Louisville’s surge has turned the Governor’s Cup into a very different conversation.
The Cardinals looked stuck early, dropping to 2-3 after consecutive conference losses. Since then, they’ve ripped off four straight wins and started piling up points in a hurry. Louisville has scored at least 44 points in three of its last four games, and it has won by 24 points or more in three of those four.
That kind of run changes the feel around a rivalry game fast, especially with Kentucky looming at the end of the schedule. Jeff Brohm and his team are staying locked in on the next game, but it’s hard not to glance ahead to that matchup with the Wildcats.
Kentucky has been one of the biggest surprises in college football this season. Will Stein’s team climbed as high as No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings last week, though that will change after the loss to Tennessee. Even after that setback, the Wildcats are still third in the SEC at 7-2 and remain in position to chase a playoff spot if they win out.
That path gets tougher with Louisville on the schedule.
The Cardinals have owned this series lately, and they’ll try to keep that trend rolling. Louisville beat Kentucky 41-14 in 2024 and then followed it with a 41-0 shutout last year. Cards fans would love to see something similar in 2026.
ESPN Analytics is already leaning Louisville’s way for the Week 13 meeting, and the numbers reflect how much confidence there is in the Cardinals’ offense. As of Tuesday, Nov. 14, Louisville is a slight favorite on the road, with a 55.3% chance to win.
It’s not a huge edge, but it does say something. Kentucky may have had the better ranking and the home-field advantage, yet ESPN still gives Brohm’s team the nod.
Louisville’s recent numbers help explain why. Since the two-game skid, the Cardinals rank 6th nationally in points per game at 40.8 and 8th in rushing yards per game at 228. They’re also chasing a fourth straight season with at least eight regular-season wins and their second with at least nine.
With both teams still fighting for a conference championship spot, this one has the makings of a tense Week 13 clash. ESPN has Louisville in front, and if both teams handle business over the next two weeks, the Cardinals could also slam the door on Kentucky’s first CFP dream.
In Other News...
Louisville Freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr. Is Climbing NBA Draft Boards Fast
Obinna Ekezie Jr. has wasted little time making himself part of Louisvilles early-season conversation. The 7-foot-2 freshman center, who reclassified to the 2026 recruiting class, has already flashed the kind of size and production that gets NBA scouts paying attention, including a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. For a program trying to stack quality wins and build momentum, having a young big man who can make an immediate impact is a major development.
The buzz is only growing, too. Bleacher Reports latest 2027 NBA mock draft has Ekezie projected around the 15th overall pick, a sign of how quickly his stock is rising before he has even settled into college basketball. Louisville still has several high-profile opponents ahead of the new year, giving Ekezie a chance to keep testing himself against better competition and show whether this fast start is the beginning of something even bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Is Getting Real Respect Now Comes The Stretch That Matters
Louisvilles strong start has already pushed the Cardinals into an early conversation they could only have hoped for a few months ago. At 2-0, they have the kind of profile that gets attention, and Joe Lunardis latest Bracketology reflects it by slotting them as a 3-seed in the South region, a sign that the national view of this team is changing fast.
Now comes the part that will really define how much of that respect sticks. The schedule ahead is loaded with tests against Memphis, Texas Tech, Texas, Michigan and Kentucky, and those games will tell the story of whether Louisville can turn a promising opening into something more durable. A favorable path in the bracket is nice, but the Cardinals know the stretch ahead will do far more to shape where they actually belong. [Read more 🡒]