2011 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Cardinals were led by second-year head coach Charlie Strong and played their home games at Papa John 's Cardinal Stadium . They were a member of the Big East Conference . They finished the season 7 – 6 , 5 – 2 in Big East play to share the conference championship with Cincinnati and West Virginia . Due to tie-break rules , the Cardinals did not receive the Big East 's automatic bid into a BCS bowl ; West Virginia received the bid . The Cardinals were instead invited to the Belk Bowl , where they were defeated by North Carolina State , 31 – 24
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
2011 Louisville Cardinals football team