Louisville walks into Friday night under real pressure, and there’s no hiding it. After back-to-back losses, Jeff Brohm’s team is staring at a game that feels bigger than a Week 6 matchup should. The Cardinals opened 2-1 and briefly looked like Miami’s biggest ACC threat, but the last two weeks - losses to Wake Forest and North Carolina State - have knocked that momentum flat.
At 2-3, Louisville still isn’t mathematically out of the ACC race, but the path has gotten awfully narrow. Florida State comes in at 3-2, and this one has the feel of a swing game for both teams: Louisville needs to stop the slide, while the Seminoles are trying to keep building toward ACC contender status.
One thing working in Louisville’s favor is how tight its losses have been. The Cardinals have dropped all three games by three points, which only adds to the frustration heading into a short week. Still, Friday offers a chance to reset before the season gets away.
Here’s what fans need to know about the matchup.
How to watch Louisville vs. Florida State in Week 6
What are the betting odds for Louisville vs. Florida State?
Odds courtesy of FanDuel.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Injury report for Louisville and NC State
Louisville:
TE Travis Egan: Out
P Jacob Baker: Out
OT: Bryten Close: Out
OL Sam Secrest: Out
DL Sam Dawson: Out
DB Antonio Watts: Out
TE Hamilton Atkins: Out
WR Montavin Quisenberry: Out
DB TJ Banks: Questionable
RB Keyjuan Brown: Questionable
OL Cason Henry: Questionable
DL Daylen Russell: Questionable
QB Lincoln Kienholz: Probable
Florida State:
RB Samuel Singelton Jr,: Out
WR Devin Carter: Out
DB Karson Hobbs: Out
DB Jamari Howard: Out
LB Blake Nichelsen: Out
DB Zae Thomas: Out
DB Jordan Crutchfield: Out
LB Izaia Williams: Out
LB Daylen Greene: Out
LB Noah LaVelle: Out
The recent history tilts heavily toward Florida State. Louisville is 6-19 all-time against the Seminoles, with a 3-7 mark at home and 3-9 on the road. The Cardinals also come in trying to break a two-game losing streak in the series, one that includes the 2023 ACC Championship Game and a 35-31 home loss in 2022.
Louisville’s last win over Florida State came in 2021, and the Cardinals will try to get back there on Friday night. Since joining the ACC, Louisville and Florida State are even in conference play at 4-4 against each other.
The stakes are clear for the Cardinals: win, and they can still keep hope alive with a favorable schedule ahead. Lose, and the season gets a lot harder fast.
In Other News...
Louisville Gets A Timely Secondary Lift Before Florida State
Koen Entringer is set to return for Louisvilles Week 6 matchup with Florida State after sitting out the previous two games, giving the Cardinals a needed boost in the secondary. His absence showed up in a defense that had a rough stretch in recent losses to Wake Forest and North Carolina State, where the back end had to hold up without one of its more important pieces.
Louisville does not get much time to ease back into things, either. The Cardinals are heading into the Florida State game on a short week, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. local time, so getting Entringer back now could matter as much for stability as for talent. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces A Game Plan That Could Test Everything Saturday
Florida States zone read package has become a real point of attention heading into Saturday, especially after Ashton Daniels found success with it in recent weeks. The Seminoles leaned on that wrinkle against Virginia, and it gives this matchup another layer for Louisville to sort through as it prepares for an offense that can create stress in a hurry. For a Cardinals team looking to keep its own attack rolling, the key is understanding how quickly a seemingly ordinary run concept can turn into a problem if the defense loses discipline.
Louisvilles side of the equation is straightforward enough: the Cardinals have enough firepower to make opponents pay, but they also know this is the kind of game where one breakdown can change the tone fast. Even with the broader season outlook still unsettled, Saturday offers another chance for players to show they can rise above the teams struggles and make a case for bigger things ahead. The challenge is not just handling the run game, but proving Louisville can impose itself when a game plan is designed to poke at every weakness. [Read more 🡒]
Louisvilles Comeback Hopes Turned On A Brutal Fourth Quarter Swing
Louisville had enough flashes in its game against NC State to keep the comeback picture alive for a while, with Kaleb Beasleys interception and a few productive runs from Isaac Brown giving the Cardinals something to build on. The defensive takeaway helped swing momentum, and Louisvilles ground game showed it could still find cracks when the blocking held up.
Keyjuan Browns fumble and the protection issues on several snaps told a different part of the story, though, and those breakdowns kept Louisville from fully cashing in on its better moments. The Cardinals had stretches where the response looked there, but the details in pass protection and ball security left too much room for NC State to widen the gap. [Read more 🡒]