FSU Opens As Road Underdog Before Louisville Cardinals Matchup

The Florida State Seminoles are on a short week as they prepare for a Friday night road game against Louisville. Following two straight losses and a lackluster performance in a win over Central Arkansas, the Seminoles looked completely different in a 38-7 shellacking of Virginia.

Will Florida State be able to carry that momentum forward, or was it a one-off performance? That much remains to be seen.

Regardless, there is a massive opportunity in front of Florida State this week. A win over the Cardinals would push the Seminoles to 4-2 and just two victories away from returning to the postseason for the first time in three years.

Louisville entered the season ranked in the top 25 but is now 2-3 in early October following back-to-back losses to Wake Forest and North Carolina State. The Cardinals barely lost to Ole Miss in their season opener and defeated SMU by double digits at home.

Don't let the record fool you, the Cardinals still have plenty of talent.

FSU Considered Road Underdog Ahead Of Louisville Game

Sep 26, 2026; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (3) scrambles against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Carter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to FanDuel, Florida State's road woes are expected to continue against Louisville. The Seminoles opened as a +3.5-point underdog on the Sportsbook, with the Over/Under set at 58.5 points. The Cardinals are a -170 favorite on the MoneyLine, compared to FSU's +140.

It's been over 1,000 days since FSU won a game away from home, dating back all the way to November 25, 2023.

The Seminoles are 2-3 against the spread this season, coming off the Virginia win. They failed to cover against New Mexico State, SMU, and Central Arkansas.

Florida State hasn't played against Louisville since the 2023 ACC Championship game. A dominant defensive effort led by Jared Verse and Braden Fiske spearheaded the Seminoles to a 16-6 victory in that meeting, securing a 13-0 record.

The Seminoles are 2-2 against Louisville in head coach Mike Norvell's tenure. Florida State defeated the Cardinals on the road in 2022, coming back in the second half to win 35-31 with a backup quarterback.

FSU leads the all-time series 18-6. The Seminoles are 7-3 at Louisville, including a 3-2 mark on the road since 2014.

Florida State and Louisville will match up on Friday, October 9. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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