Louisville football is coming off a massive win over SMU and is emerging as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender, but the Cards just got their first major injury in the 2026 season. Louisville is 2-1, is heading into Week 4 ranked No. 16 in the country, and is scheduled to face Wake Forest tomorrow afternoon inside L&N Stadium
Louisville football has quietly built one of college football’s most explosive offenses
The Cardinals offense has been extremely impressive through three games, as Lincoln Kienholz is looking more and more like a star, and the running back room is beginning to live up to preseason expectations. On the defensive side, the Cardinals have definitely shown potential, especially last week with a few newcomers stepping up, like Kaleb Beasley, who leads the Cardinals in tackles and earned the game-sealing interception.
However, Louisville just suffered a crushing blow on defense as one of their key returning linebackers, Antonio Watts, is out for the season.
BREAKING: Louisville linebacker/safety Antonio Watts will miss the remainder of the 2026 season with a knee injury.
— 35KYSports (@35KYSportsMedia) September 24, 2026
A fifth-year veteran and key piece of the Louisville defense, Watts earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors last season after recording 42 tackles and a team-high… pic.twitter.com/4t5mS1aE0Z
Antonio Watts is out for season
Watts was one of the few Cardinals who entered the Transfer Portal this offseason but ultimately withdrew his name and returned to Louisville, like AJ Green and Isaac Brown. He was a huge piece returning to Louisville’s defense for the 2026 season, coming off a dominant 2024 and 2025 campaign.
In 2024, Watts earned a career-high 51 tackles and 31 solo tackles, along with a career-high of three pass deflections and one forced fumble. Then, after starting in all 13 games, he returned to Louisville in 2025 and was expected to be another key piece in the Cards' loaded linebacker room.
His season was cut short because of a knee injury, and he played in just 10 games. In those 10 games, he earned All-ACC Honorable Mention after logging 42 tackles, 22 solo tackles, and career highs of three pass deflections, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker was a huge piece on this defense, and losing him for the season is a major blow. The Cardinals' linebacker room has some depth with Stanquand Clark, TJ Capers, and Kalib Perry, but it won't be easy for Jeff Brohm and Mark Ivey to replace him.
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