yahoo
Louisville football is still reeling from a surprising defeat to Wake Forest, and now the Cardinals may have to face North Carolina State without their starting quarterback, Lincoln Kienholz. The injury report released on Wednesday, first reported by ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel, lists Kienholz as questionable, making him the most prominent concern for the team.
In the loss to Wake Forest, Kienholz showcased his dual-threat ability, throwing for 324 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for two more scores. Despite his impressive stat line, the Cardinals fell short, as Wake Forest's Gio Lopez, a former North Carolina starter, threw for 225 yards and helped turn Carlos Hernandez into a 194-yard receiver in the 30-27 victory.
The defeat dropped Louisville from its No. 16 ranking in the top 25, and the team now enters Saturday's game unranked. This makes the ACC showdown with NC State even more critical for the Cardinals as they aim to climb back into the conference title race. Louisville has already suffered two losses this season, including a season-opening defeat to Ole Miss, and currently sits as the eighth-best team in the ACC.
Key Analysis
Fortunately for Louisville, the schedule eases up after NC State, with only No. 24 Kentucky remaining as a ranked opponent on November 28. The Cardinals also have games against Florida State, Syracuse, and North Carolina, all of which are dealing with uncertain coaching situations. However, head coach Jeff Brohm and his team know they must bounce back quickly against the Wolfpack to keep their season from unraveling.
Originally reported by yahoo.