Cardinals
NCAAF Louisville Cardinals
General Information
NCAA Division: Division I
Conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (2014-present)
Past Conferences: Missouri Valley, Conference USA, Big East, American Athletic
City: Louisville, Ky.
Stadium: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium
Championships
National Championships: None
Conference Titles: 8 (1970, 1972, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2012)
Divisional Titles: 1 (2016)
Team History
The Louisville Cardinals are a Division I program located in Louisville, Ky. Louisville competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference and is coached by Jeff Brohm, a quarterback for the program in the 1990s. Brohm — who succeeded Scott Satterfield in December — was named Most Valuable Player of the 1993 Liberty Bowl and is part of the school’s Ring of Honor.
Louisville has been to 25 bowl games, most recently in 2022 when it defeated Cincinnati 24-7 in the Fenway Bowl. Notably, prior to the introduction of the College Football Playoff, the Cardinals played in two BCS bowl games: they beat Wake Forest 24-13 in the 2007 Orange Bowl and defeated Florida 33-23 in the 2013 Sugar Bowl as a double-digit underdog.Â
Louisville was part of a major phase of college realignment when it joined the ACC in 2014, replacing Maryland, which had left for the Big Ten Conference. The Cardinals’ arrival came shortly after the additions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse. The ACC also added Notre Dame but allowed the school to retain its independence in football.
Following the dissolution of Big East football, Louisville spent 2013 in the American Athletic Conference. That year, coming on the heels of back-to-back Big East titles, proved memorable, as the Cardinals went 12-1 under Charlie Strong and routed Miami 36-9 in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
The following offseason, Strong, who had amassed a .712 winning percentage from 2010-13, left to coach Texas. The school turned to a familiar face for his replacement, bringing back Bobby Petrino, who had coached the Cardinals from 2003-06. In Petrino’s first season back, the Cardinals went 9-4 but lost 37-14 to Georgia in the Belk Bowl.
Petrino’s second chapter at Louisville coincided with the emergence of one of the program’s great quarterbacks, Lamar Jackson. Jackson turned in a historic season in 2016, becoming the first Heisman Trophy winner in school history. Jackson, who was also named the Associated Press Player of the Year, passed for 3,543 yards and 30 touchdowns and ran for 1,571 yards and 21 scores. The Baltimore Ravens selected Jackson with the 32nd pick (first round) of the 2018 NFL Draft and watched him become an MVP.  Â
The Cardinals rose to No. 3 in the AP poll in 2016, matching the best ranking in school history. They went 9-4, including 7-1 in ACC play, and lost 29-9 to LSU in the Citrus Bowl. Â
Other distinguished quarterbacks produced by Louisville include NFL Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas, Teddy Bridgewater and Chris Redman, the school’s all-time leading passer (12,541 career yards).
The Cardinals captured three conference titles in the Big East, just as they had done as part of Conference USA from 1996-04.
All-Time Records
Passing Yards
- Â Chris Redman: 12,541
- Â Brian Brohm: 10,775
- Â Teddy Bridgewater: 9,817
- Â Malik Cunningham: 9,660
- Â Lamar Jackson: 9,043
 Rushing Yards
- Â Lamar Jackson: 4,132
- Â Walter Peacock: 3,204
- Â Malik Cunningham: 3,179
- Â Nathan Poole: 2,958
- Â Howard Stevens: 2,723
 Receiving Yards
- Â Arnold Jackson: 3,670
- Â Harry Douglas: 2,924
- Â Ibn Green: 2,830
- Â Devante Parker: 2,775
- Â J.R. Russell: 2,619
What is the worst season in Louisville program history?
The 1997 Cardinals went 1-10 under Ron Cooper, with their only win coming against Illinois. Cooper was fired following the season.
 What is Louisville’s overall bowl record?
The Cardinals are 12-12-1 overall in bowl games, with the lone tie coming against Long Beach State, 24-24, in the 1970 Pasadena Bowl.
 Who holds Louisville’s career record for touchdown catches?
Ibn Green and Devante Parker share the school’s career touchdown reception record with 33 apiece.