What was once shaping up to be a promising season for Louisville football has slipped into something far more chaotic. After a disappointing loss to Cal and now back-to-back losses to Clemson and SMU, Jeff Brohm suddenly finds himself trying to hold together a 7–4 team while keeping the locker room focused ahead of this week’s rivalry matchup.
Just a month ago, the conversation centered around a potential ACC Championship run — even the fringe possibility of a College Football Playoff berth. Now, the Cardinals are staring down an offseason filled with more questions than answers. If they can’t find a way to beat Kentucky, this season’s decline from excitement to frustration will only grow more pronounced.
The truth is that whether Louisville finishes 7–5 or 8–4, the 2025 campaign will be remembered as a “what could have been” season after the momentum-shifting upset over Miami. With just the Battle for the Bluegrass left in the regular season, the focus begins shifting toward 2026 — and which foundational pieces Brohm must keep in place.
Here are six players Louisville absolutely cannot afford to lose this offseason to the Transfer Portal.