2020
@UKFootball has beaten Louisville by more than 100 the last two year, is returning 20/22 starters and you have Louisville ranked and not Kentucky? Stop it.
— Kevin Griffin (@KGriff315) January 10, 2020
Where’s Kentucky?
— T (@The_Real_TB3) January 10, 2020
There are like 75 more of these, but you get the point. It’s almost like ... and hear me out on this ... Kentucky fans make a bigger deal out of winning one rivalry game than the rest of the country.
Here’s to more tears from all ends of the Commonwealth in the months to come.