Louisville football hosts Villanova for the first time ever in a Friday night clash that should feature some home-team fireworks.
First Down: What to know
Who: Villanova Wildcats at Louisville Cardinals
Where: L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium | Louisville, KY
When: Friday, Sept. 11th, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET
How to Watch: ACC Network
How to Listen: 93.9 FM in Louisville
Series History: First Meeting
Last Matchup: N/A
Spread Check: Louisville -36.5 | O/U: 56.5
Thread Check:
These are a thing of beauty.
Weather:
Weather.com says 78 and partly cloudy at kickoff with a very small chance of showers.
AccuWeather says 50% chance of storms.
So… We will see!
Second Down: Projected Depth Charts
Quarterback
3. Lincoln Kienholz | 6-2, 215, R-Jr.
The Cards’ signal caller is one of THE stories in college football right now after his electric second half vs Ole Miss.
11. Davin Wydner | 6-5, 225, R-Sr.
West Georgia QB started his career at Ole Miss. Jeff Brohm confirmed Wydener is Louisville’s primary backup at the moment.
Running Back
1. Isaac Brown | 5-9, 190, Jr.
In search of a get-right game after Mississippi keyed on him for the entire game.
5. Keyjuan Brown | 5-10, 210, R-Jr.
Looked like his usual self in Nashville.
Receiver
7. Lawayne McCoy | 6-1, 175, Jr.
Florida State transfer is primed for a massive season.
18. T.J. McWilliams | 6-0, 190, R-Jr.
Former Minnesota receiver impressed in his second fall camp.
_______
2. TreyShun Hurry | 6-2, 200, R-Sr.
Hurry did more than enough to earn the WR3 role in the offseason.
86. Elizjah Lewis | 6-2, 200, R-Sr.
D2 WR transfer had a slew of high major offers and can be a significant contributor.
—
0. Tre Richardson | 5-10, 175, Sr.
Burner who was an elite-level weapon while playing injured at Vanderbilt. Now fully healthy, should lead Cards in targets.
14. Jackson Voth | 5-11, 190, Jr.
Drake transfer has all the tools to become an offensive staple.
Tight End
80. Brody Foley | 6-6, 260, R-Sr.
Do-it-all weapon who should play all over the field. First-team All-AAC last season for Tulsa.
88. Jaleel Skinner | 6-5, 230, R-Sr.
Glue guy who is continuing to make strides. Excellent athlete who should be heavily featured in 2026.
OR 85. Justyn Reid | 6’5″, 260, Sr.
Tulane transfer is a sure-handed bowling ball of a man.
Left Tackle
53. Lance Robinson | 6-4, 290, R-Sr.
Louisville’s most experienced big fella up front, Robinson could step in at center once LT Anwar O’Neil returns.
74. Jarvis Strickland | 6-6, 295, Fr.
The top-ranked player in Louisville’s 2026 class, Strickland is a future star.
Left Guard
56. Eryx Daugherty | 6-4, 310, R-Jr.
Massive offseason acquisition from Boston College.
72. Sam Secrest | 6-5, 300, R-Sr.***
Veteran piece in the middle could move to center in a pinch.
Note: Secrest is questionable for Friday’s game.
Center
58. Evan Wibberley | 6-5, 305, R-Sr.
Big-time opportunity for the Kentucky transfer, via WKU.
Right Guard
66. Johnnie Brown III | 6-3, 310, R-Sr.
Georgia Southern transfer struggled at times vs Mississippi.
57. Naeer Jackson | 6-6, 310, R-Sr.
Depth piece in 2025 who will need to be ready when name is called.
Right Tackle
71. Cason Henry | 6-6, 310, R-Sr.
The most impressive guy on the Louisville offensive line was a staple for South Carolina.
75. Cameron Gorin | 6-5, 270, R-Fr.
The best player that most Louisville fans don’t know about yet.
Defensive End
17. A.J. Green | 6-6, 250, R-Jr.
Genetic freak who saw marked improvement in 2025. Expecting another leap forward in ’26.
99. Jerod Smith II | 6-4, 270, Jr.
Kentucky transfer who is uber-talented. Could ultimately earn a starting role.
