2006 Big East football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
#6 Louisville $		6	–	1		12	–	1
#10 West Virginia		5	–	2		11	–	2
#12 Rutgers		5	–	2		11	–	2
South Florida		4	–	3		9	–	4
Cincinnati		4	–	3		8	–	5
Pittsburgh		2	–	5		6	–	6
Connecticut		1	–	6		4	–	8
Syracuse		0	–	6		0	–	8

$ – BCS representative as conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 2006 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his fourth year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Playing in their second year in the Big East Conference, the team finished the regular season with eleven wins and one loss and were conference champions. They represented the Big East in the 2007 Orange Bowl and with the win ended the season with a 12-1 record. The team ended the season ranked fifth in the nation.

The Cardinals finished the 2005 season with a 9-3 record, including a loss in the Gator Bowl. After the loss they were ranked 19th in the nation. Returning eight starters from their 2005 offense, including Brian Brohm and Michael Bush and nine starters on a defense that allowed 320 yards a game the team was picked, by the Big East media, to finish second in the conference.

After assistant coach Tony Levine left the Cardinals for a job in the NFL, he was replaced as special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach by Tom McMahon. McMahon had eight years of assistant coaching experience at Utah State. Also added to the staff as a new assistant strength coach was Bryan Dermody.

Although returning 17 starters from 2005, the team lost other key players to the 2006 NFL Draft. Four players were taken in the draft, three of which were defensive starters. From the offense, offensive guard Jason Spitz was taken in the third round by Green Bay. From the defense, end Elvis Dumervil was taken by Denver, linebacker Brandon Johnson by Arizona and tackle Montavious Stanley by Dallas.

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