No. 24 Louisville came into Friday night looking to put last week’s heartbreaking loss to No. 9 Ole Miss behind them, and the Cardinals responded in a major way against Villanova.
Louisville jumped all over the Wildcats in its home opener at L&N Stadium, building a commanding 52-13 lead and turning the game into a statement performance for Jeff Brohm’s team.
Cardinals Bounce Back in a Big Way
After falling 41-38 to Ole Miss on a last-second field goal in the season opener, Louisville needed a strong response.
The Cardinals delivered.
Louisville’s offense found its rhythm against Villanova, while the defense kept the Wildcats from establishing any consistent momentum. The Cardinals entered the game as 37.5-point favorites and had won 26 consecutive games against FCS opponents dating back to 1987.
Friday night’s performance showed why Louisville remains one of the more intriguing teams in the ACC.
Kienholz Continues to Impress
Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz once again provided plenty of reason for Louisville fans to be excited.
Kienholz impressed in his first career start against Ole Miss, throwing for 307 yards and two touchdowns while adding nearly 70 rushing yards and a rushing score. His ability to make plays with both his arm and legs gives Louisville a dynamic element at quarterback.
Against Villanova, Kienholz and the Louisville offense continued to move the ball effectively as the Cardinals built their huge advantage.
A Much Needed Confidence Boost
The biggest takeaway from Friday night is that Louisville responded exactly how it needed to.
The loss to Ole Miss exposed several mistakes, including costly penalties, special-teams issues and defensive breakdowns. Louisville had opportunities to win that game but ultimately came up short.
Against Villanova, the Cardinals were able to clean up many of those issues and play with much more control.
Louisville now turns its attention toward a much tougher stretch of the schedule. The Cardinals will face SMU next week, giving this dominant performance even more importance as they prepare for ACC play.
After a heartbreaking opening-week loss, Louisville appears to have gotten exactly what it needed: a convincing win and plenty of momentum moving forward.
