The 2026 Louisville Cardinals football team is who represents the University of Louisville as they a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cardinals are led by fourth-year head coach Jeff Brohm and their play home games at the L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium located in Louisville, Kentucky.
Offseason Personnel On December 15, 2025, tight ends coach Ryan Wallace left the program to take the same position at Oregon State.
On December 30, 2025, it was reported that defensive coordinator Ron English and defensive line coach Mark Hagen would not be returning. English was said to be stepping away for a year to watch his son play football while Hagen's contract ended after the 2025 season.
Long time Louisville assistant coach and recruiter Pete Nochta was hired away from Louisville by rival Kentucky. Louisville bolstered its recruiting staff with the additions of Nate Dennison and former Kentucky general manager Chase Heuke.
Players leaving for NFL Louisville had one player chosen in the 2026 NFL draft.
NFL draftees 3 94 Chris Bell WR Miami Dolphins
Undrafted free agents Caullin Lacy WR New York Jets Miller Moss QB Chicago Bears Rene Konga DT Miami Dolphins TJ Quinn LB Green Bay Packers Rasheed Miller OT Tennessee Titans Trevonte Sylvester OT Baltimore Ravens Wesley Bailey LB Los Angeles Rams Pete Nygra C Kansas City Chiefs
Transfer portal As of June 24, 2026, 32 players have entered the NCAA transfer portal during or after the 2026 season.
Departures
Position Player Destination Offense QB Brady Allen Indiana State QB Deuce Adams Wisconsin QB Mason Mims ETSU RB Duke Watson UCF RB Shaun Boykins Jr. Delaware State RB Jamarice Wilder Southern Miss TE Nate Kurisky Duke TE Grant Houser Colorado State TE Davon Mitchell Grambling State WR Kris Hughes Withdrawn WR Bobby Golden WR Antonio Meeks Wake Forest WR Brock Coffman Kentucky WR Eli Adams Wisconsin OL Carter Guillaume Oregon State OL Jordan Church Texas Tech OL Ransom McDermott Temple OL Fred Johnson UConn OL James Glover-Tyson
Position Player Destination Defense DE CJ May Missouri DE Maurice Davis DE Justin Beadles California DL Jerry Lawson Oklahoma State DL Xavier Porter ETSU DL Selah Brown Bowling Green DL Kendrick Gilbert Ball State CB Rae'mon Mosby ECU CB Jaden Minkins Stephen F. Austin CB Justin Agu Tulane S Corey Gordon Jr. Kansas S Daeh McCullough Western Michigan S Dylan Rowsey Murray State
Position Player Destination Special Teams K Cooper Ranvier Tennessee P Carter Schwartz Arizona
Incoming
Position Player Prev. School Offense QB Lincoln Kienholz Ohio State QB Davin Wydner West Georgia RB Marquise Davis Missouri TE Brody Foley Tulsa TE Justyn Reid Tulane WR Elizjah Lewis Pace WR Montavin Quisenberry Kentucky WR Tre Richardson Vanderbilt WR Jackson Voth Drake WR Lawayne McCoy Florida State OT Anwar O'neal Delaware OT Cason Henry South Carolina OL Johnnie Brown Georgia Southern OL Eryx Daugherty Boston College OL Evan Wibberley Kentucky
Position Player Prev. School Defense DL Tommy Ziesmer Eastern Kentucky DL Daylen Russell Miami (FL) DL Demeco Kennedy Purdue DL Jacob Smith Kentucky DL Jerrod Smith Kentucky DL Joshua Donald Houston LB Benjamin Perry UCLA CB DJ Waller Kentucky CB Santana Wilson Texas CB Kaleb Beasley Tennessee CB Myles Norwood South Carolina CB Brycen Scott Elon S Koen Entringer Iowa S Travaris Banks Ole Miss EDGE Tyler Thompson North Carolina
Position Player Prev. School Special Teams P Jacob Baker Eastern Kentucky LS Ryan Manis Liberty K Garth White Rhode Island
Preseason
ACC media poll The Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll was released on July 28, 2026. Louisville was predicted to finish third in the conference and received three first place votes.
