It’s game week!
The University of Louisville football team will open the season on Saturday at 3 p.m., hosting Eastern Kentucky University at L&N Stadium.
The Cardinals open the season as a massive favorite over the Colonels. U of L is a 38.5-point favorite over the Colonels, according to Fan Duel.
In year three under Jeff Brohm, Louisville is looking to make it into a bowl game for the fifth straight season. The Cardinals finished 10-4 in Brohm’s first season but lost to USC in the Holiday Bowl, while last season ended on a three-game winning streak and finished 9-4. U of L beat Washington in the Sun Bowl.
U of L added 15 high school signees, including 11 players who were on campus for spring ball. The Cardinals also added 21 out of the portal back in the winter cycle, and 10 more newcomers from the spring portal window. In all, the Cardinals have 41 newcomers on the roster this season.
Eastern Kentucky is coming off an 8-5 season and an at-large bid into the FCS playoffs. The Colonels lost 22-17 at Villanova in the FCS playoffs.
EKU was picked third in the United Athletic Confernece preseason poll and had the most players on the league’s preseason all-conference team with six. The six all-conference selections for the Colonels were running back Brayden Latham, wide receiver Marcus Calwise Jr., linebacker Braden Sullivan, defensive back Jaheim Ward, punter Jacob Baker, and return specialist Jalen Montgomery.
The teams last met in 2021 when the Cardinals won 30-3 over the Colonels.