Louisville’s Week 1 loss to Ole Miss did more than leave the Cardinals 0-1. It also sharpened the spotlight on the game everyone in the ACC circle has been waiting for: Week 3 against SMU.
The Cardinals pushed No. 9 Ole Miss to the brink before falling on a last-second 48-yard field goal, a result that still showed plenty about what Jeff Brohm’s team can be. Louisville now turns to Villanova this week in search of its first win, and the schedule after that sets up the matchup that could define its ACC path.
FanDuel’s updated ACC title odds made the point even louder. Miami sits as the clear favorite at -210 after its dominant Week 1 win over Stanford. Behind the Hurricanes, SMU and Louisville are the main challengers, with the Mustangs at -750 and the Cardinals at +900.
That Week 3 meeting in Louisville suddenly looks like the hinge point of the conference race. A Cardinals win would give them a major head-to-head edge over SMU, while a loss would leave them chasing from behind in a crowded title picture. With Miami’s conference schedule looking extremely favorable, plenty of eyes are already pointing toward Charlotte and wondering which team will meet the Hurricanes there.
For now, Louisville’s history against SMU adds another layer. The Cardinals are 0-2 against the Mustangs since SMU joined the ACC, but this one lands at home, and after what Louisville showed against Ole Miss, it feels like a game Brohm’s team should have a real shot to take.
Louisville has been waiting for an ACC title and a CFP berth, and FanDuel’s latest numbers make it plain: the Mustangs coming to town in two weekends could say a lot about who gets to Charlotte.
In Other News...
Louisville Mourns A Cardinals Quarterback Fans From The Governors Cup Era Remember
Marty Lowe, the first Louisville quarterback to play in the Governors Cup, has died at 54 after battling Stage 4 kidney cancer, adding another somber note to a rivalry that still carries plenty of memory for Cardinals fans from the 1990s. Louisville coach Jeff Brohm confirmed Lowes passing and offered condolences, a reminder of how deeply the programs former players remain woven into the schools football history.
Lowe played for Louisville from 1991 to 1995, then went on to a professional career in the Arena Football League before later moving into coaching and football operations. For fans who remember that era, Lowe was part of the bridge between Louisvilles earlier years and the modern profile of the program, and his death leaves one more name from that time period to be remembered around the Cardinals circle. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville May Have Found Its Early Season Offensive Star
Louisvilles early-season surge has been matched by a breakout from outside hitter Chloe Meester, whose play last week earned national and conference recognition. She was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Collegiate Player of the Week and also picked up ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors after powering the Cardinals through a demanding stretch.
Meester helped Louisville sweep Dayton, No. 18 TCU and No. 9 Texas, giving the Cardinals an impressive run against quality opponents as the schedule begins to sharpen. The award adds another layer to what has already been a strong opening for Louisville, with Meester quickly becoming a central part of the teams offensive identity. [Read more 🡒]
Jeff Brohms Early Plan Put Louisville Under The Microscope
Louisvilles game with Ole Miss offered a revealing early look at how Jeff Brohm wanted to test the Rebels, with the Cardinals mixing play calls, stressing the defense and trying to create space for their offense to work. The breakdown of the matchup pointed to a game plan built around execution and timing, with both sides of the ball showing moments that could matter as the season moves on.
The film also put a spotlight on the details that can swing a game at this level, from missed chances to the coaching decisions that shaped the flow. Louisville found some encouraging answers in the way it attacked and defended, but there were also a few spots where the margin for error was thin, leaving one particular sequence and its intended target as the kind of play the Cardinals will keep circling back to. [Read more 🡒]