Preseason ACC awards Source:
Pre-season ACC Player of the Year 3 Isaac Brown RB 16
Pre-season all-conference teams Position Player Class Votes Offense RBIsaac BrownJr.94DEClev LubinSr.79
Award watch lists Lott Trophy Clev Lubin DL Sr. Dodd Trophy Jeff Brohm HC Maxwell Award Isaac Brown RB Jr. Outland Trophy Lance Robinson C GS Bronko Nagurski Trophy Clev Lubin DL Sr. Koen Entringer S R-Jr.Paul Hornung Award Tre RichardsonWRSr. Wuerffel Trophy Clev Lubin DL Sr.Walter Camp Award Isaac Brown RB Jr. Biletnikoff Award Tre RichardsonWRSr.John Mackey AwardBrody FoleyTER-Sr.Bednarik Award Clev Lubin DL Sr.Rotary Lombardi Award
Schedule
Rankings
Roster
Game summaries vs. No. 9 Ole Miss
Statistics LOUMISS First downs 20 24 Total yards 469 488 Rushes–yards 39–162 41–152 Passing yards 307 336 Passing: –– 18–29–0 21–37–1 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 30:58 29:02 Team Category Player Statistics Louisville Passing Lincoln Kienholz 18/29, 307 yards, 2 TD Rushing Lincoln Kienholz 14 carries, 69 yards, TD Receiving Tre Richardson 4 receptions, 83 yards, TD Ole Miss Passing Trinidad Chambliss 21/37, 336 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Kewan Lacy 17 carries, 61 yards, TD Receiving Deuce Alexander 5 receptions, 159 yards, 2 TD
vs. No. 21 (FCS) Villanova
Statistics VILLLOU First downs 15 29 Total yards 253 635 Rushes–yards 28–75 38–260 Passing yards 178 375 Passing: comp–att–int 20–34–0 21–28–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 30:51 29:09 Team Category Player Statistics Villanova Passing Pat McQuaide 18/31, 166 yards, TD Rushing Isaiah Ragland 9 carries, 34 yards Receiving Ja'briel Mace 3 receptions, 73 yards, TD Louisville Passing Lincoln Kienholz 16/21, 332 yards, 2 TD Rushing Marquise Davis 7 carries, 86 yards, 2 TD Receiving Lawayne McCoy 3 receptions, 102 yards, TD
vs. No. 16 SMU
Statistics SMULOU First downs 27 22 Total yards 479 442 Rushes–yards 45–257 37–265 Passing yards 222 177 Passing: comp–att–int 24–35–2 14–23–0 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 31:56 28:04 Team Category Player Statistics SMU Passing Kevin Jennings 24–35, 222 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Kendrick Raphael 24 carries, 197 yards, 3 TD Receiving Yamir Knight 7 receptions, 70 yards, TD Louisville Passing Lincoln Kienholz 14–23, 177 yards, 2 TD Rushing Keyjuan Brown 10 carries, 162 yards, 2 TD Receiving Lawayne McCoy 4 receptions, 62 yards, TD
vs. Wake Forest
Statistics WFLOU First downs 20 24 Total yards 402 399 Rushes–yards 42–177 38–75 Passing yards 225 324 Passing: comp–att–int 12–19–0 27–36–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 26:26 33:34 Team Category Player Statistics Wake Forest Passing Gio Lopez 12–19, 225 yards, TD Rushing Ty Clark III 21 carries, 91 yards, 2 TD Receiving Carlos Hernandez 9 receptions, 194 yards, TD Louisville Passing Lincoln Kienholz 27–36, 324 yards, TD, INT Rushing Keyjuan Brown 12 carries, 48 yards Receiving Tre Richardson 5 receptions, 85 yards
at NC State
Statistics LOU NCSU First downs Total yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Louisville Passing Rushing Receiving NC State Passing Rushing Receiving
vs. Florida State
Statistics FSULOU First downs Total yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Florida State Passing Rushing Receiving Louisville Passing Rushing Receiving
at Syracuse
Statistics LOU SYR First downs Total yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Louisville Passing Rushing Receiving Syracuse Passing Rushing Receiving
vs. Stanford
Statistics STANLOU First downs Total yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Stanford Passing Rushing Receiving Louisville Passing Rushing Receiving
at Georgia Tech
Statistics LOU GT First downs Total yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Louisville Passing Rushing Receiving Georgia Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
at North Carolina
Statistics LOU UNC First downs Total yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Louisville Passing Rushing Receiving North Carolina Passing Rushing Receiving
vs. Pittsburgh
Statistics PITTLOU First downs Total yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Pittsburgh Passing Rushing Receiving Louisville Passing Rushing Receiving
at Kentucky (Governor's Cup)
Statistics LOU UK First downs Total yards Rushes–yards Passing yards Passing: comp–att–int Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player Statistics Louisville Passing Rushing Receiving Kentucky Passing Rushing Receiving
References