The Louisville Cardinals are making a lot of noise right now, as Jeff Brohm and company have a 2- 1 record and are ranked No. 16 in the nation. Louisville is coming off a huge 10-point win over SMU, in which the Cardinals secured their first win over SMU in program history and cemented their place in the College Football Playoff conversation.
Louisville football gets huge boost in ACC Title odds after SMU win
One big reason why the Cards are 2-1 and earning a lot of national media attention is their new electrifying quarterback, Lincoln Kienholz. Entering the season, many questions surrounded the Ohio State transfer, since he never started a game at the college level.
Kienholz has answered those questions in three games and has everyone talking about him and the Cardinals after three weeks. Former Florida State wide receiver and current ESPN analyst, EJ Manuel recently spoke about Kienholz, and he had nothing but high praise for Brohm’s quarterback.
Lincoln Kienholz has national media buzzing after impressive first three games
Kienholz is looking like a pure star in his first year as a starter. The 4-star transfer is one of the biggest rising stars in college football, and Manuel proved it by calling the Cardinals quarterback “nearly unstoppable” and one of the best QBs in the ACC.
“He is playing at a top-tier level here in the ACC,” said Manuel. “I think he is starting to put his name in the bid to be one of the best here in the league. Darian Mensah is certainly there, and we got some others as well. Some of the throws he made on the run, I am like, ‘Oh, okay, I see it now. Like, I get it. One, I get why you were at Ohio State, which is one of the best programs in the country. Two, I see why Coach Brohm and the guys said, we got to get this dude in our offense. This kid is damn good. He is nearly unstoppable because of his ability to throw on the run with accuracy. He drops deep balls right over the shoulder into buckets. And he is big and fast.”
"Lincoln Kienholz is nearly unstoppable." @EJManuel3 says @LouisvilleFB's QB1 is an elite playmaker 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EuNVRJMlrE
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 22, 2026
Brohm is known as the quarterback whisperer, and it feels like he might have found his best QB yet since coming to Louisville. Kienzhols has taken the nation by storm with his ability to throw on the run, his accuracy, and his grit. Through three games, he has thrown for 816 yards, six touchdowns, and has yet to turn the ball over.
But what makes him so special is his ability to run the ball. He is a major threat on the ground, leading the team with four rushing touchdowns and adding 153 rushing yards.
And he isn’t doing this against just cupcake opponents. He has looked like an elite QB against two top-25 teams, including No. 4 Ole Miss, when he made program history and was the first Cardinal to throw for 300 yards or more in his college debut.
Louisville is a legit CFP contender in 2026, and Kienholz is a major reason. The Ohio State transfer is only three games into his first year as a starter, and with plenty of the season left, it certainly feels like he will only get more dangerous and become an even better quarterback.
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