Louisville football fans are absolutely loving all the national media attention they are getting right now, as the Cardinals emerge as a legitimate threat in the ACC. At the start of the season, Miami was the only ACC team getting any real spotlight, but after three weeks of football, Jeff Brohm has this program buzzing and making serious noise.
Louisville Lincoln Kienholz gets massive praise from former Florida State QB
The Cardinals are coming off a huge win, defeating SMU 41-31. Not only was that the first win over the Mustangs in program history, but it also put the Cardinals in the mix as a serious CFP contender.
Former Georgia player and current college football analyst David Pollack recently shone a light on Louisville, not only calling them a real contender but also giving this offense the flowers it deserves.
David Pollack names Louisville as a serious contender for CFP
This Cardinals offense is looking like one of the best units in the country. Not many media outlets will say it just yet, but Lincoln Kienholz and this rushing attack look every bit the real deal, and now they are 2-1 and a major threat in the ACC.
“I think Louisville is a contender to make the playoffs,” stated Pollack. “To start the season, we talked about one ACC team and one Big 12 team. I think Louisville has a decent chance. I love their offense. I love their schedule. Can their defense continue to be opportunistic and give it back to their offense because of Brown, Brown, Kienholz, and Richardson. Is there a more explosive offense in the country that can make you pay as they can?”
.@LouisvilleFB a CFP contender?
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) September 22, 2026
I can see it. https://t.co/hxsmWtklHb
The Cardinals' running back room is one of the best in the nation. Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown are a dominant one-two punch: Isaac is a preseason All-American and averaged 8.8 yards per carry last year. Keyjuan is coming off a year in which he rushed for 100 yards or more five times and had his best game against SMU, rushing for 163 yards on just 10 carries.
As for the passing game, Kienholz is emerging as a pure star. The Ohio State transfer has elevated this offense to one of the best in the nation, as he can throw the deep ball, he can throw on the run, and then he has the ability to extend plays with his legs and run. Through three games, he has zero turnovers, 816 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, and four rushing touchdowns.
Moving to the Cardinals' wide receivers, two 4-star transfers are living up to expectations: Lawayne McCoy has a touchdown in every game while also adding 226 receiving yards. And Louisville’s top-ranked transfer, Tre Richardson, leads the team in receptions and receiving yards with 15 catches for 243 receiving yards and adds one rushing and one receiving touchdown.
This Cardinals offense is averaging 515 yards per game, ranking No. 12 in the country, and 46 points per game, also ranking No. 12 in the country. And what is important to remember is that Louisville played two ranked teams in the top 25, including Ole Miss, which ranks No. 4. The Cardinals offense isn’t just dominating and putting up these ridiculous numbers against FCS and low-level Division I teams.
They are looking like an elite offense against a CFP contender from the SEC and one of the top teams in the ACC.
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