Louisville's 2021 football schedule includes 7 home games, opener vs. Ole Miss in Atlanta

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – While a schedule in the time of COVID may not be worth the bandwidth it’s printed on, the ACC released its 2021 football schedule anyway, with high hopes that football fans will be able to return to games in significant numbers by fall.

For the University of Louisville, the schedule shifting necessitated by the virus in 2020 means that the program will play 7 home games for the first time since 2013, including the resumption of its series against state rival Kentucky, which has agreed to visit Cardinal Stadium on Nov. 27 after the teams did not play this past season.

That’s the season finale of a 12-game slate that begins with a neutral-site matchup with Ole Miss in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It will be the first meeting between the two teams. The last time U of L played in the kickoff game, it lost to No. 6 Auburn 31-24 in 2015.

Louisville opens its home schedule with a visit from Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 11, followed by a Friday night contest versus UCF – the Knights’ first visit to Louisville since a 38-35 win in 2013.

The Cardinals open ACC play on Sept. 25 at Florida State and travel to Wake Forest for the first of three trips to North Carolina on Oct. 2. Louisville dropped a 35-24 decision at FSU in the ACC opener in 2019. It has won back-to-back games over Wake.

Louisville will play Virginia in its ACC home opener on Oct. 9, then take its only bye week of the season before playing host to Boston College on Oct. 23.

Louisville visits NC State on Oct. 30, then returns home for a visit from Clemson on Nov. 6 and Syracuse on Nov. 13.

The Cardinals close their league slate with a Thursday night game at Duke on Nov. 18. It will be the first visit to Durham since 2002.

2021 LOUISVILLE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 6 - Ole Miss (Atlanta)

Sept. 11 - Eastern Kentucky

Sept. 17 - UCF

Sept. 25 - at Florida St.

Oct. 2 - at Wake Forest

Oct. 9 - Virginia

Oct. 23 - Boston College

Oct. 30 - at NC State

Nov. 6 - Clemson