| Year: | 2011 |
| Team: | Louisville Cardinals |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Big East Conference |
| Conference Link: | Big East Conference (1979–2013) |
| Short Conf: | Big East |
| Record: | 7–6 |
| Conf Record: | 5–2 |
| Head Coach: | Charlie Strong |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Off Coach: | Mike Sanford (2nd season; first 5 games) Shawn Watson (interim; remainder of season)[1] [2] |
| Def Coach: | Vance Bedford |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Off Scheme: | Spread |
| Def Scheme: | 4–3 |
| Stadium: | Papa John's Cardinal Stadium |
| Champion: | Big East co-champion |
| Bowl: | Belk Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | L 24–31 vs. NC State |
The 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.