How Week Zero Impacts Louisville

Two of the Cardinals’ future opponents for the 2024 season played during the annual “week zero” set of games.

Louisville football mascot Louie / Jared Anderson - Louisville Report

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - We haven’t even made it to week one yet, but the 2024 season is already off to a great start.

College football officially made its return on Saturday with its annual slate of “Week Zero” games, and they did not disappoint. Of the four games involving FBS programs, three of them were decided on the final possession of the matchup. Additionally, the underdog covered - or outright won - in every game of the day.

As it turns out, while Louisville still has a few more days until they kick off their 2024 season against Austin Peay, this quartet of games - specifically two of them - had an early impact on the Cardinals’ upcoming 2024. How so? Let’s dive in.

The biggest impact on the Cards came in the very first game of the season. No. 10 Florida State did battle with Georgia Tech in the annual Aer Lingus College Football Classic, but it was the Yellow Jackets who emerged victorious, capturing a stunning 24-21 victory over the Seminoles across the pond in Dublin, Ireland.

Both national pundits and computer models alike have tabbed the Noles as the the ACC team most likely to capture the conference title, and subsequently earn a spot in the new 12-team College Football Playoff. While FSU still has a chance to achieve both, their odds of doing so have tumbled significantly. As a result, Louisville’s respective odds to win the ACC and make the CFP have improved without even playing a game.

According to ESPN’s updated FPI numbers, the Cardinals now have the second-best odds in the ACC to both win the conference and make the CFP, at 14.0 and 19.5 percent, respectively. Unsurprisingly, Clemson now leads in both statistics at 23.2 and 29.3 percent, respectively. In all of the FBS, Louisville has the 18th-highest odds to make the CFP. 

Florida State’s loss means a higher statistical likelihood of Louisville making noise at the ACC and national level, but we also learned a lot about Georgia Tech - who the Cardinals will face in their ACC opener during week four.

The Jackets owned the line of scrimmage on offense, rushing for 190 yards against a talented FSU front seven. While the Noles looked disjointed on offense and caused a lot of their own problems, Georgia Tech’s front seven looks like it has taken huge steps forward from what it looked like last season, holding the reigning ACC champs to only 291 yards of offense.

Considering both Louisville and Georgia Tech have a relatively light schedule until their matchup on Sept. 21 at L&N Stadium, it would not be shocking to see both teams be undefeated, or even in the top-25, when they do battle. While it’s just one game, the Jackets look like someone who can easily challenge the Cardinals on their home field, especially with Louisville’s matchup at Notre Dame waiting immediately after that.

Week zero also provided Louisville with a second game that allowed them to scout a future opponent - SMU. The Mustangs opened up their season on the road, taking on Nevada in their first game as members of the ACC.

To say that SMU looked underwhelming would be an understatement. They entered their matchup with the Wolfpack as a 27.5-point favorite, and did not take their first lead of the game until the 1:18 mark of the fourth quarter, eventually escaping Reno with a 29-24 win.

SMU is the most well-equipped to have immediate success of the three new teams joining the ACC this season, but they certainly didn’t look like it against one of the worst teams in the FBS. QB Preston Stone barely completed 50 percent of his throws, threw a pick on his first drive, and had just one touchdown. SMU as a whole had a whopping 11 penalties for 125 yards, which was more than they had running the ball (100).

There’s still plenty of football left to help them look like a more cohesive product, but SMU didn’t make a great first statement as an ACC member. It makes their matchup with Louisville, which is set for Oct. 5 at L&N Stadium, seem a lot less daunting for the Cardinals.

Louisville will officially kick off their season on Aug. 31 against Austin Peay, with kickoff from L&N Stadium set for 12:00p.m. EST.

(Photo of Louie: Jared Anderson - Louisville Cardinals on SI)

You can follow Louisville Cardinals On SI for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram:

Facebook - @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter/X - @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram - @louisvilleonsi

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter/X