Louisville heads to North Carolina State on Saturday with both teams trying to shake off a rough start and get to 3-2.
The Cardinals are coming off a painful 30-27 loss to Wake Forest, another close game that slipped away. Louisville is 2-2 through four games, and this trip to face the Wolfpack arrives as the third conference matchup of the season.
NC State, meanwhile, has had a frustrating opening stretch of its own. The Wolfpack were blown out by Virginia in Week 1, dropped a game to Vanderbilt on a last-second fumble, and then edged Appalachian State 41-31 last weekend.
For Louisville, the challenge is simple: get back in the win column fast after the Wake Forest setback. For NC State, it’s about steadying the season after a bumpy start.
Here’s a look at the matchup details, the betting line, and the injury situation.
Louisville’s injury list is lengthy. TE Travis Egan, P Jacob Baker, OL Max Merz, OT Bryten Close, OL Sam Secrest, WR Payton Cook, DL Sam Dawson, and DB Antonio Watts are all out. QB Lincoln Kienholz, DB Koen Entringer, WR Lawayne McCoy, DB DJ Waller Jr., WR Elizjah Lewis, and DL Daylen Russell are listed as questionable.
The Cardinals also have the edge in the series history. Louisville is 9-4 all-time against North Carolina State, and since joining the ACC, the Cardinals are 5-3 against the Wolfpack in conference play. Louisville has won the last two meetings, is 6-4 in the last 10 matchups overall, and has gone 4-2 on the road against NC State, including a 13-10 win in 2023.
In Other News...
Louisville Suddenly Has A Much Bigger QB Problem At NC State
Louisville heads into its trip to North Carolina State with a lot less certainty under center than it expected. Starting quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is listed as questionable because of an injury, and Jeff Brohm said only that Kienholz is dealing with one, leaving the details vague as the Cardinals turn their attention to game time.
If Kienholz is unable to go, Louisville will be forced to sort through a backup plan that was never supposed to be this prominent so soon. The options appear to be freshman Briggs Cherry or transfer Davin Wydner, a reminder that what looked like a straightforward Week 1 quarterback situation can change in a hurry once injuries enter the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces A Familiar ACC Problem At NC State
Louisville heads to NC State with the kind of ACC road test that can quietly shape the rest of a season, and this one carries a little extra familiarity for both sides. The matchup is set for a noon kickoff, with broadcast details already in place and the Cardinals slated to wear red. The teams have seen each other recently enough to remember how tight this series can get, and Louisvilles own recent struggles with penalties remain part of the backdrop as it prepares for another league game away from home.
NC State brings a mixed profile into the game, with quarterback play split between CJ Bailey and Will Wilson and Duke Scott giving the Wolfpack a threat on the ground. Defensively, Popo Aguirre has been one of the more active players on the roster, which adds another layer to a game that figures to hinge on discipline and execution. Louisville already knows how quickly this matchup can turn into a grind, and this one feels built for another possession-by-possession fight. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Let Another Winnable ACC Game Slip Away Late
Wake Forests 30-27 win over Louisville came down to a handful of pivotal moments in a game the Cardinals had every reason to believe they could take. Louisville was right there deep into the fourth quarter before the contest turned on a long scoring strike from Gio Lopez to Carlos Hernandez, the kind of explosive play that can flip momentum in a hurry and leave the opponent scrambling to recover.
Hernandezs big night was enough to earn ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Gabe Kirschke was recognized on the other side of the ball for his impact. For Louisville, the frustration is in how close it stayed and how little margin there was for error late, especially in a conference game that felt winnable until the final sequence decided otherwise. [Read more 🡒]