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Predicting the winners if Louisville Football had midseason ESPY Awards
We take a look at which Cardinals players would win an award if they held midseason ESPY’s for the Louisville football team.
Can you believe that the Louisville football team is already six games through their 2016 schedule? The season is moving so fast and the Cardinals are playing great football so far this year.
Not to mention that Lamar Jackson is playing better than any other college football player in the country.
SEE ALSO: Midseason report card for the Louisville Football team
Louisville is currently ranked seventh in the nation and are looking to win out and move up in the polls. A loss to Clemson might be the nail in the coffin for their playoff hopes, they aren’t going to quit until the committee finally announces the final four teams at the end of the season.
They are going to need a few teams in front of them to lose, but they still have a chance and that’s what everyone can hang their hats on this season.
However, there have been so many great moments of the season in 2016. That brought us to the idea of if they held ESPY awards for the Louisville football team, which players or moments would win the awards?
We take a look at eight different Louisville Football ESPY awards and who would win them at the midpoint of the Cardinals’ season.
Oct 1, 2016; Clemson, SC, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver James Quick (17) carries the ball during the second quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports
Best Game: #3 Louisville loses at #5 Clemson 42-36
Even though this was a killer for everyone around the Louisville football program, it still has been the best game of the season so far.
It was a monumental match-up of two, high-profile quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson. However, it was the defenses that ultimately decided who was going to win this game. Actually, it was probably more of the 12th man from Clemson and no I am not talking about the fans.
I don’t think any Louisville fan will ever forget the terrible officiating down in Clemson on that long October night.
If this ends up being Louisville’s only loss of the season, then I think everyone can rest easy and know that the Cards lost a close game in a very, very tough place to play.
Sep 17, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Jeremy Smith (34) runs the ball against Florida State Seminoles defensive back Nate Andrews (29) during the second half at Papa John
Best Upset: #10 Louisville knocks off #2 Florida State 63-20
College Gameday finally came to Louisville after many years of fans and players hoping that they would graced by the famous Lee Corso’s appearance.
Lamar Jackson had been on a tear to start the season as the Cardinals had beaten Charlotte and Syracuse by huge margins. This was going to be the game where everyone would finally see how well Lamar Jackson could hold up against a “top-notch” defense with the Seminoles.
The Cardinals came out of the gate strong and never looked back. I’m still not sure that the Seminoles ever knew what hit them in Papa Johns Cardinals Stadium that afternoon, as the Cards handed them one of their worst losses in school history.
This game validated everything that we thought and more about Lamar Jackson and this talented 2016 Louisville football team.
Oct 14, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball against Duke Blue Devils cornerback Bryon Fields (14) during the second half at Papa John
Best Male College Athlete: Quarterback, Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson has easily been the best player on the Louisville football team this season. He has been nothing short of amazing and is the clear front-runner for the 2016 Heisman Trophy.
Well, there isn’t anything else more exciting that someone could write about a player on their favorite college football team. Jackson has given every defense this season fits as he has improved his passing ability and the read-option part of the Cardinals’ offense.
As only a sophomore, Jackson is beginning to set records at the University of Louisville. He now hold almost every single-game rushing record by a Louisville quarterback and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. As long as Louisville doesn’t have to play Duke every week, then they will be just fine.
I’m only kidding, but in all seriousness, Lamar Jackson could be the best athlete in all of college sports right now.
Sep 24, 2016; Huntington, WV, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Brandon Radcliff (23) is pushed out of bounds by Marshall Thundering Herd safety Corey Neely (5) in the second half at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. The Louisville Cardinals won 59-28. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Best Team: Louisville’s Offense
This has been the most dominating and well-balanced offense that the University of Louisville has ever seen. The Cardinals have been able to run and throw the football with great success all year long. Even in their one loss to Clemson, it wasn’t their fault that the Cards lost.
Louisville’s defense had more than enough opportunities to stop the Tigers in the latter minutes of the game, but weren’t able to finish. In the end, that may cost Louisville a chance to go to the College Football Playoff this season.
Louisville currently has the best scoring offense in the entire ACC as they are averaging an incredible 52.3 points per game. That’s not all though. They are also first in the ACC in touchdowns with 42 and yards per game with 627.5.
We are only halfway through the year, but this Cardinals’ offense may just be the best offense Louisville has ever had.
Best Play: Lamar Jackson hurdles a Syracuse defender for a touchdown
If there is one play that defines the athleticism of Lamar Jackson, this play just might be it. Everyone who is a fan of Louisville football had already been drinking the Lamar Jackson Kool-Aid and this play made everyone go bananas.
Even though this game in Syracuse was never close, the Cardinals sure kept it exciting the whole entirety of the contest. It was this play that made it rounds over the internet and probably almost shut down Twitter.
Okay, it probably didn’t almost shut down Twitter, but it was engraved into every Louisville football fan’s memory for the rest of time.
Well done, Mr. Jackson.
Best Moment: Jaire Alexander’s 69-Yard Punt Return Touchdown vs. FSU
Even though Louisville was handing it to Florida State, all anyone was saying was how well Jimbo Fisher’s teams always play in the second half. To be fair, the Seminoles came back to beat Ole Miss on National Television a few weeks before and Louisville had given up a three touchdown lead in the past to FSU. Therefore, there was a legitimate cause for concern.
That was all until Louisville’s defense forced the Seminoles to punt and Jaire Alexander returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown to put the Cards up 42-10.
In my opinion, this was the nail in the coffin for Florida State. You could see it on every player’s face on FSU’s sideline as the Cardinals had just scored another touchdown on their second ranked team.
This was the easiest choice for the best moment award of the halfway point in the year.
Sep 17, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals cornerback Jaire Alexander (10) avoids the tackles of Florida State Seminoles place kicker Logan Tyler (21) and linebacker Ro
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Jaire Alexander
Jaire Alexander has been amazing for the Louisville football team all season long. James Hearns is also an honorable mention for this award, but it was hard to give it to anyone else than Alexander.
He has been an absolute game-changer for the Cardinals. His ability to return punts and force turnovers have given Louisville every chance to win a football game this year. It’s been fun to watch him flourish under head coach Bobby Petrino.
He currently has 21 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, a team-leading 3 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble.
Alexander has had his best games of the season against Louisville two biggest opponents in Florida State and Clemson. If that is any indication of how well he handles the spotlight, the Cards are in for a treat as he is going to develop into a top-level NFL talent.
Best Record-Breaking Performance: Lamar Jackson scores 8 touchdowns in first half against the Charlotte 49ers
The anticipation had been building for many months since the Louisville football team has last played a football game. In the Cards’ last game, they beat Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl where Lamar Jackson had another great day throwing and rushing with the football. He was everyone’s dark-horse Heisman-hopeful and boy did he show up again Charlotte.
In just two quarters of play, Jackson threw for six touchdowns and ran for two more. He set a Louisville school record for touchdowns scored in one half with eight.
He absolutely killed the 49ers in Louisville’s first game of the 2016 season and it wasn’t even close. Actually, it was almost laughable at how bad Charlotte looked up against Jackson.
I doubt anyone at Louisville will ever break this record again, but if someone does, it will be none other than Lamar Jackson.
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