It was a swagger switch no one anticipated…totally Trumpian in its scope.
Ever since Donald Trump won the presidential election, the football fortunes of the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville turned in completely opposite directions. UK is soaring and UofL is imploding.
Mark Stoops’ Kentucky Wildcats were 25 point underdogs coming into Louisville’s stadium for the regular season closer. Kentucky spent the season climbing out of its own rubble of unexpected early losses to eventually become bowl eligible.
Louisville was sniffing the national championship playoffs until the Houston Cougars destroyed them last week. But at least UofL quarterback Lamar Jackson remained the prohibitive favorite to win the Heisman trophy. He even struck the pose after a late touchdown to tie the game at 38 apiece.
Moments later, Lamar fumbled the ball and UK launched its game winning drive.
Many opined that, on this day, Kentucky’s Stephen Johnson was the bigger star quarterback on the field.
Kentucky collected the Governor’s Cup. Mark Stoops went from early season goat to Big Blue hero. And Louisville’s bowl hopes continued tumbling from playoff level through probable Orange Bowlers to now a background noise bowl sure to draw tepid response from disappointed Cards fans.
TRANSCRIPT Mark Stoops postgame comments
As for the taunts…they’re rolling in faster than I can keep up with them.
Louisville fans aren’t too shy to reply.
Louisville coach Bobby Petrino catches flack win or lose. It’s just the way of the sports culture.
Petrino wasn’t interested in media questions reflecting on Lamar Jackson’s game management.
Even worse news for Cards fans who are reeling from football’s freefall is that John Calipari will head to Louisville in three weeks with his #1 ranked Kentucky Wildcats basketball team. Gulp.
Rick Pitino’s Louisville basketball team just endured an unexpected meltdown against Baylor. 5-1 Purdue is next. Cards fans are reeling.
Cal’s undefeated Cats are soaring.
Sounds like the perfect setup for a reversal of fortunes.
Or not. Let’s just throw it up and see what happens.