Louisville Football Bowl Projections: 2025 Preseason

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In each of their first two seasons under head coach Jeff Brohm, the Louisville football program was able to reach a bowl game, including winning the Sun Bowl against Washington last season. Heading into year three, barring a collapse of biblical proportions, a bowl game in 2025 is almost certain to happen.

While the Cardinals have been generating some buzz as it pertains to the ACC race and across various top-25 polls, most bowl projections believe teams like Clemson, SMU and Miami are the most well-equipped to reach the College Football and play in a major bowl. You'd expect a wide variety of opinions among projectors as to what bowl that Louisville will inevitably play in, but so far, three bowls are starting to stand out in the preseason.

As a reminder, the ACC utilizes a system where they organize bowls with conference tie-ins into two tiers, but there is no selection order within each tier. The league and their bowl partners "will make team selections based on several factors, including geographic proximity, avoiding repeat appearances and matchups, and regular-season won-loss records," according to the ACC's official website.

The Cardinals will officially learn their postseason draw on Sunday, Dec. 7, following the end of conference championship weekend. The College Football Playoff selection show begins at 12:00 p.m. that day, and Louisville will learn their bowl shortly after.

With the 2025 preseason in full swing, here are bowl projections for Louisville across various publications:

Sports Illustrated

Projector: Bryan Fisher
Bowl/Matchup: Fenway Bowl vs. UTSA
Location: Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec., 27 at 2:15 p.m. EST

ESPN

Projector: Kyle Bonagura
Bowl/Matchup: Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. South Carolina
Location: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Date/Time: Friday, Jan, 2 at 8:00 p.m. EST

Projector: Mark Schlabach
Bowl/Matchup: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Texas Tech
Location: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec., 27 at 3:30 p.m. EST

CBS

Projector: Jerry Palm
Bowl/Matchup: Gator Bowl vs. Oklahoma
Location: TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec., 27 at 7:30 p.m. EST

247Sports

Projector: Brad Crawford
Bowl/Matchup: Gator Bowl vs. Oklahoma
Location: TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec., 27 at 7:30 p.m. EST

Athlon Sports

Projector: Steve Lassan
Bowl/Matchup: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Baylor
Location: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec., 27 at 3:30 p.m. EST

College Football News

Projector: Staff Pick
Bowl/Matchup: Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. South Carolina
Location: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Date/Time: Friday, Jan, 2 at 8:00 p.m. EST

On3

Projector: Brett McMurphy
Bowl/Matchup: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Texas Tech
Location: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec., 27 at 3:30 p.m. EST

USA TODAY

*Awaiting preseason picks

Sporting News

Projector: Bill Bender
Bowl/Matchup: Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. South Carolina
Location: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Date/Time: Friday, Jan, 2 at 8:00 p.m. EST

Pro Football Network

Projector: Oliver Hodgkinson
Bowl/Matchup: Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. Florida
Location: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Date/Time: Friday, Jan, 2 at 8:00 p.m. EST