The Tar Heels will welcome Louisville to Kenan Stadium for a primetime ACC matchup Saturday night. The Cardinals enter the weekend with a 6-3 overall record and 5-2 mark in conference action, riding a four-game winning streak and still in play for a potential ACC championship game berth.
In his fourth season as the Cardinals’ head coach is Jeff Brohm, and he is as connected to his program as any coach in the country. Born and raised in the city, Brohm attended Louisville from 1989-93 and played both baseball and football, eventually becoming the Cardinals’ starting quarterback his last two seasons. After he retired from playing, Brohm returned to Louisville and served on staff — ironically, during current UNC offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s first stint as head coach.
Brohm served as head coach at both Western Kentucky and Purdue before returning to his alma mater in 2023. Since then, the Cardinals have reached at least nine wins in each of his first three full seasons.
Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm, center right, argues with a game official during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Stanford in Louisville, Ky., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
What’s the history?
Though Louisville has been a member of the ACC for more than a decade, this is just the second time the Tar Heels and Cardinals have faced off as conference foes. That first meeting also came in Chapel Hill, when reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals ran wild in a 47-35 win. Overall, Louisville leads the series 5-3, with UNC’s last win coming in 2011.
What can Brown do for you?
Louisville’s offense has plenty of playmakers, but the two focal points are its two dynamic running backs: Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown (no relation). That duo has combined for more than 1,200 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns this season, and each has big-play capability: Keyjuan Brown’s longest run of the season covered 58 yards, while Isaac Brown’s went an eye-popping 97. The Browns have helped Louisville put together a rushing attack which is by far the best in the ACC: the Cardinals average 228 yards per game on the ground, while no other team in the league averages more than 191. It’s also exactly double UNC’s average rushing output of 114 yards per game.
Nationally, Louisville’s rushing offense ranks eighth among FBS teams and second among all power conference teams. The Cardinals’ 32 rushing touchdowns also rank second in the FBS, behind only Army. That elite production will challenge a UNC rushing defense which ranks in the middle of the road in the ACC (11th out of 17 teams) and which has allowed eight of its nine opponents to rush for at least 100 yards.
Keen on Kienholz
It’s not just the Browns who drive Louisville’s rushing attack. Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has emerged as a weapon on the ground as well, and his 11 rushing touchdowns are most among all his teammates. That’s to say nothing of his ability through the air, where the Ohio State transfer has totaled 2,276 yards and 14 touchdown passes against just three interceptions. In Louisville’s four-game winning streak, Kienholz has completed 62-of-94 passes for 882 yards and five touchdowns, while adding five more touchdowns on the ground. And these aren’t just QB sneaks, either: Kienholz’s longest run of the season went 82 yards.
“You let Kienholz out in space, he’s gonna chew up a lot of yards in a hurry,” said UNC head coach Bill Belichick. “That’s more of his game, is speed. He does carry the ball a lot, and they force you to defend sideline to sideline.”
Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has scored nearly as many touchdowns on the ground (11) as he has through the air (14). (Image via Louisville Athletics/Taris Smith)
Scoring in bunches
Across its four-game winning streak, Louisville is averaging more than 43 points per game — though it must be said that the lineup of Florida State, Syracuse, Stanford and Georgia Tech is not exactly a murderer’s row of competition. But Louisville’s offense has also proved itself against stiffer competition, scoring 38 points in a loss against Ole Miss and scoring 41 in a win against SMU. Louisville is one of three ACC teams averaging at least 40 points per game this season, alongside Miami and Wake Forest. Though UNC has scored 30+ points in three consecutive games, the Tar Heels are still yet to reach 40 against an FBS opponent in head coach Bill Belichick’s tenure.
“I think it’s probably unrealistic to think you’re gonna hold Miami to 10 points or Louisville to 10 points,” Belichick said. “They’ve been able to score points against everybody.”
A vulnerability
For as prolific as Louisville’s offense has been, much of that has been a necessity. The Cardinals’ defense is one of only four in the ACC to allow more than 400 yards per game, and the passing defense ranks dead last in the league — one spot behind the Miami defense which Billy Edwards sliced and diced on Halloween night. The Cardinals have allowed opposing quarterbacks to surpass 300 yards three times this season, something the Tar Heel passing defense is still yet to do.
In Louisville’s first four games of the season against FBS opponents, the Cardinals allowed 41, 31, 30 and 31 points — and accrued a 1-3 record in those games. Those numbers have improved during the recent winning streak, as Louisville hasn’t allowed more than 26 points in any of those games. Keep in mind the quality of opponent, though: the first four FBS games came against Ole Miss, SMU, Wake Forest and NC State.
What are the odds?
At the time of publication, Louisville is a 3.5-point favorite in the game.
Featured image via Associated Press/Timothy D. Easley
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2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Louisville Chapelboro.com.
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