2015 Record: 8-5
2016 Las Vegas Season Win Total: 9.5*
2016 Season Win Total Picks NCAA Football: 'Under'
Bobby Petrino is a consummate scumbag in a sport that is full of depraved sociopaths. But there is no denying one thing: he can coach. And after a bizarre set of circumstances led to his second go-round in Louisville, Petrino is ready to get back to business in building this team back up as a Southern power.
Petrino has spent the last two seasons winning with the Cardinals (17-9 straight up) by riding the back of Charlie Strong's recruits and his powerful defense. But Petrino made his name in college football as an offensive mastermind, and this could be the season in which he gets back to business.
Of course, that will all depend on the development of quarterback Lamar Jackson. As a freshman, Jackson showed a lot of potential as a dual-threat performer. He made freshman mistakes. But with his top two runners and top 10 receivers back, Jackson should take a big step in his second season in Petrino's system.
Defensively, the Cards are still pretty solid. They have eight starters back from what was, statistically, their worst defense in six years. And this is the same core that held Clemson to a season-low 20 points and shut down Texas A&M in the bowl game.
Louisville has a unique schedule in that their biggest games of the year will be done by Oct. 1. They face their top two Atlantic rivals, Florida State (Sept. 17) and Clemson (Oct. 1), within their first five games. So we will know if the Cardinals are a real threat in the ACC by the time they get into the heart of their ACC schedule (which, after their Oct. 8 bye gets really, really easy).
The Cardinals could easily lose to both Florida State and Clemson and still clear the 9.5 season win total. They have the talent, and now in the third year under Petrino have the cohesion to really make some noise, nationally, this year. This is a solid team that I'm playing 'over'.
2016 Louisville Cardinals Schedule
|
DATE |
OPPONENT |
TIME (ET) |
Location |
|
Fri, Sep 9th, 2016 |
at Syracuse |
08:00 PM |
Carrier Dome |
|
Sat, Sep 17th, 2016 |
Florida State |
12:00 PM |
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium |
|
Sat, Sep 24th, 2016 |
at Marshall |
08:00 PM |
Joan C. Edwards Stadium |
|
Sat, Oct 1st, 2016 |
at Clemson |
12:00 PM |
Memorial Stadium |
|
Fri, Oct 14th, 2016 |
Duke |
07:00 PM |
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium |
|
Sat, Oct 22nd, 2016 |
NC State |
12:00 PM |
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium |
|
Sat, Oct 29th, 2016 |
at Virginia |
12:00 PM |
David A. Harrison III Field at |
|
Sat, Nov 5th, 2016 |
at Boston College |
12:00 PM |
Alumni Stadium |
|
Sat, Nov 12th, 2016 |
Wake Forest |
12:00 PM |
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium |
|
Thu, Nov 17th, 2016 |
at Houston |
08:00 PM |
TDECU Stadium |
|
Sat, Nov 26th, 2016 |
Kentucky |
12:00 PM |
Papa John's Cardinal Stadium |
All Times EST
*Season Win Total Odds from 5Dimes Sportsbook.
Robert Ferringo has been the top football handicapper in the country the past five years, earning nearly $13,000 in total football profit with four of six winning seasons. Robert tallied over $20,000 in football profit between 2011 and 2015, including his amazing 2013 NFL season in which he hit 62.1 percent (95-58). Robert has produced 14 of 22 winning football months and an amazing 37 of 57 winning football months over the past decade. Robert has eight of nine winning NFL preseasons and he is at nearly 60 percent winners over his last 750 totals picks. Also, Robert's proprietary KING College Football Betting System has posted three of four winning seasons and is 122-92 over the last three years (57.0 percent).
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