College Basketball: Atlantic Coast Conference

Jeff Brohm, Louisville football vs Virginia odds, injuries: ACC game

Courier Journal

01 January 0001

Jeff Brohm, Louisville football vs Virginia odds, injuries: ACC game

It took the late Howard Schnellenberger six years to lead Louisville football to its first-ever 10-win season. John L. Smith needed four years to set a new program-high mark of 11 wins, while it took Bobby Petrino and Charlie Strong two and three years, respectively, to match the bar Smith set.

Jeff Brohm is two wins away from a double-digit win season in Year 1. The Cardinals started the 2023 campaign with a 6-0 record and bounced back after a loss at Pitt by outscoring their last two opponents, 57-3. They’re undefeated at home and in position to make the ACC championship game for the first time ever at No. 2 in the league standings.

No. 11 Louisville (8-1, 5-1 ACC) will have a quick turnaround as it aims for win No. 9 against Virginia at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at L&N Stadium.

The excitement of the Cavaliers (2-7, 1-4) upsetting then-No. 10 North Carolina on Oct. 21 seems to have faded with the team losing back-to-back games, the latest of which was a 45-17 defeat to Georgia Tech at home.

Here are three story lines to watch ahead of Louisville’s ACC game against Virginia:

Two games in five days

Louisville’s 2023 schedule has consisted of two Thursday games and two Friday games. The Cardinals’ first Thursday game was a Week 2 home meeting with Murray State right after the Friday season opener at Georgia Tech. This time, their Thursday game against Virginia is coming after a Saturday game, which only gives them four days to prepare and recover ahead of the contest.

The immediate advantage for Louisville is that both games are at home, which will prevent it from losing a day to travel. So far this season, the Cardinals have fared well with quick turnarounds. After beating Boston College 56-28 on Sept. 23 at home, they traveled to N.C. State on Sept. 29 and won, 13-10.

The battle of injuries

Louisville may not be the most beaten-up squad to take the field Thursday at L&N Stadium.

During Virginia’s game against Georgia Tech, the Cavaliers took hits with injuries to quarterback Tony Muskett (ankle), running back Mike Hollins (neck) and linebacker Kam Robinson (knee). Hollins is Virginia’s third-leading rusher with 210 yards on 67 carries but leads the team with seven rushing touchdowns. Muskett has started six games, including last week's matchup against Georgia Tech where he went 1-for-2 for 11 yards with an interception before an injury caused him to leave the game early. Robinson, a freshman, earned a starting role for the Cavaliers during Week 4 and is the squad’s fourth-leading tackler with 50 tackles to go along with an interception.

Louisville didn’t lose any players against Virginia Tech but had a few miss the Week 10 game following its win over Duke. While the Cardinals showed their depth and remained afloat, Virginia didn’t fare as well against Georgia Tech, suffering back-to-back losses.

Louisville’s offensive strategy

Offensively, Louisville has been balanced with the ability to depend on the run or pass game at various points this season. Over the last two games, the Cardinals have been more run heavy with career performances from Jawhar Jordan against Duke (163 rushing yards) and Isaac Guerendo against Virginia Tech (146 rushing yards). They currently ranked 32 nationally in rushing offense.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers’ rushing defense ranks 93 nationally and second-to-last in the ACC, allowing 164.8 yards per game. They gave up 305 rushing yards to Georgia Tech, which was second-most for the Yellow Jackets this season.

Despite Jordan’s status being uncertain — Brohm said he was “nicked up at multiple spots” on Saturday night — the Cardinals still have an effective run game. In addition to Guerendo and fellow back Maurice Turner, quarterback Jack Plummer used his legs more against Virginia Tech. He ran the ball five times, including an 11-yard rush in the second quarter.

Three Louisville football players to watch

Storm Duck, redshirt senior cornerback: The transfer addition who spent last season at North Carolina has filled in well as a starter in Jarvis Brownlee’s absence. He led the team in tackles (seven) and had a batted pass that led to an interception against Virginia Tech to help Louisville stay unbeaten at home.

Jermayne Lole, graduate defensive lineman: After struggling with injuries over the past two seasons, Lole is closer to full strength, adding to the Cardinals’ depth on the defensive line. He earned his third start of the season against Virginia Tech and produced two tackles with a quarterback hurry.

Chris Bell, sophomore wide receiver: If he’s not playing on offense, the physical receiver is making an impact on special teams. Bell continues to improve in his second year of college and was U of L's leading receiver against Virginia Tech with 43 yards on three catches in Jamari Thrash’s absence.

Three Virginia football players to watch

Anthony Colandrea, freshman quarterback: When Muskett got injured against Georgia Tech, Colandrea replaced him and went 21-for-37 for 200 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in addition to a team-high 33 yards on seven carries. He’s got starting experience already, having been atop the depth chart in three games Muskett missed earlier this season. He enters Thursday's game with 1,123 passing yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions on the season.

Jonas Sanker, junior safety: After a 10-tackle effort against Georgia Tech, Sanker leads the team with 79 this season in addition to eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Perris Jones, senior running back: Making six starts this season, Jones is the Cavaliers’ leading rusher with 386 yards and two scores on 73 carries. He was held to 26 yards on nine totes against the Yellow Jackets.