Louisville came up just short in a wild Week 1 showdown with Ole Miss, falling 41-38, but the Cardinals still walked away with something meaningful from the loss: a debut performance that will go into the record book.
Lincoln Kienholz, the 4-star transfer from Ohio State, stepped in for his first start and immediately gave Louisville a glimpse of what he can bring to the offense. He finished with 307 passing yards, becoming the first Cardinals quarterback to throw for 300 or more yards in a debut. He also added 69 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, giving Louisville a true dual-threat spark in a game that stayed tight until the end.
The finish was as dramatic as it gets. Kienholz completed 18 of 29 passes and helped engineer back-to-back touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, including a late push that tied the game with 1:28 remaining. His ability to escape pressure, roll right, and deliver throws on the move stood out throughout the second half, especially when Louisville needed him most.
He also kept the offense alive with his legs. Kienholz scored on a seven-yard run to tie the game in the fourth quarter, then continued to show the kind of playmaking that made him such a highly regarded recruit. Out of high school, he was ranked as high as the No. 13 quarterback in the 2022 class and No. 172 overall after a multi-sport prep career.
For Louisville, the result was disappointing. For Kienholz, it was a debut that hinted at something bigger. He became the first Cardinals player with 300 passing yards and 50 rushing yards against a ranked opponent since Lamar Jackson did it in 2017 against NC State, a stat line that says plenty about the kind of company he joined on Sunday night.
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Louisville Saw Enough From Lincoln Keinholz To Fuel A Bigger Question
Lincoln Keinholzs first start for Louisville gave the Cardinals a real opening to assess where they stand at quarterback, and there was plenty to like in the way he settled in against Mississippi. The debut came in a high-scoring opener that asked a lot of him early, and he responded better as the game went on, showing clear progress in the second half as Louisville hung around in a back-and-forth matchup.
Jeff Brohm left the night with a familiar mix of encouragement and concern, praising the way his team competed while also pointing to the need for more plays against quality opponents. For Louisville, the bigger question now is not just what Keinholz showed in the opener, but how much of that performance can carry over when the schedule tightens and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Just Took A Painful Recruiting Hit At Center
Louisvilles frontcourt recruiting board took a hit when five-star center Darius Wabbington backed away from the program, ending a run that had the Cardinals among his final six schools. Wabbington, one of the top centers in the country, had been scheduled to make an official visit on Sept. 11, but that stop is now off the calendar as Louisville loses ground in a pursuit that once looked promising.
The timing makes the setback sting a little more, because the Cardinals are still trying to stay active with another elite big man in Lewis Uvwo. Louisville has made a late push there, but Duke is currently out front, leaving the Cardinals searching for a way to recover from one miss while trying to keep another high-end option within reach. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Kienholz Gave Louisville One Huge Reason For Hope
Louisville did not leave with the result it wanted after a 41-38 loss to Ole Miss, but the debut of Lincoln Kienholz offered a real jolt of optimism. The Ohio State transfer settled in after a slow first half and gave the Cardinals a much-needed spark, working the offense with enough poise and movement to keep Louisville within striking distance as the game wore on.
Kienholz showed why the staff had reason to believe in him, throwing for 307 yards and adding 69 more on the ground while accounting for three total touchdowns in his first game. He also helped Louisville dig out of a 14-point hole in the fourth quarter and pull the game even before Ole Miss answered with a last-second 48-yard field goal, leaving the Cardinals with plenty to lament and one big reason to keep believing. [Read more 🡒]