2001 Louisville Cardinals football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 2001

| team = Louisville Cardinals

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Conference USA

| short_conf = C–USA

| CoachRank = 16

| APRank = 17

| record = 11–2

| conf_record = 6–1

| head_coach = John L. Smith

| hc_year = 3rd

| off_coach = Scott Linehan

| oc_year = 2nd

| off_scheme = Pro-style

| def_coach = Chris Smeland

| dc_year = 4th

| def_scheme = 4–3

| captain =

| stadium = Papa John's Cardinal Stadium

| champion = C-USA champion
Liberty Bowl champion

| bowl = Liberty Bowl

| bowl_result = W 28–10 vs. BYU

}}

The 2001 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville as a member of Conference USA (C-USA) during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fourth-year head coach John L. Smith, the Cardinals compiled an overall record of 11–2 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the C-USA title for the second consecutive season. Louisville was invited to the Liberty Bowl, where the Cardinals defeated BYU. The team played home game at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 2001

| poll = AP

| timezone = Eastern

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = August 23

| time = 7:00 pm

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = New Mexico State

| site_stadium = Papa John's Cardinal Stadium

| site_cityst = Louisville, KY

| gamename = John Thompson Foundation Classic

| tv =

| score = 45–24

| attend = 38,129

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 1

| time = 12:30 pm

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Kentucky

| site_stadium = Commonwealth Stadium

| site_cityst = Lexington, KY

| gamename = Governor's Cup

| tv = JPS

| score = 36–10

| attend = 70,838

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 8

| time = 7:00 pm

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2001|team=Western Carolina Catamounts|title=Western Carolina}}

| site_stadium = Papa John's Cardinal Stadium

| site_cityst = Louisville, KY

| tv =

| score = 31–7

| attend = 35,214

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 22

| time = 12:00 pm

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| rank = 25

| opponent = Illinois

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| tv = ESPN

| score = 10–34

| attend = 43,232

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 29

| time = 2:00 pm

| w/l = w

| opponent = Memphis

| site_stadium = Papa John's Cardinal Stadium

| site_cityst = Louisville, KY

| gamename = rivalry

| tv =

| score = 38–21

| attend = 39,256

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 4

| time = 7:30 pm

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Colorado State

| site_stadium = Papa John's Cardinal Stadium

| site_cityst = Louisville, KY

| tv = ESPN

| score = 7–2

| attend = 39,389

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 16

| time = 8:00 pm

| w/l = w

| opponent = Southern Miss

| site_stadium = Papa John's Cardinal Stadium

| site_cityst = Louisville, KY

| tv = ESPN2

| score = 24–14

| attend = 33,627

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 27

| time = 2:00 pm

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Cincinnati

| site_stadium = Nippert Stadium

| site_cityst = Cincinnati, OH

| gamename = The Keg of Nails

| tv =

| score = 28–13

| attend = 31,004

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 3

| time = 3:30 pm

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Tulane

| site_stadium = Louisiana Superdome

| site_cityst = New Orleans, LA

| tv =

| score = 52–7

| attend = 19,369

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 10

| time = 2:00 pm

| w/l = w

| rank = 25

| opponent = Houston

| site_stadium = Papa John's Cardinal Stadium

| site_cityst = Louisville, KY

| tv =

| score = 34–10

| attend = 40,479

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 15

| time = 7:30 pm

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 19

| opponent = East Carolina

| site_stadium = Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium

| site_cityst = Greenville, NC

| tv = ESPN

| score = 39–34

| attend = 39,775

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73011681/cardinals-overcome-pirates-early-run/|work=The Courier-Journal|title=Cardinals overcome Pirates' early run, late challenge|date=November 16, 2001|accessdate=March 8, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 23

| time = 6:00 pm

| w/l = l

| away = y

| rank = 17

| opponent = TCU

| site_stadium = Amon G. Carter Stadium

| site_cityst = Fort Worth, TX

| tv = ESPN

| score = 22–37

| attend = 22,176

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 31

| time = 4:00 pm

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| neutral = y

| rank = 23

| opponent = BYU

| opprank = 19

| site_stadium = Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Memphis, TN

| gamename = Liberty Bowl

| tv = ESPN2

| score = 28–10

| attend = 58,968

}}

{{Cite web |url=http://www.uoflsports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/lou-m-footbl-2001.html |title = University of Louisville Official Athletic Site – Football |access-date=2012-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017140152/http://www.uoflsports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/lou-m-footbl-2001.html |archive-date=2012-10-17 |url-status=dead }}

Roster

{{American football roster/Header

| year = 2001

| team = Louisville Cardinals

| teamcolors = f

| offensive_players =

{{American football roster/Player|num=9|class=Sr|first=Deion|last=Branch|pos=WR|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=18|class=Jr|first=Jeff|last=Brunelli|pos=QB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=23|class=Fr|first=Lionel|last=Gates|pos=RB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=85|class=Fr|first=Tiger|last=Jones|pos=WR|rs=y|link=y|dab=Tiger Jones (American football)}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=17|class=Fr|first=Stefan|last=LeFors|pos=QB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=89|class=So|first=Richard|last=Owens|dab=Richard Owens (American football)|pos=TE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=15|class=Jr|first=Dave|last=Ragone|pos=QB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=82|class=Fr|first=J. R.|last=Russell|pos=WR|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=32|class=Fr|first=Eric|last=Shelton|dab=Eric Shelton (American football)|pos=RB|link=y}}

| defensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=35|class=Jr|first=Michael|last=Brown|pos=LB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=12|class=Jr|first=Curry|last=Burns|pos=S|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=24|class=Jr|first=Anthony|last=Floyd|pos=CB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=42|class=Fr|first=Laroni|last=Gallishaw|pos=DB|rs=y|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=3|class=Jr|first=Chris|last=Johnson|dab=Chris Johnson (cornerback)|pos=CB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=54|class=Fr|first=Robert|last=McCune|pos=LB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=1|class=Fr|first=Kerry|last=Rhodes|pos=S|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=99|class=Jr|first=Dewayne|last=White|pos=DE|link=y}}

| special_teams_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=62|class=Fr|first=Jamason|last=Welker|pos=OG}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=89|class=So|first=Richard|last=Owens|dab=Richard Owens (American football)|pos=TE|link=y}}

}}

{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010827155522/http://uoflsports.fansonly.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/lou-m-footbl-mtt-num.html

| head_coach = * John L. Smith

| asst_coach =

Mike Cox (LB)

| accessdate=

}}

References

Louisville

Category:Louisville Cardinals football seasons

Category:Conference USA football champion seasons

Category:Liberty Bowl champion seasons

Louisville Cardinals football

Category:2000s in Louisville, Kentucky