Louisville heads nowhere for the first time this season as they prepare to face off against BYE. Should be a barn burner.

Forecast:

Tailgate: Happy fall, y’all. Ready to bust out those sweaters and jeans? NOPE. It’s going to be 93 freaking degrees, baby. Winds SW at 9 mph. 10% of participation.

Kickoff: Depends on what game is your viewing pleasure. If you’re watching USC-UW, then it’ll be about 59 degrees with a 40% of rain in Seattle. Or if you’re watching the Civil ConFLiCT between UConn and UCF, it should be clear and in the mid-90s.

Postgame: Some clouds with temps falling all the way to the high 60s. 10% chance of precipitation. Winds SW at 5 mph.

Key Times:

Friday:

· 7PM-9PM: Louisville Live at Fourth Street Live! – “The free, outdoor event will include team activities on a portable court placed on the covered area of the street, surrounded by fan viewing opportunities of the stage, court and video screens.

Taylor Rooks, who works with Bleacher Report and Turner Sports, will serve as the host for the event. Members of the Harlem Globetrotters will perform as part of the program.

Entry begins at 5 p.m. for limited standing room at the street and second floor levels of Fourth Street Live! on a first-come, first served basis. Interested parties may reserve indoor and outdoor seating by calling 502-417-7640 or 502-568-3457.

The event will be televised live on ACC Network Extra. A direct link to watch is here.”

· 7PM: Duke @ Virginia Tech – It’s almost panic time in Blacksburg and if Duke leaves with a win then Fuente may seriously be on his way out. Hard to believe just a few years after what seemed like such a good fit.

Saturday:

· Noon: Texas Tech @ #6 Oklahoma – This could be pointsy as hell and points are fun.

· 3:30PM: #18 Virginia @ #10 Notre Dame – Virginia is undefeated but should have lost to FSU and struggled against Old Dominion. Notre Dame actually looked solid in its loss to UGA. I’ll be very interested to see how the Hoos fare so we can see if they’re legit and start sizing them up for Week 9.

· 3:30PM: Akron @ UMass – This is the game I will actually be watching because good lord these teams are horrendous. For just the 44th time in major college football the two worst teams in the country will be facing off. I’m embarrassed about my excitement levels for this game.

· 7PM: UK @ South Carolina – This has the potential to be the ugliest game of the weekend and I’m legitimately looking forward to it. Kentucky needs a win to get its season back on track and holy hell South Carolina has lost to UK (in football!) 5 years in-a-row. No matter who loses it will be funny. My body is ready.

· 10PM: Wazzu @ #19 Utah – Mike Leach’s air raid takes on Utah’s defense of death. I love weird matchups, and this certainly will be a fun one as your eyes begin to get heavy and your sweat begins to dry.

Miscellaneous:

Look, this kind of weekend doesn’t happen often where Louisville is off and there’s a lackluster slate of games for most of the day. This is where you earn your brownie points. Go take your sweetheart to Huber’s Farm, Nulu Fest, Captain D’s, or whatever y’all fancy. This is the rare weekend where you can miss some college football and not feel bad about it, so take advantage of it.

Watch/Listen

TV: Whatever your girlfriend/boyfriend, wife/husband, family, roommate, or dog wants to watch. Rack up those brownie points.

Online stream: Same deal. Stick to the game plan.

On the call: Don’t look at your phone too much. Really have to sell the idea that you’re not paying too much attention to football. This is where bathroom breaks become crucial.

SiriusXM: Whatever they want to listen to

Series:

Louisville leads BYE: 947 - 0 - 0

Last win: 2018, Louisville 100 – BYE 0

BYE Players to Worry About

Offense:

Don’t worry, be happy.

Defense:

Seriously, we can’t lose this week. Enjoy it.

Keys to the Game

1. Nulu Fest – This weekend marks the “11th year NuLu is hosting its well-known street festival celebrating the continued growth and revitalization of Louisville’s East Market District. Come enjoy live music by sonaBLAST! Records, regional micro-brewed beers, and numerous food and retail booths by local vendors. There will be activities for all ages. The event is free, family-friendly and open to the public.” This could be a good afternoon option if you’re not worried about missing the early and mid-day games.

2. Huber’s Farm – Louisville plays every weekend in October, so you have to be smart about your plan Saturday. I recommend hitting the pumpkin patches at a nearby farm like Huber’s to just get it out of the way and make everyone happy. Rip off the band-aid. You’ll thank me later.

3. Housework – You know that side of the porch you never finished and your neighbor’s kids keep falling off? This is the perfect weekend to finally finish it so that you can win over your loved ones and hopefully win back some friends.

Predictions

You’re going to get caught looking at your phone or a TV wherever you end up going. It’s okay. It’s natural. Just remember the end-goal and be present for once in your child’s life.