Louisville heads to NC State on Saturday afternoon with both teams sitting at 2-2, and the matchup brings together two offenses that have been moving the ball well enough to keep this one interesting.
The Cardinals come in after winning two straight before last week’s upset loss to Wake Forest. Their one road test so far also showed they can travel, even if the result didn’t go their way - Louisville pushed Ole Miss hard in a 41-38 loss as a +6.5 underdog to open the season.
NC State has taken a different path through the first month, alternating wins and losses across its first four games. At home, though, the Wolfpack have been sharp. They’re 2-0 in Raleigh, rolling past Richmond 73-0 as -33.5 favorites and then beating Appalachian State 41-31 last week as -12.5 favorites.
Louisville has also had the better of this series lately, winning the last two meetings in 2022 and 2023.
A big reason the Cardinals have been dangerous is Lincoln Kienholz. In his first season at Louisville, the junior quarterback has stepped in and produced after barely seeing the field at Ohio State, where he threw just 36 passes across two years and completed 21 of them with one touchdown and no interceptions.
This fall, he’s been far more active and far more productive. Kienholz has completed 75 of 109 passes for 1,140 yards, which ranks 16th nationally.
He’s thrown seven touchdowns against only one interception and owns an 80.4 QBR. He’s added another layer with his legs, too, running 45 times for 134 yards and six scores through four games.
The total for this game sits at 58.5, and the numbers point toward points. Louisville has piled up 165 points in four games, an average of 41.3 per outing, while NC State is scoring 38.3 per game.
Neither defense has done much to slow anybody down. Louisville has given up 30 or more points in three of its four games, with the 13-point performance against Villanova in Week 2 standing out as the exception.
NC State’s defense has also been leaky, allowing at least 31 points in each of its other three games outside of an easier Week 2 matchup.
For a game with two 2-2 teams and plenty of offense on both sides, the setup suggests a fast-moving ACC matchup in Week 5.
In Other News...
Louisville Suddenly Has A Much Bigger QB Problem At NC State
Louisville heads into its trip to North Carolina State with a lot less certainty under center than it expected. Starting quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is listed as questionable because of an injury, and Jeff Brohm said only that Kienholz is dealing with one, leaving the details vague as the Cardinals turn their attention to game time.
If Kienholz is unable to go, Louisville will be forced to sort through a backup plan that was never supposed to be this prominent so soon. The options appear to be freshman Briggs Cherry or transfer Davin Wydner, a reminder that what looked like a straightforward Week 1 quarterback situation can change in a hurry once injuries enter the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Heads To NC State With No Room For Another Letdown
Louisville heads into its trip to NC State still trying to steady itself after a 30-27 loss at Wake Forest, a result that left the Cardinals with little margin for error as they move into their third conference game of the season. At 2-2, Louisville has already shown enough to believe it can stay in the mix, but the consistency has to show up now, especially against a Wolfpack team that has also been fighting through a disappointing start.
The injury picture only adds another layer to the matchup, with Louisville navigating a long list of unavailable players, while NC States status report includes uncertainty at quarterback. The Cardinals also bring a historical edge into the series, but that kind of backdrop only matters if they avoid another stumble in a game that already feels like a test of whether the season can stay on track. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces A Familiar ACC Problem At NC State
Louisville heads to NC State with the kind of ACC road test that can quietly shape the rest of a season, and this one carries a little extra familiarity for both sides. The matchup is set for a noon kickoff, with broadcast details already in place and the Cardinals slated to wear red. The teams have seen each other recently enough to remember how tight this series can get, and Louisvilles own recent struggles with penalties remain part of the backdrop as it prepares for another league game away from home.
NC State brings a mixed profile into the game, with quarterback play split between CJ Bailey and Will Wilson and Duke Scott giving the Wolfpack a threat on the ground. Defensively, Popo Aguirre has been one of the more active players on the roster, which adds another layer to a game that figures to hinge on discipline and execution. Louisville already knows how quickly this matchup can turn into a grind, and this one feels built for another possession-by-possession fight. [Read more 🡒]