Louisville football will kick off on Sept. 1 with a road-clash against Georgia Tech. With the all-important opening stretch of the season imminent, we’re taking a look at Cardinals’ history in September, and their chances throughout the first month of the 2023 season.
Starting strong is always important, but the spotlight burns extra bright on Louisville this year, as the program’s prodigal son Jeff Brohm takes over as head coach. Cardinal’s fans betting on Kentucky sportsbooks can expect to see plenty of other new faces as well. Brohm brought in 30 player transfers as part of his plan to remake the roster to fit the former-QBs pass-first philosophy.
Now that Louisville’s first game is less than two weeks away, BetKentucky.com decided to see how Louisville’s September record compares to their fellow ACC mates.
Best ACC Teams in the Month of September Since 2012
Using Sports-Reference.com, we compiled the chart below, which ranks all 14 teams in the ACC based on their historic September performance since 2012.
Because not all teams participated in the same number of games, our rankings are based on win percentage. Something you likely won't find on Kentucky betting apps.
The Louisville Cardinals own the seventh best September record in the ACC since 2012, rating out firmly in the middle of the pack, but still solidly above .500 in terms of win-percentage. The Clemson Tigers, however, lap the field as the conference’s best September team. They’ve lost just four games in the opening month of the season since 2012.
Last year the Cardinals went 8-5, but just 2-2 in September. This year, Louisville fans should expect a completely different squad. Whether the results will be better remains to be seen.
Breaking Down Cardinals Football in September 2023
Starting under center Week 1 will be Cal transfer Jack Plummer. Now in his final year of eligibility, the fifth year QB had a career year in 2022 with the Golden Bears, racking up 3,094 passing yards and 21 TDs. Prior to that he played under new Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm at Purdue. Plummer’s experience in Brohm’s system should help smooth out the offensive transition away from last season’s run-oriented offense led by mobile QB Malik Cunningham.
Louisville has a strong chance to begin the season with gusto with a soft September schedule to begin 2023.
As DraftKings Kentucky Sportsbook gets ready to launch, nationally, DraftKings has them as 8-point road favorites against the spread versus Georgia Tech on Sept. 1. They follow that up with a projected layup at home against Murray State in Week 2.
Their Sept. 16 game at Indiana is a tougher matchup, but the Cardinals should be able to handle a Hoosier team that went just 4-8 last year, managing a meager 23.2 points per game.
Boston College ought to be a pesky challenger when the Eagles travel to Louisville on Sept. 23. Last season’s tilt with the Eagles was a back-and-forth nail biter, with eight lead changes, ending in heartbreak for the Cardinals as they lost 34-33 on a last-minute field goal. The fans inside the newly re-named L&N Stadium will be thirsty for revenge.
Louisville’s final September game shapes up to be its most difficult. On Sept. 29, the Cardinals head to Raleigh to take on the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Featuring a vaunted defense that ranked 20th overall in the FBS, NC State is expected to be among the best teams in the ACC, with an outside shot of challenging Clemson for the top spot. This year they welcome QB Brennan Armstrong, who arrives from Virginia as the Cavaliers all-time passing leader.
Beyond September, Louisville's schedule is highlighted by an Oct. 7 home face-off against Notre Dame, a road game the following week on Oct. 14 versus Pitt, and of course an inter-state grudge match against Kentucky on Nov. 25 for their final game of the season.
If you’re optimistic about the Jeff Brohm-led Cardinals, the relatively easy looking schedule may present some value for bettors. Louisville is currently +1000 to win the ACC. And if you’re extraordinarily bullish, you can also grab them at +20000 on DraftKings Sportsbook to win the CFB Playoffs.
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