Louisville football has its eyes set on the 2025 College Football Playoffs, and if it wants to achieve its goal, the star running back must live up to his preseason expectations. The running back is emerging as one of the nation's top running backs after earning hype all offseason and receiving prestigious honors entering the 2025 season.
Brown earned yet another honor Monday afternoon after the Associated Press released its 2025 Associated Press Preseason All-America team, and by no surprise, the star tailback made one of the two teams. The Cardinals' running back is expected to be the center of attention in the 2025 season, and Louisville has the tools to make history, but now he has to have another season like last year.
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Set the stage for Louisville football CFP breakthrough
Brown comes into the season on the Associated Press Preseason All-American Second Team. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound running back joins Oregon running back Makhi Hughes on the Second-Team, and they are behind Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love and Penn State's Nicholas Singleton.
Brown is the youngest of the four running backs, and one of just nine sophomores on the list. The ACC has a total of 11 players on the two All-American Teams, and the star running back has now etched his name on six preseason All-American teams, including Sporting News, which put him on the First-Team.
Louisville's No. 1 running back enters the season on nearly every award possible that he is eligible for, as he is on the Doak Walker Award Watch List, Maxwell Award Watch List, Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List, and the Paul Hornung Award Watch List.
In Brown's true freshman season, he broke multiple program records after earning 1,173 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. Now, after making a name for himself and entering the 2025 season as one of the best players in college football, Brown has his goals set on leading the Cardinals to their first-ever College Football Playoffs.
For the Cardinals to make the 2025 College Football Playoffs, Louisville must play like it did against Clemson last year, which would result in an even better season for Brown. Last year against Clemson, the Cards dominated the trenches and the running game as they earned 210 rushing yards on just 27 carries.
Brown logged 20 carries for 151 yards and a touchdown. If he can dominate like that against Clemson again, Miami, and SMU, he would lead this team to glory, and Louisville would have a chance at an ACC Title and the College Football Playoffs.
Louisville will go as far as Brown can take him. While he will need help from Miller Moss and company, he is the star of this team, and he has to have a season like last year and maybe even better for Louisville to make their first College Football Playoffs.
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