I was nervous all last week, and not in the fun, football-nerve kind of way. After finally catching up on the NC State game while I was on vacation, I came away disappointed and more than a little flat about what I had just watched. Then Friday night happened against FSU, and while it wasn’t a full clean slate, it was enough to pull me back in.
The most striking shift came from the way this staff handled the game. Brohm made the move to hand over the playcalling duties to Brian, something he has done roughly the last 14 seasons of his coaching career, and he also adjusted how the defense was getting information on the sideline.
Ivey and Ellis got help with play calling, the communication methods changed, and those guys were moved into the box. That kind of change is not nothing, especially when the team was staring down a rough start and already feeling like it was running out of rope.
None of it erases the earlier problems, but the response mattered.
And then there was the offense, which took a hard turn away from forcing the issue through the air and just leaned into the run game over and over. Louisville rolled up over 400 yards on the ground, not counting kneel-down yardage, and did it with four different players reaching the end zone on the ground while all four topped 40 rushing yards.
That says a lot about the depth at the position and the way the offensive line met the challenge in front of it. Lincoln did not have to carry everything himself, and he looked comfortable giving the ball to Brown, Jennings, and Davis as they kept finding space.
Isaac’s big-play ability is the kind of thing Louisville has been hoping to see more consistently, even if expecting 200 yards every week is unrealistic.
The defensive turnaround was just as important. When the Cards were only three yards away from falling behind 21-0, Brohm’s changes on that side of the ball did not exactly feel like a guaranteed fix.
But once Louisville stopped Florida State on fourth down, the game changed fast. From that point on, the Cards allowed just 111 total yards across seven of the next eight drives.
Florida State did manage a respectable fourth-quarter touchdown drive, but otherwise the defense controlled the flow. Three of those drives ended in three-and-outs, and one was flipped by a first-play interception.
If the counts are right, FSU only picked up five first downs the rest of the game after that stop, and the Seminoles finished 10/22 on third and fourth down. The adjustments were clear: no more getting beaten over the top, more pressure from the front seven, and more risk on the back end.
The defense is still far from finished product, but this was a real step forward.
Special teams mostly held together too, though one problem keeps showing up. Isaac’s 68-yard return was a huge moment, and there was solid blocking on it.
FSU’s five punts came and went without any major breakdowns, Hayes put his only punt 48 yards, and the missed field goal from 54 yards had plenty of leg. But the blocked extra point after the big return was the second blocked XP of the season, and that has become a glaring issue.
Last year the team missed three extra points, and this year it has already missed two. The alignment and kick angles have to get better, because an extra point should not be getting blocked because of line play and proximity.
That part is simply not good enough.
In Other News...
Louisville Fans Can Grab A New Way To Get Ready For Tipoff
University of Louisville fans looking for a little extra game-day flair can now pick up the Cardinals 2026-27 mens basketball schedule poster for free at more than 40 Kroger locations in Louisville and Southern Indiana, while supplies last. The posters are also being handed out at home games, giving supporters another easy way to get ready for the season before the first tip.
There is plenty to circle on the calendar already, starting with an exhibition game at Kansas on Oct. 21 and a home exhibition against Mercyhurst on Oct. 28. Louisville then opens the official season against Chattanooga on Nov. 2, giving fans a quick preview of what the new year could look like before the real schedule gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Karter Knox Is Already Fueling Louisvilles Kentucky Confidence
Louisvilles roster overhaul has already given Pat Kelsey plenty to sort through as he gets ready for the 2026-27 season, and the first real checkpoint comes Oct. 21 with an exhibition against Kansas. The Cardinals have brought in eight transfers, including a few names that should help raise the ceiling right away, with Flory Bidunga, Jackson Shelstad and Karter Knox standing out among the additions.
Knox, in particular, has added an edge to the conversation around the rivalry with Kentucky. With his brother Kevin Knox II having played for the Wildcats, he has already signaled plenty of confidence that Louisville can change its recent fortunes in the series and snap an eight-game road losing streak, a familiar burden that still hangs over the matchup. For a team trying to establish a new identity under Kelsey, that kind of early belief matters almost as much as the talent itself. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville's Ground Game Is Becoming The Story Fans Can't Ignore
Louisvilles ground game keeps building into more than just a useful piece of the offense. Isaac Brown drew ACC Running Back of the Week and ESPNs Heisman Winner of the Week honors after his standout performance against Florida State, while Lance Robinson was recognized as both ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week and Outland Trophy National Player of the Week. Between Browns burst on multiple long touchdown runs and his work on a kickoff return, the Cardinals got the kind of all-around spark that can change how a defense has to play them.
Jeff Brohm has made it clear the running game needs to stay at the center of what Louisville wants to do on offense, and the recent awards only reinforce why. When a back is breaking explosive plays and an offensive lineman is piling up national recognition, it says the Cardinals are doing more than just surviving on the ground. For a team trying to keep momentum rolling, that kind of balance can quickly become the story opponents have to prepare for every week. [Read more 🡒]