2011 Louisville Cardinals football team

2011 Louisville Cardinals football
Big East co-champion
Belk Bowl, L 24–31 vs. NC State
ConferenceBig East Conference
Record7–6 (5–2 Big East)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMike Sanford (2nd season; first 5 games)
Shawn Watson (interim; remainder of season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorVance Bedford (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumPapa John's Cardinal Stadium
2011 Big East Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 17 West Virginia $+  5 2   10 3  
No. 25 Cincinnati +  5 2   10 3  
Louisville +  5 2   7 6  
Rutgers  4 3   9 4  
Pittsburgh  4 3   6 7  
Connecticut  3 4   5 7  
South Florida  1 6   5 7  
Syracuse  1 6   5 7  
  • $ BCS representative as conference champion
  • + Conference co-champions
As of January 11, 2012
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2011 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinals were led by second-year head coach Charlie Strong and played their home games at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. They were a member of the Big East Conference. They finished the season 7–6, 5–2 in Big East play to share the conference championship with Cincinnati and West Virginia. Due to tie-break rules, the Cardinals did not receive the Big East's automatic bid into a BCS bowl; West Virginia received the bid. The Cardinals were instead invited to the Belk Bowl, where they were defeated by North Carolina State, 31–24.