Big Blue Nation isn’t happy with how this football season has gone. That sentiment is obviously true among those within the walls of the locker room as well. Expectations were high, but the product ended up being the worst we’ve seen in Lexington since 2015. Coach Mark Stoops’ run of eight straight bowl appearances has officially come to an end as well. Beating the Louisville Cardinals would make for a sweet ending to a disappointing season, but many fans have already made up their mind about what they think is necessary going forward. Those tough off-season discussions would only get louder if the ‘Cats lose to the Cards on Saturday at Kroger Field.

Louisville is coming off of a 37-9 beatdown of Pittsburgh to earn their seventh win of the season. Things haven’t gone exactly as planned for Coach Jeff Brohm this season either, but the Cardinals have been very competitive every week. Despite having four losses, the Cardinals haven’t been beaten by more than a touchdown all season long. In total, their losses to Notre Dame, SMU, Miami (FL), and Stanford have come by a combined 24 points. Just a couple of possessions could have Louisville seasons looking very different here at the end. However, records can always be thrown out of the window when these two teams get together and compete for the Governor’s Cup.

As always, we have all of your pregame needs right here on Kentucky Sports Radio dot com for the 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) kickoff on SEC Network between the Kentucky Wildcats (4-7, 1-7) and the Louisville Cardinals (7-4, 5-3). If you haven’t already, you have to dive into Adam Luckett’s Scouting Report. That is your in-depth, football-nerd preview. For those in search of a more surface level look at what to expect on Saturday afternoon, you are in the right place. Let’s dive on in to five things you need to know about the Louisville Cardinals.

Louisville Boasts a Top 15 Offense

Coach Jeff Brohm is no stranger to putting dynamic offenses on the football field. Whether it was at Western Kentucky, Purdue, or now leading the Louisville Cardinals, Coach Brohm has always maintained play-calling duties. It has been hard to argue with the results here in 2024.

The Cardinals rank eighth nationally in yards per play (6.86), 11th in adjusted EPA/play (0.15), and 12th in yards per rush (6.16). They are also in the Top 25 nationally in points per drive (2.91), success rate (45.1%), havoc rate allowed (8.1%), and yards per drop back (7.77). This offense has consistently put together a successful mixture of explosiveness and efficiency which has resulted in scoring over 36 points per game. Louisville hasn’t been held under 24 points all season long. Kentucky’s defense will face an uphill battle on Saturday afternoon.

Limiting the explosive plays will be paramount to the Wildcats finding success. Louisville ranks second nationally in run plays of 40 yards or more and seventh nationally in pass plays of 50 yards or more. When you can hit on those kind of shots it can change the game in a hurry. The Wildcats are generally good at bending without breaking, but the Cardinals feature an offensive as explosive as any in the country.

Sound Quarterback Play Leads Pass-Heavy Offense

Talent has never been the issue for Tyler Sough. A highly touted quarterback prospect in the Class of 2018, yes, 2018, Sough began his career at Oregon. He was a starter for the Ducks in 2020 throwing for 1,559 yards and 13 touchdowns in seven games. Sough then moved on to Texas Tech, but injuries followed him. Now, in his seventh season of college football, Sough has finally stayed healthy and it has led to some big time production.

The Louisville Cardinals are 28th nationally in pass play percentage at 53.86%. Sough’s ability to pair efficiency with explosiveness has allowed Coach Jeff Brohm to lean on the veteran quarterback. Sough is completing 63.3% of his passes accumulating 3,067 yards and 23 touchdowns. Saturday’s contest against Kentucky will mark his 42nd college football game. The Wildcats’ defenses will have their hands full trying to slow down Slough and the Cardinals’ passing attack.

Explosive Wide Receiver Room With a Clear Favorite Target

The Louisville Cardinals have eight different players with 10 or more receptions this season. However, there is definitely a favorite target among the variety of options. Ja’Corey Brooks has 61 receptions on 93 targets and has eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving at 1,013. He also leads the Cardinals with nine receiving touchdowns. Brooks is a former five-star prospect that spent three seasons at Alabama before coming to Louisville.

When Sough isn’t targeting Brooks, he will primarily turn to Chris Bell or Mark Rodman. Bell, a junior, has reeled in 34 catches for 593 yards and four scores. Meanwhile, Redman has 23 receptions for 239 yards and three touchdowns. Getting the ball to Brooks is obviously a major part of the Cardinals’ passing success, but there are a variety of options that Kentucky must be aware of on Saturday afternoon.

True Freshmen Duo Leads Cardinals’ Rushing Attacking

Isaac Brown has stepped in right away as one of the Louisville Cardinals’ best offensive players. The true freshman has 896 rushing yards on 121 carries and has hit pay dirt nine times. He is averaging an impressive 7.4 yards per rush with an explosive run rate of 21.5%. Brown also has 27 receptions for 140 yards and another score. Coach Jeff Brohm is going to make sure his explosive running back touches the football as many times as possible on Saturday afternoon.

Along with Isaac Brown, Duke Watson has also produced at a high-level as a true freshman in the Louisville Cardinals backfield. Watson has racked up 410 rushing yards on 51 carries and five touchdowns. He actually has Brown’s 7.4 yards per rush beat with 8.0. His best game of the season came two weeks ago at Stanford where he exploded for 117 yards on 11 carries with three touchdowns. Limiting the explosive plays these two freshmen collect will be critical for Kentucky’s defense.

Louisville Defense Has Some Holes

Putting up points on the Louisville Cardinals defense hasn’t been an issue for opponents this season. Five teams have scored 27 or more points against the Cardinals. Kentucky’s offense isn’t exactly known for putting up points, and starting a true freshman quarterback for the first time in a bitter rivalry game is a tough spot, but the Wildcats’ offense will have some opportunities in this matchup. However, keeping Boley upright will be a concern. Louisville likes to load up the box and rush the passer. It has been one of their few strengths on that side of the football this season.

Ashton Gillotte is the star of the show defensively. The jumbo-sized defensive end has 54 pressures, 4.5 sacks, and 9.5 tackles for loss this season after putting up even better numbers in 2023. He will line up in a number of different spots and styles as the Cardinals look for advantages for their best pass rusher. The Wildcats will have to know exactly where he is at all times and game plan accordingly.