The Big Ten looms as Louisville's last hurdle

Sporting News, The, Dec 20, 1993 by Michael Bradley

Louisville Coach Howard Schnellenberger is collecting scalps this season. The Cardinals' victory over Texas was the school's first over a Southwest Confrence school in its 75 years of football. The triumph over Arizona State broke the drought against the Pac-10.

Next up is Michigan State the Big Ten, the lone major conference against which Louisville is winless.

"Every game we play is another opportunity for us to enhance our reputation, and this is a substantial opportunity," Snellenberger says. "Playing a team of Michigan State's Caliber is an opportunity for us to take another step."

Earlier this season, the Cardinals were doing some high stepping. A 28-0 victory over Navy on October 23 ran their record to 7-1 and pushed Louisville as high as 13th in the polls. Consecutive losses to Tennessee and Texas A&M knocked the Cardinals out of the Top 25, but Louisville's 8-3 record was much better than many expected and earned it a second bowl appearance in four years.

Louisville's 34-7 shellacking of Alabama in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl happened to be its first victory over an SEC team.

"Louisville's 34-7 shellacking of Alabama in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl happened to be its first victory over an SEC team.

"Louisville is anxious to play a Big Ten team to receive even more credibility than they already have," Michigan State Coach George Perles says. "They don't get the respect nationally they want or deserve."

It's debatable whether a victory over the Spartans will create the same kind of stir as the rout of Alabama three years ago. Michigan State needed a two-point victory over North-western and a three-point decision over Purdue just to get the six victories necessary to qualify for a bowl. The Spartans followed up a 3-1 start -- incluidng a victory over Michigan -- with a 3-4 finish caused laregely by an uncharacteristically generous defense.

Still, for a growing program like Louisville, you take your milestones where your can get them.