No. 16 Louisville and Wake Forest wasted no time turning L&N Stadium into a track meet, and the first half ended with the Demon Deacons holding a 24-21 edge.
The scoring started with Wake Forest, which broke through on a 39-yard Connor Calvert field goal with 6:18 left in the first quarter. Louisville answered with a long, methodical 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by a five-yard Lincoln Kienholz touchdown run.
Wake Forest responded in kind. The Demon Deacons put together a 75-yard touchdown march of their own, finishing it with a six-yard Ty Clark run at the 13:34 mark of the second quarter. Louisville punched back again on another 11-play, 75-yard drive, and Kienholz did the damage himself once more, scoring from six yards out to give the Cardinals a 14-10 lead.
From there, Wake Forest’s offense found another gear. Gio Lopez hit Carlos Hernandez for a 77-yard touchdown with 5:49 left in the second quarter, swinging the lead back to the Demon Deacons. Then came a major turn in the half: with Louisville trailing 17-14, Kienholz threw his first interception of the season, and Wake Forest cornerback Somad Eaddy came down with it.
The Demon Deacons made the Cardinals pay. On the very next possession, Wake Forest rolled 65 yards in five plays, and Clark finished it again from six yards out to push the lead to 24-14.
Louisville wasn’t done. With 57 seconds left before halftime, Kienholz connected with tight end Jaleel Skinner on a 61-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 24-21 and keep the Cardinals within striking distance.
Kienholz has been sharp through the air, going 14-for-17 for 185 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He’s also been a big part of Louisville’s ground game, adding seven carries for six yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Hernandez has been just as explosive for Wake Forest, hauling in six catches for 170 yards and a touchdown.
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Jeff Brohms late-game management only added to the unease. After a game defined by Louisvilles inability to cash in on key opportunities, the decision-making around the final stretch became part of the larger conversation, and it is the sort of detail that can linger with a fan base already wondering how a winnable game got away. [Read more 🡒]
Louisvilles Early-Season Ceiling Suddenly Looks Like A Real Debate
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For Louisville, the result was more than just a loss in the standings. A game that stayed tight until the closing sequence ended with the Cardinals staring at a chance to salvage it from long range, and the final moments only sharpened the debate over how high this team can climb if the margin gets thinner against ACC opponents. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces Early ACC Test With Two Huge Game-Day Concerns
Louisville heads into its ACC opener against Wake Forest with some momentum, riding a chance to win a third straight game and move to 3-1. The Cardinals have looked sharp on offense through the first three games, but the challenge gets more serious now that conference play is starting and every margin tends to tighten up.
The defense, meanwhile, has taken a hit with former All-ACC linebacker Antonio Watts out for the rest of the season because of injury, a blow that changes the look of the unit before a key early test. And on the other side, Wake Forest is trending toward having starting quarterback Gio Lopez available after a recent injury, which only adds to the intrigue of a game that already feels like an early measuring stick for Louisville. [Read more 🡒]