Louisville Faces Key Absences Ahead of Boca Raton Bowl Clash with Toledo
Louisville is heading into the Boca Raton Bowl with momentum-but not without adversity. After snapping a three-game skid in emphatic fashion with a 41-0 win over in-state rival Kentucky, the Cardinals are prepping for their Dec. 23 showdown with Toledo. But as has been the theme this season, they’ll be doing it shorthanded.
Head coach Jeff Brohm confirmed that two of Louisville’s top defensive linemen-Rene Konga and Wes Bailey-have opted out of the bowl game. With both eyeing the 2026 NFL Draft, their decision isn’t surprising in today’s college football landscape, but it’s a significant blow for a defense that’s leaned heavily on their production all year.
Konga, Bailey Out: What It Means for Louisville’s Defense
Let’s start with Konga. The Rutgers transfer put together the best season of his college career in 2025.
He was a disruptive force on the interior, earning Second Team All-ACC honors with 29 tackles, five pass deflections, and 1.5 sacks. His ability to clog running lanes and bat down passes at the line made him a key cog in Louisville’s front seven.
Bailey, meanwhile, brought the heat off the edge. His 39 tackles and six sacks were second-most on the team, and his speed-rush ability often forced quarterbacks to move off their spot earlier than they wanted. Both players were instrumental in setting the tone up front, and both are expected to be hearing their names called in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Their absence leaves a sizable hole in the trenches-both literally and figuratively.
A Season of Adapting for Brohm’s Squad
This isn’t uncharted territory for the Cardinals. Injuries and absences have been a recurring storyline all season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
Louisville has already been without standout running backs Isaac Brown, Duke Watson, and Keyjuan Brown for extended stretches. Now, with wide receiver Chris Bell sidelined after tearing his ACL, the offense remains in patchwork mode.
Despite the setbacks, Brohm has kept this team competitive. The Kentucky win was a statement-not just because of the rivalry, but because of how complete the performance was. The Cardinals dominated in all three phases and looked like a team that still had something to prove.
That’s the kind of resilience Brohm is going to need again.
Eyes on Toledo-and the Opt-Outs
Louisville enters the Boca Raton Bowl as 7.5-point favorites over a gritty Toledo squad, but that line could shift depending on who else decides to sit out. This is the new normal in college football: bowl games outside the playoff often see top talent opt out to prepare for the NFL Combine and minimize injury risk.
That doesn’t mean the game won’t be competitive. Louisville still has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, and Brohm has shown he can gameplan around personnel losses. The challenge now is to find the next man up-especially on a defensive line that just lost its two anchors.
What’s at Stake
A win would give Louisville nine victories for the third straight season, a mark that speaks to the consistency Brohm is building in the program. It would also cap off a rollercoaster year with a high note, showing that even when the roster is thin, the Cardinals can still find ways to win.
So while the headlines may focus on who’s not playing, the real story will be about who steps up. Because if there’s one thing this team has done all year, it’s adapt. And with one more game to go, Louisville has a chance to show once again that they’re more than just the sum of their missing parts.