Louisville is starting to sound like the kind of team people around the country can’t ignore anymore, and David Pollack just put that conversation right on the table.
The former Georgia standout and current college football analyst said he sees the Cardinals as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender, and he made it clear the offense is the driving force behind that belief.
“I think Louisville is a contender to make the playoffs,” stated Pollack. “To start the season, we talked about one ACC team and one Big 12 team.
I think Louisville has a decent chance. I love their offense.
I love their schedule. Can their defense continue to be opportunistic and give it back to their offense because of Brown, Brown, Kienholz, and Richardson.
Is there a more explosive offense in the country that can make you pay as they can?”
Pollack also shared his thoughts on social media, writing: “. @LouisvilleFB a CFP contender?
I can see it. https://t.co/hxsmWtklHb
- David Pollack (@davidpollack47) September 22, 2026”
At 2-1, Louisville has become one of the ACC’s loudest early-season storylines under Jeff Brohm, especially after a stretch in which Miami had been the only league team getting much of the national attention. Three weeks into the season, the Cardinals have forced their way into the wider conversation.
The backfield is a huge part of why. Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown give Louisville a powerful one-two punch, with Isaac entering the season as a preseason All-American after averaging 8.8 yards per carry last year. Keyjuan Brown is coming off a season in which he topped 100 rushing yards five times, and his best outing came against SMU, when he rolled for 163 yards on just 10 carries.
The passing game has its own star in Lincoln Kienholz. The Ohio State transfer has been a difference-maker with his arm and his legs, showing he can hit the deep ball, throw on the move and extend plays when things break down. Through three games, he has not turned the ball over and has posted 816 passing yards, six passing touchdowns and four rushing touchdowns.
Louisville’s receiver group is also doing its part. Lawayne McCoy, one of the team’s two four-star transfers, has scored a touchdown in every game and has 226 receiving yards. Tre Richardson, the Cardinals’ top-ranked transfer, leads the team with 15 catches for 243 receiving yards and has added one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown.
The production has been eye-catching across the board. Louisville is averaging 515 yards per game, which ranks No. 12 in the country, and 46 points per game, also good for No. 12 nationally.
And the numbers have come against real competition, not just a soft opening stretch, since the Cardinals have already faced two ranked teams in the top 25, including Ole Miss at No. 4.
In Other News...
Louisville Suddenly Has A Real Shot At Program History
Louisvilles win over SMU gave the program a boost it had been waiting for, and it came with some meaningful firsts attached. It was the Cardinals first victory over a top-25 opponent this season, and it also marked their first-ever win against SMU, a result that adds real weight to a team already building a case around its offense and the play of quarterback Lincoln Kienholz.
The bigger picture has started to shift, too, as one national projection now has Louisville in the mix for a 2026 College Football Playoff berth. With the schedule easing up on the back end and the Cardinals showing they can handle a quality opponent, the door has opened to something that once seemed far off for this program. Whether they can keep that path clear is another question, but Louisville has at least given itself a shot at a season that could change how the program is viewed. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville's Offensive Line Might Be Peaking At The Perfect Time
Louisvilles win over SMU was built in the trenches, where the offensive line helped clear the way for 265 rushing yards and kept the quarterback clean all night. It was the kind of performance that showed how much the group can shape the Cardinals ceiling when the blocking is sharp, the communication is sound and the run game stays on schedule.
Cason Henry said the line has stayed disciplined and still sees room to grow, which is a promising sign this late in the season. The encouraging part for Louisville is that the group is no longer just holding together, it is starting to settle in, with pieces that had been unavailable for much of the year now back in the mix and the unit finally getting a chance to build some continuity. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Suddenly Has A Real Path To Much More Than 10 Wins
Louisvilles win over SMU moved the Cardinals to 2-1 and, just as importantly, kept the door wide open for a season that suddenly looks bigger than simply piling up a respectable record. ESPN Analytics now sees a favorable road ahead, with Louisville carrying a strong chance to reach the ACC Championship Game if it keeps taking care of business in conference play.
The path is manageable enough that the Cardinals can start dreaming beyond 10 wins, especially with the most demanding tests still to come against Kentucky and Pitt. If Louisville keeps stacking victories the way it has early on, an 11-1 finish is in play, and so is a first College Football Playoff appearance, which is a place this program has rarely had reason to picture this clearly this early. [Read more 🡒]