OR 19. Micah Carter | 6’6, 265, Jr.
Staff made it a priority to retain Carter in the offseason. Can play all over the line.
Nose Tackle
2. Demeco Kennedy | 6-3, 305, Jr.
Lexington native will be crucial as an A-gap block eater. Saw 450 snaps for Purdue in 2025.
95. Joshua Donald | 6-2, 320, R-Sr.
Sat out last season at Houston after a productive ’24 at App State. Lots of potential here.
Defensive Tackle
90. Daylen Russell | 6-3, 300, Fr.
Miami transfer oozes potential and will be heavily relied upon from the jump.
96. Tommy Ziesmer | 6-2, 300, R-Jr.
Played 3 seasons at Kentucky and EKU and should vie for serious PT.
Leo (DE/LB)
50. Clev Lubin | 6-3, 260, R-Sr.
All-ACC stud with unlimited motor. If you’re a Louisville fan, enjoy every snap we get to watch Clev.
3. Tyler Thompson | 6-4, 245, R-Jr.
North Carolina transfer probably starts for 90% of ACC teams. Explosive, disruptive playmaker who should become household name for ACC fans.
Mike LB
6. Stanquan Clark | 6-3, 235, R-Jr.
Injuries slowed a promising season for Clark in 2025. He’s back as a defensive leader in ’26 with high expectations.
38. Cam White | 6-1, 235, So.
Was extremely impressive in a game one that featured multiple pressures, 3 tackles, and a TFL.
OR 36. Jacob Smith | 6-4, 235, R-So.
Kentucky transfer was highly coveted out of high school and gets a year to learn and grow in the system.
OR 52. Kalib Perry | 6-3, 230, R-Sr.
Still trying to get elligible.
Will LB
11. T.J. Capers | 6-2, 225, R-Jr.
Capers is a sensational talent, but has big shoes to fill in his first season as a full-time starter.
23. Benjamin Perry | 6-3, 215, R-Sr.
After a season where he transferred to UCLA but was injured in game one. He’s back in Louisville for one last ride with a lot more muscle on his frame. Should be valiable at WLB, especially on passing downs.
OR 43. Trent Carter | 6-3, 225, R-So.
Feels like a player tailor-made for an aggressive Mark Ivey-led defense. Look for Carter to see snaps in relief of Capers and Clark.
STAR LB
9. Antonio Watts | 6-2, 225, R-Sr.
The defensive heartbeat, Watts’ return is massive for this defense. Recorded 42 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 3 picks in injury-shortened ’25 season.
29. Blake Ruffin | 6-3, 205, R-Sr.
Hasn’t seen a ton of time in red and black but impressed in spring and fall camps.
Free Safety
10. Kaleb Beasley | 6-2, 200, Jr.
The Tennessee transfer saw over 300 snaps at safety after transitioning from corner a season ago. UofL will lean into his versatility, especially on passing downs.
OR 4. T.J. Banks 6-3, 200, Jr.
Banks, an Ole Miss transfer, has been battling with Beasley for the FS1 job. While Beasley may get the starting nod, Banks should see a lot of time.
Strong Safety
5. Koen Entringer | 6-3, 215, R-Sr.
Perhaps the most valuable pickup for the Cards in the portal. Entringer is an aggressive run-stopping safety who loves playing in the box. You’ll see No. 5 all over the field.
31. Micah Rice | 6-2, 200, R-Fr.
Took a major leap in the offseason and can provide valuable depth.
OR 26. Jordan Vann | 6-1, 200, Fr.
A true freshman who is well ahead of the curve.
Corner
12. DJ Waller Jr. | 6-3, 210, Sr.
A Kentucky transfer via Michigan. Was a heavy contributor on Michigan’s national title team, but has battled injuries since. When healthy, he is hard to keep off the field.
OR 1. Jabari Mack | 6-1, 185, Sr.
Jeff Brohm confirmed that Mack will play Sunday. It’s just a matter of how game-ready the 5-for-5 beneficiary is.
