The Louisville football program is 4-0 for the second time in Jeff Brohm's tenure as the Cardinals' head coach following their gritty win over Pittsburgh this weekend. It wasn't the prettiest win of them all, but a win is a win in conference games, and the Cardinals now will face an even tougher opponent at home this weekend.
Louisville must quickly put its historic comeback victory to the side and now zero in on the Virginia Cavaliers this weekend, as UVA is coming off a massive overtime upset over Florida State. The Cavaliers are currently ranked No. 24 in the nation with a 4-1 record, boasting a 2-1 ACC record, including a loss to North Carolina State.
Looking at this game in the offseason, many didn't think this would help Louisville's resume, but now, with the Cardinals unranked despite being undefeated, it's clear this is no longer a trap game, but is an opportunity for Louisville to make a statement in the ACC race. With this game having massive implications, here are the early odds for the Cardinals' matchup with Virginia, along with an early prediction.
Louisville vs. Virginia Current Odds
Louisville and Virginia are kicking off from L&N Stadium this Saturday, October 4, at 3:30 p.m. local time. The Cardinals open as 6.5-point favorites over the Cavaliers and have odds of -230 to win the game, as of Monday, September 29. Virginia has +188 odds to pull off the road win, and the over-under for this crucial ACC matchup is 62.5 points, according to FanDuel. ESPN's Football Power Index gives Louisville a 56.0 percent chance of pulling off this upset at home.
Louisville vs. Virginia prediction
This is a massive game for the Cardinals' season. Entering the season, it could have been viewed as a trap game, as Louisville has their final bye week next week and then faces its showdown against Miami the week after. However, now that Virginia has pulled off the upset over Florida State, Louisville must focus on the Cavaliers and secure their first statement win of the 2025 season.
With the Cards remaining unranked, hopefully it sparks something in them and they play some inspired football this Saturday. The ACC race is wide open, and Louisville's schedule doesn't appear as challenging as fans thought it would be in the offseason. They were able to find a way to win last week, and they will do that again this week.
Hopefully, Isaac Brown and Duke Watson can get a little healthier this week and be a crucial part of the offense. However, in the second half against Pitt, the passing attack showed some flashes of brilliance and proved it can win some games for Louisville.
Louisville has started slowly in a few of its games this season, and it might be the same against Virginia. However, expect another big-time game from Miller Moss and Chris Bell this weekend, with them leading Louisville to its first win over a ranked team in 2025.
Prediction: Louisville 37 Virginia 30
Related: Louisville football's 2025 ACC game-by-game predictions: Can Cardinals win the ACC?
Louisville and Virginia will kick off this Saturday at 3:30 local time from L&N Stadium. For all the latest on Louisville football's 2025 season, stay tuned.