Louisville Athletics
With the opener against Eastern Kentucky in the books, Jeff Brohm and Louisville now turn their attention to James Madison for a Friday night showdown at L&N Stadium (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
The Cardinals handled EKU with ease last weekend, piling up 542 yards of offense in a 51-17 victory. New quarterback Miller Moss looked steady in his Louisville debut, completing 17-of-25 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown while also scoring once on the ground. Sophomore running back Isaac Brown picked up where he left off in 2024, breaking loose for 126 yards and two scores on just six carries.
Perhaps the biggest spark came from Caullin Lacy, who returned a punt 93 yards to the house – Louisville’s longest punt return since 1970. His all-purpose impact will be key again this week.
Defensively, the Cards were dominant, holding EKU to just 150 total yards. Transfer edge rusher Clev Lubin notched two sacks in his first game, while Jordan Guerad led the way with six tackles.
The challenge ticks up a notch against James Madison. The Dukes come in off a 45-10 dismantling of Weber State and are no strangers to winning football. Under head coach Bob Chesney, JMU has carried over its FCS tradition into the Sun Belt with an aggressive style on both sides of the ball.
Brohm knows this matchup won’t be a walkover. “They’ve done it over the years, they’ve proven it,” he said Monday. “They give you a lot to deal with both offensively and defensively. They’re well-coached and have really good players.”
This will be just the second meeting between the two programs. The first came in 2022, when Louisville pulled away in the second half for a 34-10 victory.
For Louisville, the formula is simple: keep the offense balanced, protect Moss, and let Brown and the ground game set the tone. Defensively, if the Cardinals can build on last week’s effort and force JMU into long third downs, Brohm’s squad should be in good shape to start the season 2-0.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN2, with Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, and Paul Carcaterra on the call.
About the Author
Dalton Tinklenberg is the Founder and Media Director of The Scouting Depot, where he leads comprehensive coverage of college and professional football. He is an active member of some of the most respected organizations in sports journalism, including the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA), Maxwell Football Club, Online News Association (ONA), National Football Foundation (NFF), and the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).
Before launching The Scouting Depot, Dalton worked with Blue HQ Media, where he covered major sporting events such as the Indianapolis 500, the College Football Playoff, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Through his professional affiliations and on-the-ground experience, Dalton combines deep knowledge of the game with recognized standards of storytelling, editorial excellence, and authenticity in sports coverage.
