GAMEDAY: Louisville vs NC State

The University of Louisville football team heads to Raleigh for its first true road game of the 2026 season. Louisville holds an all-time series advantage of 9-4, winning the last game of the series 13-10 in 2023. The Cards are a slight road favorite, with the spread being three points according to DraftKings.

Louisville enters the game 2-2, with a 1-1 record in the ACC. NC State enters the game 2-2, with a 0-1 record in the ACC.

How to Follow

TV – ACC Network (Justin Kutcher, Max Browne, Madison Fitzpatrick)

Radio – 93.9 The Ville / 970 WGTK (Paul Rogers, Craig Swabek, Jody Demling)

Live Stats – GoCards.com

Team Notes

The Cards enter Saturday’s matchup coming off a heartbreaking 30-27 loss to Wake Forest. Louisville has lost four of their last seven home games against FBS opponents, with the margin of defeat in all those contests being three points or less.

Louisville has not played a true road game since a depleted Cardinals team went to Dallas and fell 38-6 in November of 2025.

North Carolina State is coming off a 10 point home win over Appalachian State last weekend (41-31). Two weeks ago, the Wolfpack dropped an inexplicable game in Nashville to Vanderbilt after CJ Bailey fumbled the ball in the end zone attempting to run out the clock in the final seconds.

In “Week 0” of the college football season, the Wolfpack went to Virginia and fell 34-8, with the inability to get anything going on the offense side of the ball.

Injuries and eligibility issues have arisen for the Cardinals in the past few weeks. Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is questionable for The Ville after sustaining multiple hits to the lower half of his body in the latter stages of the Wake Forest game. West Georgia transfer Davin Wydner and freshman Briggs Cherry are in the wings in case Kienholz is unable to play today.

Sep 11, 2026; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Davin Wydner (11) looks for a pass during the game against the Villanova Wildcats at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Carter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Running back Keyjuan Brown, Wide Receiver Lawayne McCoy, safety Koen Entringer and edge AJ Green are also on the injury report for the Cardinals.

Louisville also received unfavorable news in the eligibility department as fifth year players Jabari Mack and Kalib Perry were ruled ineligible on Friday night.

By the Numbers

486.3 – yards per game for The Ville, good for 18th in the FBS. The Cards are averaging 295.8 yards per game through the air & 190.5 on the ground.

405.5 – yards per game the Louisville defense is giving up, which is 116th in the FBS. Louisville’s opponents are accumulating 240.3 yards per game through the air & 165.3 on the ground.

451.8 – yards per game for the NC State offense, 34th in the FBS. 232.8 of those yards are coming through the air, with 219 yards per game coming on the ground.

NC State is averaging 38.3 points per game to Louisville’s 28.8

28.3% - NC State is only allowing opponents to convert on 28.3% of their third downs, Top 20 in the country.

135- Louisville is committing 93 penalty yards per game, ranking them 135th in the FBS, NC State is averaging 48 penalty yards per game, ranking 33rd in the FBS.

Individual Stats

Louisville

Passing: , 1,140 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT, 68.8 completion percentage

Rushing: , 279 yards on 30 carries, 2 TDs

Receiving: , 328 yards on 20 catches, 1 TD

NC State

Passing: C.J. Bailey, 893 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs, 67.3 completion percentage

Rushing: , 346 yards on 57 carries, 4 TDs

Receiving: , 295 yards on 19 catches, 4 TDs

Prediction

Lincoln Kienholz is questionable, which brings a great unknown to the Louisville offense. The running game is strong with Keyjuan Brown & Isaac Brown leading the way, but will it be enough.

The Louisville defense is in for a tough task against CJ Bailey, who garnered considerable hype preseason for his dual threat ability.

Carter Finley Stadium will be sold out and rocking for Parents Weekend.

This should be a competitive game regardless of the quarterback situation. I believe the Louisville defense plays their best game of the season as they have shown they are capable of in the first half of the Ole Miss game and the second half of the Wake Forest game.

Cards 27-24

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