'Along the Way with a Veteran Louisville Football Fan: CardGame'

Get ready for a record-breaking game as over 60,000 fans are expected to attend the highly anticipated Louisville vs. Notre Dame football game.

The highly anticipated University of Louisville football game against No. 10 Norte Dame (4-1) at L&N Stadium has fans buzzing with excitement. The gates are set to open around 1 p.m., possibly earlier if the parking lots are ready. This game is expected to draw in over 60,000 fans, which will set a new record for the stadium. The previous record was set in 2019 when the Cards and Irish attracted 58,187 spectators.

As a writer who has been following Louisville football since 1969, I remember a significant game against Drake that took place on a muddy field at Fairgrounds Stadium. Despite being undefeated at the time, UofL was upset by the Bulldogs with a score of 28-26. It was a disappointing loss for coach Lee Corso's team, but they would finish the season with a record of 9-1-1, including a scoreless tie at Vanderbilt.

In 1968, Corso led the Cardinals to their second-ever bowl game, the Pasadena Bowl, where they tied with Long Beach State with a score of 24-24. This game was particularly memorable for fullback Bill Gatti, as the Cards executed a double pass for a touchdown, although it was ruled illegal. During the post-game show, radio announcer Ed Kallay from WAVE told Corso, "at least we led for a few minutes."

Another notable game took place at Fairgrounds Stadium against Memphis, where parts of the outfield had to be roped off to accommodate the large number of fans. The Cards emerged victorious in that game, defeating Spook Murphy's Tigers.

Vince Gibson took over as coach after his successful stint with Kansas State, where he had revitalized their program, known as "Purple Pride." In Louisville, he introduced "Red Rage." One of the most memorable games during the 1978 season was against Maryland, coached by Kentucky native Jerry Claiborne. Despite a hard-fought effort, the Cards lost to the Terrapins with a score of 24-17. They went on to play in the Independence Bowl, where they were defeated by Louisiana Tech, 24-14.

In 1985, Howard Schellenberger became the coach of the Cardinals, and it took some time for him to make an impact. However, in 1987, with a large crowd in the Crunch Zone, the Cards staged a fourth-quarter comeback to upset Virginia. Another significant victory came in 1990 when Schellenberger orchestrated a win against mighty Southeastern Conference power Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl, with a final score of 24-7.

Schellenberger strategically scheduled games against tough opponents such as Florida, Texas, Texas A&M, Syracuse, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Arizona State, and West Virginia, with the belief that Louisville was on a path to the national championship, with time being the only variable.

During John L. Smith's tenure as coach, a memorable game was played on a rain-soaked Thursday night in October 2001 against Florida State. The Cards emerged victorious, and the fans stormed the field, carrying the goal post down Floyd Street in celebration.

Bobby Petrino also coached in several high-profile games for UofL, including matchups against Miami, No. 4 West Virginia, and Boise State in the Liberty Bowl. One of the most significant games during his coaching tenure was on a cold Thursday night at what was then known as PJCS. ESPN was present to cover the game. In the same season, Louisville secured a victory against Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl, with a final score of 24-13, in front of a crowd of 74,470.

Charlie Strong's biggest wins came against West Virginia, Cincinnati in the rain, and a Sugar Bowl victory against Florida, with a final score of 24-14. The Sugar Bowl victory was particularly impressive, as the Cards dominated the game before a crowd of 54,178.

Petrino returned to coach the Cards in the Belk Bowl, where they suffered a loss to Georgia. This game marked Petrino's first game back as head coach after Louisville began play in the Atlantic Coast Conference. However, the Cards redeemed themselves by defeating Miami with a score of 31-13 in front of 55,386 fans. Another memorable victory came in 2016 when Louisville crushed Florida State with a remarkable score of 63-20, showcasing quarterback Lamar Jackson's extraordinary skills.

In Jackson's freshman season in 2015, he led the team to an upset victory over Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl, with a final score of 31-27. Jackson's performance in that game, with nearly 500 yards gained through both running and passing, set a record for the bowl.

Louisville has had many memorable wins against their rival, Kentucky. In 2016, the Wildcats upset the Cards after Jackson fumbled four times. However, the following year, Louisville avenged their loss with a dominant victory of 44-17 in front of over 56,000 fans.

Now, under the leadership of Jeff Brohm, the 25th ranked Louisville team (5-0) is once again in the national spotlight. Their upcoming game against No. 10 Notre Dame on Saturday will be televised on ABC during prime time. Win or lose, this game is bound to be one that fans will remember for years to come.

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