By Derek DeBurger
On Monday night, Indiana University announced its intentions to withdraw from the remaining two games of the originally scheduled three-game football series with the University of Louisville. The series originally saw a neutral-site game between the two in 2023, and game in Louisville in 2024, and a game in Bloomington in 2025. Now Saturday’s game in Indianapolis will be the only game of the series.
The Hoosiers first expressed interest in getting out of the series in Jan. 2023, shortly after Jeff Brohm was hired as the Card’s new head coach. Brohm had a 4-1 record against the Hoosiers in his six seasons as the Purdue Boilermakers head coach. Indiana has also struggled of late, going a combined 6-18 over the last two seasons.
A withdrawal from games in this series results in a $1 million buyout per every game canceled within a two-year window. Due to the cancellation not yet being finalized, it is unsure whether Louisville will receive $1 million or $2 million from the buyout, but either way, the Cards should be seeing a nice payday.
The cancellation of the series will also most likely see the Cards playing in an extra home game in 2025.
If you’re a Louisville fan, this situation can only make you feel good about the future of the football program. Indiana didn’t want to play Louisville so bad that they were willing to pay to get out of it, and we’re getting another Saturday in L&N Stadium as a result.
The future is bright in the Derby City.
Photo Courtesy // Annabelle Merz, Louisville Athletics
