SPORTS

Himmelsbach | Predicting UK, UofL, WKU, IU

Adam Himmelsbach
ahimmelsbach@courier-journal.com

1. Well, we've finally made it. Football is here. So let's jump right in with some predictions that are sure to be wrong. First, we'll look at Louisville. There will be no griping about the Cardinals' strength of schedule this season, unless people want to complain about playing good teams. I think UofL has enough returning talent to stay in the Atlantic Coast Conference's upper tier. I'll say a 6-0 start brings lots of buzz and a top-15 national ranking, but a challenging end of the season results in an 8-4 finish.

2. Kentucky, meanwhile, really has nowhere to go but up. The Wildcats' non-conference schedule is slightly easier than last season. Losses to Tennessee-Martin, Ohio or Louisiana-Monroe would be inexcusable. Still, the Wildcats are in the SEC, so there will be plenty of challenges. I think their young team shows signs of maturation, Patrick Towles plays well and the Wildcats grab one conference win this year and finish 4-8. They will double their win total from a year ago, but not exactly spectacularly.

UofL Varsity Football Coach Bobby Petrino signs a football  during UofL Fan day in Cardinal Arena. 16 August 2014

3. At Western Kentucky, first-year coach Jeff Brohm faces a slightly more difficult schedule as the Hilltoppers transition into Conference USA. I think veteran quarterback Brandon Doughty helps WKU to a 6-6 mark. At Indiana, meanwhile, the defense is still a bit too soft to make a run at a bowl game. The Hoosiers will go 5-7.

4. Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with a broken bone in his left foot. The news is not good, but it could have been worse. That timeline would have Parker returning sometime in mid-October, and it's worth pointing out that the schedule is quite back-loaded, with the Clemson, Florida State and Notre Dame games all taking place after Oct. 10. Most of all, it's good to hear that Parker, who passed up a chance to enter the NFL draft last year, will probably not be lost for the year.

5. Kudos to all the athletes who took part in Sunday's Ironman Triathlon. I stopped by Waterfront Park during the bike-to-run transition, and it was unbelievable to consider that seven hours into the grueling race—in suffocating heat—competitors then had to start an actual marathon. Very impressive. It was also cool to see so many fans and volunteers there supporting competitors they mostly did not know.

Adam Himmelsbach can be reached by email ahimmelsbach@courier-journal.com and on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach