Bowl Projections for Louisville Football After Week 9

If you’ve been keeping up with these posts, I’m not sure there were many of us who thought Louisville would be one win away from bowl eligibility prior to the Wake Forest game last week. But after taking down the 10th-ranked Demon Deacons, Louisville finds itself with four more opportunities to win one more and go bowling.

But reaching six wins is not a guarantee as Louisville still has a sneaky scary James Madison team coming to town this weekend, followed by two Top 25 teams and then the season finale at UK.

Louisville’s win over Wake Forest allowed the Cards to once again improve ESPN’s FPI projections for them and their projected record has improved from a 6-6 record to 7-5. FPI also gives the Cardinals a 97% chance of reaching six wins. And here’s how FPI projects Louisville’s chances winning each of their remaining games:

James Madison - 78.9% (75.2% last week)

#4 Clemson - 18.5% (14.9% last week)

#22 N.C. State - 63.5% (54.8% last week)

Kentucky - 49.4% (40% last week)

And with the first CFP rankings released last night, folks seem to have a slightly better idea of where teams may be traveling this holiday season:

ESPN:

Military Bowl Presented by Peraton (Bonagura) – Louisville vs. Central Florida Golden Knights

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland

Dec. 2

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl (Schlabach) – Louisville vs. Purdue

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

Dec. 29, 2:00PM, ESPN

Action Network (Brett McMurphy):

Wasabi Fenway Bowl – Louisville vs. Cincinnati

Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

Dec. 17, 11:00AM, ESPN

CBS (Jerry Palm):

Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl – Louisville vs. Oregon State

Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas

Dec. 30, 2:00PM, CBS

The Athletic:

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl – Louisville vs. UTSA

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Dec. 23, 6:30PM, ESPN

USA Today:

Military Bowl Presented by Peraton – Louisville vs. Cincinnati

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland

Dec. 28, 2:00PM, ESPN

247 Sports:

Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl – Louisville vs. Oregon State

Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas

Dec. 30, 2:00PM, CBS

Athlon:

Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl – Louisville vs. Oregon State

Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas

Dec. 30, 2:00PM, CBS

Bleacher Report:

Military Bowl Presented by Peraton – Louisville vs. Central Florida Golden Knights

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland

Dec. 28, 2:00PM, ESPN

Pro Football Network:

SERVPRO First Responders Bowl – Louisville vs. San Jose State

Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Fun Fact: Not the Gerald Ford you’re thinking of), Dallas, Texas

Dec. 27, TBD, ESPN

LOSERS WHO DIDN”T PROJECT US LAST WEEK:

Yahoo!:

Military Bowl Presented by Peraton – Louisville vs. Tulane

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland

Dec. 28, 2:00PM, ESPN

Sporting News:

Wasabi Fenway Bowl – Louisville vs. Cincinnati

Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

Dec. 17, 11:00AM, ESPN

College Football News:

Military Bowl Presented by Peraton – Louisville vs. Tulane

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland

Dec. 28, 2:00PM, ESPN

Tally: Military Bowl (5), Sun (3), Fenway (2), First Responders (1), Gasparilla (1), Pinstripe (1)

Cincinnati in a bowl game would be fun since we get to keep the Keg of Nails forever no matter what. Wouldn’t mind facing a Pac12 school in sunny El Paso, either.