LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Louisville’s regular season is over, and the Cards await word on where they will spend part of the holidays preparing for a bowl game.
Kentucky’s football season is over, and UK fans await words and actions on how coach Mark Stoops intends to put the mojo back in the sagging program.
Western Kentucky plays on. The Hilltoppers are listed as a 4-point underdog in the Conference USA title game, where they will be the road team against Jacksonville State Friday at 7 p.m. WKU coach, Tyson Helton, keeps making the hot boards for job openings at Purdue, West Virginia and other spots.
Indiana will wait — and then play on. The Hoosiers’ chances of competing in the 12-team College Football Playoff are listed at better than 99% at most projection sites. Unless something outlandish happens in conference championship games this weekend, the Hoosiers figure to open the playoffs at Georgia, Penn State or Ohio State.
With all 12 regular-season games in the books for the Cardinals, Wildcats, Hilltoppers and Hoosiers, it’s time to look back at the preseason predictions from the analytics sites as well as the WDRB Sports staff members and assign final grades to the performances delivered by all four teams.
Tyler Shough throws a pass on the run in the first half of Louisville’s game at Kentucky.
LOUISVILLE (8-4)
Preseason predictions
Tyler Greever: 9-3
Tom Lane: 8-4
Eric Crawford: 8-4
Rick Bozich: 8-4
ESPN FPI: 8-4
PFF: 7-5
Jeff Brohm’s team hit the mark — eight wins — that most of us forecast, even if they took a strange route, especially with the bizarre loss at Stanford.
Three defeats were by seven points to teams currently ranked in the Top 25. You can argue that it was a more substantial performance than 2023, when Louisville lost to Pittsburgh and Kentucky while beating two ranked teams (Notre Dame and Duke).
Louisville’s offense generated 41 more yards and 6 more points per game than the 2023 team, but the defense allowed an extra 43 yards and 2 points per game.
It was the defense that let Louisville down against Notre Dame, SMU and Miami as the Cards allowed an average of 39 points in those three losses.
On the plus side, Louisville ended an 8-game losing streak to Clemson and a 5-game losing streak to Kentucky. The Cards finished with gusto, blowing out Pitt and UK to end the season.
Quarterback Tyler Shough not only stayed healthy, he threw for nearly 3,200 yards and 23 touchdowns, looking the part of a guy who will get a solid look by the NFL. With 1,074 yards, Isaac Brown finished third in the nation among freshman running backs as well as fifth overall in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
FINAL GRADE: B
Kentucky wide receiver Dane Key (6) turns to run after catching the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Randy J. Williams)
KENTUCKY (4-8)
Greever: 7-5
Lane: 7-5
Crawford: 8-4
Bozich: 6-6
ESPN FPI: 6-6
PFF: 7-5
This was underachievement like we have never seen from Stoops and his coaching staff.
Failing to win a Southeastern Conference game at home. Losing to Vanderbilt. Losing to an Auburn team with a losing record. Watching Louisville walk out of a mostly empty Kroger Field with the Governor’s Cup trophy in hand.
UK will join Auburn and Mississippi State as the only SEC teams who did not earn bowl eligibility.
The Wildcats finished last in the SEC in scoring offense and 14th in total offense, averaging 20.6 points and 330 yards per game.
The team statistics at CFBState.com begin with the 2016 season and UK has finished in the bottom half of the league in total offense for all nine seasons.
Brock Vandagriff was not the answer at quarterback, finishing with 10 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Stoops usually has a dependable running game that he pairs with a formidable defense.
Not this season. The Wildcats ranked 12th in rushing yards in the SEC and did not have a back gain 600 yards or score six touchdowns.
Despite the presence of multiple players projected to be NFL Draft picks, the defense sagged, too, allowing 441 or more yards in five of the last six games. The exception was Murray State.
FINAL GRADE: D
Indiana wide receiver Myles Price (4) in action during an NCAA college football game between Indiana and Michigan in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
INDIANA (11-1)
Greever: 5-7
Lane: 7-5
Crawford: 4-8
Bozich: 5-7
ESPN FPI: 5-7
PFF: 7-5
Indiana is almost certainly going to the College Football playoffs. The Hoosiers (8-1 conference record) finished third in the Big Ten, ahead of Ohio State. They beat both teams (Washington and Michigan) that played in the national championship game last season. They beat Purdue so thoroughly (66-0) that the Boilermakers waited less than 24 hours to fire their coach.
And while backing up most of the bold statements that he made during the preseason, first-year coach Curt Cignetti earned himself an enhanced, extended contract, as well as a prime spot in the discussion for national coach of the year.
It was a season unlike any other in Bloomington, including the two (1945 and 1967) that ended in the Rose Bowl.
Quarterback Kurtis Rourke posted the highest quarterback rating in America and will likely earn a few Heisman Trophy votes.
IU led the Big Ten in scoring offense and finished third in scoring defense. Five receivers had four or more TD passes. Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton both ran for at least 10 touchdowns. The defense forced 23 turnovers, the fourth highest total in the nation.
And IU sold out its final four home games, generating an average attendance of 48,374, which ranked 31st in the nation. Last season, IU averaged 44,589, ranking No. 54.
FINAL GRADE: A+
WKU wide receiver Dalvin Smith (17) celebrates his touchdown with, left to right, WKU tight end River Helms (87), WKU offensive lineman Evan Wibberley (58) and WKU quarterback Caden Veltkamp (10) during an NCAA football game on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Bowling Green, Ky. WKU beat UTEP 44-17. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
WESTERN KENTUCKY (8-4)
Greever: 9-3
Lane: 7-5
Crawford: 9-3
Bozich: 7-5
ESPN FPI: 6-6
PFF: 7-5
Six days after defeating Jacksonville State, 19-17, in Bowling Green, the Hilltoppers need to repeat their success Friday night on the road against coach Rich Rodriguez and the Gamecocks in east-central Alabama.
They’re in the CUSA title game for the first time since 2021 and trying to win their first title since 2016.
Tyson Helton’s team was this close to delivering an exceptional season, losing by a point at Boston College and 12-7 to Louisiana Tech.
WKU ranked third in Conference USA in scoring offense as well as scoring defense. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp, a redshirt sophomore, delivered on the promise he showed last season by passing for 2,665 yards and 22 touchdowns. Kisean Johnson has been his favorite target, catching 65 passes for a half-dozen touchdowns.
WKU field goal kicker Lucas Carniero has been money, converting 15 straight kicks, including four in the win over Jacksonville State.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.