Corner
13. Tayon Holloway | 6-1, 190, Sr.
We watched Holloway transform from a good college corner to an all-conference player in ’25. Will play a major role in 2026.
25. Brycen Scott | 5-11, 195, Jr.
Was an absolute problem at Elon a season ago. Should have 3 years of eligibility remaining.
OR 27. Myles Norwood | 6-2, 190, Sr.
South Carolina transfer who was a quality depth piece a season ago. Well-traveled veteran.
Third Down: What to Watch for
Can the Cards Make Their Layups?
In a normal situation, this is a team that Louisville football should drub from start to finish.
Villanova returned its star QB and has a good returning core from an FCS semifinal appearance last season. But let’s be real here- The Cards have the advantage in all areas of this game.
Louisville has beaten its FCS opponents by a combined 169-17 under Brohm, and it took multiple dumbass turnovers last season for an FCS opponent (EKU) to even get on the board.
The gap between the Cards and the Wildcats should be substantial, and the expectation should be an easy victory.
However, Louisville just faced a top-10 opponent in 100+ degree heat indexes five sleeps ago.
I’m interested to see if the Cards can clean up silly penalties and get Kienholz and company rolling early.
Nailing Down the Rotation
We saw a lot more players than one may have expected against Ole Miss — Particulary on the defensive end.
I was extremely impressed with Louisville’s interior defensive line, which heavily featured Joshua Donald, Daylen Russell, and Bailey Abercrombie. They brought consistency against maybe the best rushing attack in the country and held Heisman candidate Kewan Lacy to 3.6 yards per carry.
Linebacker Cam White had by far the most surprising defensive performance. His energy and effort stood out in a 3 tackle, 1 TFL game. Additionally, we saw quality play from Trent Carter, Eric Hazzard, Benjamin Perry, Micah Rice, and Blake Ruffin among others. The defense flexed its depth all game, which is something that wasn’t widely expected against a high-level opponent.
Offensively, Brohm was a lot more consistent in who he trusted. Isaac and Keyjuan Brown alternated drives at tailback and Brody Foley, Jaleel Skinner, and Justyn Reid saw plenty of snaps at tight end. Receiver and offensive line units were extremely steady. Treyshun Hurry, Tre Richardson, and Lawayne McCoy were really the only guys you saw out there from the pass-catching unit and the offensive line was primarily the same five dudes.
Louisville will need to continue to hold it down up front for at least one more game until Anwar O’Neal can return at left tackle.
So, what am I watching for? Hopefully a little bit more versatility on the offensive side of the ball. I’d like to see Foley, freshman Julius Miles, and transfer Jackson Voth get some more reps and some of the second-unit offensive line rotate in.
Additionally, running backs Lekhy Thompkins and Marquise Davis are talents that need to see the field sooner rather than later.
Defensively, I just want to see the consistency and aggression continue. The Cards were credited with 17 pressures, but zero sacks against Ole Miss.
I’d expect that to change in a major way on Friday night. Nova has a veteran under center in Pat McQuaide. He can sling it, but McQuaide is not known for his mobility. I’d like to see the three-headed monster of Clev Lubin, Tyler Thompson, and AJ Greene get after it and get the ball back to their offense. Lubin forced two fumbles on Sunday, but I’d imagine he’s anxious to notch his first sack of the season.
Villanova has been extremely sound in its protection thus far, but this defensive front is a different animal for the Cards.
Fourth Down: Predictions
I’ll keep it short this week.
Villanova is a quality program and deserves some respect for their recent success at the FCS level. They’ve finished with 10+ wins in four of the last five seasons and have been historically excellent since moving to the FCS level in the 80’s.
However, this is a game where Louisville names its score.
In Nova’s last five games against FBS opponents, it has lost by an average score of 45.0 – 13.4. And, to be frank, the four most recent occasions were against opponents that were not as good as this Louisville team.
I think Louisville football gets off to a quick start, but things slow a bit in the second half as they work in the second- and third-string units.
Louisville 56 – Villanova 6
Leading Rusher: Isaac Brown
Leading Receiver (yards): Lawayne McCoy
Attendance Prediction: 49,456
