Louisville’s Halloween afternoon turned into another showcase for an offense that has found its rhythm at the right time.
The Cardinals rolled past Stanford 52-24 on Saturday, pushing their record to 5-3 and extending their winning streak to three straight. Jeff Brohm’s group was especially sharp after halftime, when Louisville separated by outscoring the Cardinal 28-7. It was the second time this season the Cardinals cracked 50 points, and the 52-point outburst stands as their second-highest total of the year.
Stanford came in riding a two-game winning streak, including a victory over North Carolina State, the same Wolfpack team that beat Louisville earlier this season. None of that mattered once the Cardinals got rolling. Here are the three biggest winners from the win.
Isaac Brown was the night’s biggest spark. After a rough outing against Syracuse, when he managed just 11 yards on nine carries, the preseason All-American bounced back in a big way.
Brown ripped off 139 rushing yards on only nine attempts, good for 15.4 yards per carry, and finished with a 75-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He also made an impact as a receiver, catching three passes for 33 yards and scoring on an 18-yard touchdown that gave Louisville a 31-24 lead in the third quarter.
Lincoln Kienholz kept the offense humming as the centerpiece of the attack. The Ohio State transfer accounted for three touchdowns, throwing for two and running for another, while completing 20 of 28 passes for 250 yards.
He also added 62 rushing yards. It was his fifth game this season with 300 or more total yards and three touchdowns, the most in a season by any Louisville quarterback since Lamar Jackson in 2017.
Tre Richardson stepped into a bigger role and delivered exactly what Louisville needed with Lawayne McCoy out. The Vanderbilt transfer posted a season-high 140 receiving yards, which was the second-most receiving yards in his two years in FBS. Richardson hauled in 10 catches, added four carries for 49 rushing yards, and now leads the Cardinals this season with 40 receptions for 633 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
In Other News...
Jeff Brohm Left Louisville Fans With One Awkward Late Question
Stanfords 52-24 win over Louisville had already turned lopsided by the time the Cardinals started juggling the quarterback spot late, a move that only added to an otherwise messy finish. Louisville did manage a few bright spots, including Tayon Holloways fumble recovery touchdown and Isaac Browns big afternoon, which earned him Player of the Game honors after he piled up four scores and plenty of yardage.
Jeff Brohms late quarterback substitution briefly changed the look of the offense, but it did not last long after a fumble forced a quick reversal. The sequence capped a frustrating night for Louisville, which also saw Stanford throw a late interception on fourth down, leaving the Cardinals with one more awkward moment to sort through after the loss. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Heads To Georgia Tech With New Momentum After Statement Win
Louisvilles trip to Georgia Tech comes with a little more bounce in its step after a convincing 52-24 win over Stanford at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. The Cardinals moved to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in ACC play, and the performance had the kind of balance coaches like to see: Lincoln Kienholz threw for 250 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns, while Isaac Brown powered the ground game with 139 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.
The defense did its part, too, shutting Stanford out in the fourth quarter and making the kind of timely plays that kept the game from tightening up. For Louisville, the bigger takeaway is what the win might mean heading into a tougher road test, with the Cardinals carrying real momentum and a clearer sense of who they can be when both sides of the ball are working together. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Returns With One Big Test Against Stanford
A bye week gave Louisville a chance to catch its breath, but the next step is a tricky one with Stanford coming to town after both teams have strung together wins. The Cardinals have spent the extra time sharpening what has looked like a balanced operation on both sides of the ball, and the matchup has drawn plenty of attention from those around the program who see this as a useful measuring stick rather than just another conference date.
Staff members at CardinalAuthority broke down the game from several angles, and the consensus leans toward Louisville handling business at home. Still, not everyone sees it as straightforward, with one prediction going the other way and pointing to Stanford as a possible spoiler. That split says plenty about how much respect the Cardinals have earned, but also how much intrigue remains when a team returns from idle time and immediately faces a test with a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]