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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/usffan on 2025-07-27 08:47:32+00:00.

The cumulative link to the preseason rankings can be found here.

Louisville (high = 16, low = 41) comes in as the #4 preseason team in the ACC and the 27th overall team in CFB. Jeff Brohm had a second consecutive 4 loss season in 2024, which is better than Scott Satterfield had in any of his seasons at the helm, but those 4 losses were all by a single score to two playoff teams (SMU and at Notre Dame), a playoff contender (Miami) and inexplicably at Stanford, and included a win at ACC champs Clemson. Can Brohm deliver a return to the ACC title game in 2025?

Roster outlook

To do so, he’s going to have to replace Tyler Shough, who showed enough to convince the New Orleans Saints to pick him in the second round as their replacement for Derek Carr. That helps account for Louisville having the 60th most returning production, but that includes starting RB Isaac Brown (1,173 yards, 11 TDs) and his backup Duke Watson (600 yards, 7 TDs). They’ll also have to replace leading WR Ja’Corey Brooks, but Brohm managed to bring in the 5th highest portal class in the ACC (31st nationally), putting all his cards on the table to win now by largely eschewing high school recruiting (2nd to last in the conference). That portal includes former USC starting QB Miller Moss (can Brohm rehabilitate another bypassed starter like he did Shough?) as well as NC State wideout Dacari Collins and Rutgers edge Wesley Bailey. 31 transfers in all means a depth infusion for the Cardinals in 2025.

Schedule and outlook

As much as this sounds like a “duh” statement, Louisville’s schedule really sets up as one where they control their own playoff fate. The OOC is all games they should be projected to win big (Eastern Kentucky, James Madison, Bowling Green and even the Governor’s Cup against Kentucky are all at home). In conference, they get Cal, BC, Pitt, Virginia and Virginia Tech, all of whom they should be favored to beat handily (like Stanford last season, so take that for what it’s worth). On top of that, they get all 3 of the ACC teams ranked ahead of them, including Clemson in Louisville, at Miami (following a bye) and at SMU on 8 days rest. If Brohm really is able to get the best out of Miller Moss, look for Louisville to make a serious run for the ACC title game.