<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1bDmL8_0vjPcjCf00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1bDmL8_0vjPcjCf00" width="1763" height="1175" ><figcaption>Louisville defensive back Tayon Holloway (20) runs into the end zone to score during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Louisville, Ky., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. Timothy D. Easley - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS</figcaption></figure>LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) - Louisville is drawing some attention as a fringe contender to land one of the spots in the new 12-team College Football Playoff field. In fact, ESPN's college football staff has already made its first predictions and three of them have included UofL. Barely. Of that trio two listed them as the No. 10 seed, the other at No. 11.While the Cardinals (3-0) moved up to No. 15 with their 31-19 win over Georgia Tech Saturday, they're going to need a signature win or two to impress the CFP selection committee enough to vault over teams from the Big 12, Big Ten and SEC and earn a bid.Which is why a victory at No. 16 Notre Dame (2-1) Saturday in South Bend, Ind. (3:30 p.m., Peacock) would be so important for U of L's playoff chances. It would increase U of L's national profile and earn more respect from the committee. Consider this: after the Cards beat the Irish 33-20 last season, they soared all the way from No. 25 to No. 14 in the Associated Press poll and to No. 15 in the Coaches poll.A loss to the Irish wouldn't mean elimination from playoff consideration, but it would make that goal much more difficult to achieve. After Saturday they will have only two more chances for a so-called statement victory - at home against No. 7 Miami (4-0) on Oct. 19 and at No. 17 Clemson (2-1) on Nov. 2. A defeat in either game would leave little or no wiggle room."It can be a huge momentum swing in our direction if we can find a way to win, without question," U of L coach Jeff Brohm said Monday. "It gives your team credibility and definitely elevates your program, so this is one of those games that you've got to take advantage of. Winning there is not easy, and we understand that. But this is what you coach for, these type of games. It'll be a great opportunity for our guys to see exactly how we stack up."Here's how the playoff - expanded from four teams - will work:It's all about the rankings from the 13-member selection panel, consisting mostly of former college football coaches and past and present athletic directors. The five highest-ranked Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conference champions will make the field and then the seventh-highest ranked at-large qualifiers. There are no automatic bids. With the PAC-12 no longer in operation, college football is now the Power 4 of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC. The fifth participant will be the highest-ranked team from the Group of Five conferences (AAC, C-USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt).The four highest-ranked league champs receive first-round byes into the quarterfinals. The four first-round games will match the teams seeded five through 12. First-round games will be played on campus, hosted by the hgher-ranked teams. Those games are scheduled to be played Dec. 20 and 21. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played at traditional bowl sites. Teams will not be reseeded after the opening round.The top four teams will be slotted into the most advantageous locations, with the top seed getting the highest preference. The Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal is set for Dec. 31 and the Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls are to be played on Jan. 1. The Orange Bowl semifinal is scheduled for Jan. 9 and the Cotton Bowl semifinal Jan. 10. The first championship game with the 12-team format is set for Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.The first rankings won't be released until Nov. 5, with subsequent ratings on Nov. 12, 19, 26 and Dec. 3. Selection Day will be Dec. 8, but we should pretty much know Louisville's fate even before the initial ratings, given that the Cardinals will have played against each of the three Top-25 teams on their schedule.U of L has at least three loseable regular season games among its last nine, Notre Dame, Clemson and Kentucky, along with a dangerous trip to Boston College, the ACC's surprise team so far. And, of course, the Cards can't afford to slip up against the teams they will be favored to beat - SMU, Virginia, Pitt and Stanford.Even with a solid record, though, U of L can't be assured of a CFP invite, given the superior strength of the other three Power 4 conferences. So best-case scenario for the Cards' to reach the playoff would be to earn a spot in the ACC championship game, which means their overall record would potentially be worthwhile. The league has expanded by adding SMU, Stanford and California and eliminating divisions, with the top two teams in the standings squaring off in the title game.With the apparent balance in the ACC, it looks as if U of L, Clemson, Miami and possibly SMU and BC ,all have a shot at a berth in the championship contest, which will be played in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. on Dec. 27. That's three weeks after selection day, so UofL will have to make its playoff statement well before then.Stay tuned.</div></body>

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A win at Notre Dame could prove crucial to Cards' playoff hopes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) - Louisville is drawing some attention as a fringe contender to land one of the spots in the new 12-team College Football Playoff field. In fact, ESPN's college football staff has already made its first predictions and three of them have included UofL. Barely. Of that trio two listed them as the No. 10 seed, the other at No. 11.