The ACC’s P4 OOC results have been a total train wreck. Georgia Tech faceplanted in front of a sellout home crowd as a favorite to Colorado. Boston College was well Boston College against Cincinnati. Clemson looked massively overmatched in getting humiliated by LSU.
Louisville was the last ACC program that had the opportunity to salvage something OOC in week 1. They couldn’t pull the trick, but as opposed to the others, you didn’t leave with the feeling they were in trouble the way the others were.
The Cardinals stood toe to toe with an Ole Miss team that was a CFP semi-finalist and started possibly the best quarterback in college, Trinidad Chambliss. Ole Miss came into the game ranked in the top 10 and eyeing another playoff spot.
Where so many other ACC teams wilted at the line of scrimmage, Louisville did not. They had 162 yard on the ground, and while the defense gave up some big plays did come up 2 turnovers and held Ole Miss to 6 of 16 on third down. Look, Chambliss is going to carve up any defense in college football, and I think the Cards had a credible effort.
QB Lincoln Keinholz started a bit shaky, but he proved to be a true gamer and someone Louisville can win a lot of games with. Down 14 in the 4th quarter, he led Louisville back to even things up at 38. He threw for over 300 yards, and and nearly 70 yards on the ground.
The win would have been nice to have, but the rest of the schedule sets up very well for Louisville. SMU is at Louisville, but other than that isn’t another game Louisville won’t be favored in. A game at Kentucky provides another SMU chance. There isn’t any reason why Louisville shouldn’t be able to go 10-2 or 11-1 and have a shot at reaching the ACC Title game.
Losses are never good, and I’m sure Jeff Brohm doesn’t want to hear about moral victories, but the Cards proved something Sunday night. I think they’ll be in the thick of the ACC title chase all year.
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