College football insider fuels Louisville Cardinals hype train with CFP praise

Louisville football's 2025 season is approaching quickly, as the calendar now shifts from June to July. The countdown until college football returns is officially under 60 days as Week 0 is 52 days away and the Cardinals' opening matchup against Eastern Kentucky is 59 days away.

The Cards' have key players returning on both sides of the field, making them appear as one of the dark horse teams to win the ACC. Louisville has earned high praise from Josh Pate and Greg McElroy, as both experts claimed Louisville has a legitimate shot at the ACC crown.

Jeff Brohm and the Cardinals have the third-best odds to win the ACC Title, and if they can make history and secure their first ACC crown, then they will punch their ticket to the first College Football Playoff. FOX Sports insider Michael Cohen believes that it is highly possible.

College football insider fuels Louisville Cardinals hype train with CFP praise

Cardinals fans are all-in on this season, as many believe this offense can be one of the most explosive in the nation, not just in the ACC. Louisville added one of the best quarterbacks in the transfer portal, in Miller Moss, and will see big-time players return as Caullin Lacy and Chris Bell are expected to have All-ACC seasons at the wide receiver position. Then, of course, Louisville returns preseason All-American Isaac Brown.

Louisville has the skills and tools to win the ACC, and with Brohm as their head coach, this might be their best chance to win it in a long time. Well, Cohen listed 10 teams that could be this year's Indiana Hoosiers and make a Cinderella run and their first College Football Playoff.

The Cardinals were one of the 10 teams on this list, and in his two paragraphs about Louisville, he praises Brohm and his glaring strength in developing elite quarterbacks, as well as the potential of this offense.

"Now, Moss will be the unquestioned No. 1 for a team that believes it can reach the College Football Playoff. He’ll be aided by an excellent running back duo in Isaac Brown (165 carries, 1,173 yards, 11 TDs) and Duke Watson (67 carries, 597 yards, seven TDs) that helped the Cardinals finish 33rd nationally and third in the ACC in rushing yards per game last season. "
Michael Cohen

However, for Louisville to make a run at the CFP, the Cardinals must address some defensive concerns. While they will return their two leading tacklers, in Stanquan Clark and TJ Quinn, they lost big-time players on the line in Ashton Gillotte and Jared Dawson, and then four of their top five defensive backs, including fourth-round pick Quincy Riley

"There are legitimate concerns on defense, however, with Louisville needing to replace eight starters from a unit that ranked outside the top 50 in both scoring (24.1 points per game) and yards (368.7 yards per game), even with a pair of middle-round draft picks in edge rusher Ashton Gillotte (No. 66 overall) and cornerback Quincy Riley (No. 131 overall). Still, a friendly opening stretch on the schedule could see the Cardinals enjoy a 5-0 start entering their game at Miami on Oct. 17."
Michael Cohen

Louisville's season starts Aug. 30 from L&N Stadium, but that blockbuster matchup with Miami from Hard Rock Stadium is circled on everyone's calendar. The Cardinals have a manageable schedule and have a legitimate chance to represent the ACC in the CFP, but they must reach Charlotte first, and to reach the ACC Championship game, they must win two of three against Miami, Clemson, and SMU.

For all the latest on Louisville football's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.