I got this out of the Louisville courier-journal and it just elaborates on why this game is important and how the south florida loss set this program back. Its some pretty harsh and not so kind words by ap writers who vote in the ap top 25. Even though the ap doesn't count they still have a poll. The article was written by Rick Bozich
You'll never find unanimity on press row, but I will say this: The majority of AP voters I polled are not ready to forget what happened in Tampa on Sept. 24. But if anything can sway them, it would be a convincing victory at West Virginia.
"U of L will not be back in my top 15 this season, period," said Barker Davis of The Washington Times. "South Florida flat-out stinks, and they rolled up on the Cards. Second, Kentucky is likely the worst team in the SEC, and they were a couple of yards from coming back on Louisville."
"I don't see them returning to my top 10 until the end of the season -- if they go 10-1 and are in a BCS bowl," said Joe Giglio of The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. He is the guy who voted Louisville first in the preseason poll.
"That South Florida mess was the biggest surprise of the entire season," said Jay Tate of the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser.
"I see no way Louisville can get back into the national title hunt," said Michael Pointer of The Indianapolis Star. "I would feel the same way about Texas or USC if it lost to a mediocre opponent. … That just shouldn't happen."
"If you lose to South Florida, you're fighting the same ranking battle as a MAC or Mountain West school," said Herb Gould of the Chicago Sun-Times.
"It's going to be nearly impossible for the Cards to hurdle that loss," said John Shipley of the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press.
Ballot shift
I understand. I yanked the Cards from my Top 25 after the fiasco against the Bulls and didn't return them to my ballot (at 21) until this week. But if they can win, and win big, today …
"If a team goes on the road and beats a quality opponent by a wide margin, that's an added bonus," said Jeff Gravely of WRAL-TV in Raleigh.
"A definitive win over West Virginia enhances my theory Louisville has righted the ship, so margin of victory matters to an extent," said Jeffrey Parson of The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle.
"If Louisville can beat what I think is a quality West Virginia team by a large margin, it would be impressive, but … " said Scott Rabalais of The (Baton Rouge) Advocate.
But what?
"That South Florida loss still lingers."
This is what we as fans have to hear and adore pretty much everyday, that why I have said the South Florida loss was the worst thing that could of happened as far as national recognition for this program. The players came out better, but the program took a huge blow to the nuts. This is why Louisville needs to win the rest of there games to halfway erase that painful hellish night. It won't be easy to do with a very tough WVU squad waiting patiently. It kinda funny how you can be loved by the media one week and then the next week they throw you under the buss. This game is big for recruiting as well, we need a signature win in the worst way, at first I though the lost to S.Fla wasn't that bad but man it has definitly turned out to be the worst ever.
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Another reason why Louisville needs to win....
