Two teams fresh off dominant season openers will meet Friday night when Louisville hosts James Madison.
Louisville rolled past Eastern Kentucky 51-17 last Saturday, building a 41-7 halftime lead that allowed coach Jeff Brohm to rest his starters. Despite the big win, Brohm was critical of his team’s three turnovers and 12 penalties, saying both issues will be a focus in practice.
“In a close game, losing the turnover battle three to zero usually means you won’t win,” Brohm said.
Running back Isaac Brown made the most of his six carries, rushing for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Miller Moss went 17-of-25 for 223 yards with a touchdown pass and a rushing score, though he also threw two interceptions. Eight different Cardinals caught passes, with Caullin Lacy leading the way at 62 yards on four receptions. Lacy also electrified the crowd with a 93-yard punt return touchdown.
James Madison enters after a 45-10 victory over Weber State, powered by 313 rushing yards out of 458 total. George Pettaway ran for 99 yards on 10 carries, while Wayne Knight added 89 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Alonza Barnett III completed 14 of 22 passes for 130 yards, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another. Nine Dukes carried the ball and eight caught passes, with six different players finding the end zone.
Dukes coach Bob Chesney praised Louisville, calling them a team “without a weakness” and noting that his squad must play with “extreme confidence” to pull off the upset. He also pointed out how Louisville operates “like an NFL football team” in terms of recruiting and player support.
Since joining the FBS in 2022, James Madison is 2-1 against ACC opponents, including wins at North Carolina in 2024 and Virginia in 2023. Louisville, however, topped the Dukes 34-10 in their 2022 meeting.
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