Heading into Week 11, with just one loss in ACC play and a win over then No. 2 Miami in its back pocket, Louisville was up to No. 15 in the country and had the inside track to the ACC Title Game. Despite that one loss being to then No. 14 Virginia, the Cardinals were arguably the favorite to win the conference and represent the ACC in the College Football Playoff. Three weeks later, everything is different.
In Week 13, Louisville fell to 7-4, suffering its third-straight loss in ACC play. Following losses to Cal, Clemson, and SMU 38-6 on Saturday in Dallas, the Cardinals are in desperation mode heading into the rivalry showdown with Kentucky next week.
The downfall began two Saturdays ago with an overtime loss to Cal that all but squashed any dreams of the CFP. Still, the program was working to extend Jeff Brohm to prevent him from filling one of the many head coaching vacancies across college football. Now, many Louisville fans are hoping that the program will move on from its native son.
Jeff Brohm’s Miller Moss bet cost him
Jeff Brohm is one of college football’s preeminent quarterback whisperers. That reputation is well-earned and has given him the confidence to dive into the transfer portal year after year. This season, though, he made a bad bet, and that’s as big a reason as any that the wheels have come off for the Cardinals down the stretch.
Miller Moss inherited the USC offense from Caleb Williams, but midway through the 2024 season, Lincoln Riley, another proven quarterback whisperer, sent Moss to the bench in favor of Jayden Maiava. Still, Brohm bet that he could get more out of Moss in Louisville, and he has been proven wrong.
Through 12 weeks, Moss was averaging just 7.0 yards per attempt with a pedestrian 64% completion rate and seven interceptions to his 11 touchdowns. His numbers were eerily similar to last season under Riley, and after Louisville’s Week 12 loss to Clemson, Brohm had seen enough.
On Saturday, with Moss banged up but healthy enough to play, Brohm gave the nod to redshirt freshman Deuce Adams to make his first career start. Adams finished 12-for-17 for 94 yards on an offense without Isaac Brown, Keyjuan Brown, and that lost star wide receiver Caullin Lacy on the opening kickoff of the second half.
Adams will likely get his second start of the season against Kentucky in Week 14 as Louisville stares down a 7-5 season after a 7-1 start. It’s a nearly unthinkable collapse, and it will almost certainly keep Brohm in Louisville, whether Cardinals fans like it or not.