Louisville Cardinals Football

The Louisville Cardinals football team has represented the University of Louisville in Kentucky since 1912, mainly playing in-state games for the first stretch of its existence. The football team, and sports program as a whole, took a while to build up into a major contender, but eventually started to find its stride in the years after World War Two. The arrival of the great Johnny Unitas in 1951 heralded one of the most exciting periods in Cardinals history, with the talented quarterback setting a record with a 47-game streak of touchdown passes that will likely never be broken (it is often compared to Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak in baseball). Unitas went on to have a remarkable NFL career with the Colts. Countless players in the years since have paused to touch the base of Unitas’s statue at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium (formerly Cardinal Stadium). Greater success for the team as a whole has come in the past three decades, with the Cardinals recording many winning seasons and appearing in several major bowl games, winning the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl among others (their overall Bowl game record stands at 12-13-1).

How can I get cheap tickets to Louisville Cardinals football games?

With their fun fan culture and improved performance on the field in recent years, as well as their newly expanded stadium, the Louisville Cardinals are a big ticket draw these days. While this makes for a great game day experience, available tickets can often be few and far between, particularly when it comes to Bowl games, championship deciders, or rivalry matchups (see below), which frequently sell out. TicketX has all the cheapest tickets to Louisville Cardinals football games at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Our handy stadium seating chart is the simplest way to compare various seating options in terms of price and location. Purchase the cheapest Louisville Cardinals football tickets with the lowest commission fees from TicketX with a single click! 

Louisville Cardinals football rivalries

The Louisville Cardinals have an in-state rivalry with the Kentucky Wildcats (of the University of Kentucky). While the rivalry dates back to 1912 (the Cardinals’ first year), there was a 70-year stretch where the teams did not play one another, with the Governor’s Cup (as the game is called) only being reinstated in 1994. Played annually since, the total currently stands in favor of Kentucky at 20-15, despite Louisville being favorites in recent years (in 2023, an upset loss in the game possibly cost Louisville a shot at the National Championship). The Cardinals also have strong rivalries with the Memphis Tigers and Cincinnati Bearcats. 

Are  Louisville Cardinals football games exciting?

Louisville Cardinalsfootball games are the biggest events of the year in Louisville, with university students, faculty, and alumni joined by other fans from across Kentucky who travel in to enjoy the games. Pre-game festivities (especially tailgating) are legendary in scale and fun. The atmosphere in L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium is fantastic, with the marching band, red-clad crowd, and Cardinals’ extremely brave mascot, who is known to “fly” via parachute into the stadium before kickoff when the weather is amenable.