Pregame Prep: Things to Know Before the Game
- Kickoff: August 30th, 3 p.m. ET
- TV / Radio: ACC Network / 93.9 The Ville
- Weather: Highs in the low 80s, lows in the 50s-60s; very low threat of rain
- Odds: Louisville -38.5, O/U 56.5 (FanDuel)
Previous Game (Louisville v. EKU): 2021
Louisville held a 20-3 halftime lead, and eventually cruised to a 30-3 win over the EKU Colonels. Malik Cunningham had 307 total yards (278 passing, 29 rushing) and three total touchdowns (one passing, two rushing), while Ahmari Huggins-Bruce had four receptions for 151 yards. Kei’Trel Clark had two interceptions, as Louisville’s defense held EKU to 235 total yards.
Notable Numbers
- Louisville leads the all-time series 20-8-1
- Louisville has not lost to EKU since 1985, and has not lost to a I-AA / FCS team since 1987.
- Louisville has played two games against FCS teams in the Jeff Brohm era, outscoring opponents 118-0.
- The last FCS team to score a touchdown against Louisville was Indiana State (2018), and the last FCS team to score 10+ points against Louisville was Murray State (2017).
First Down: Meet the 2025 EKU Colonels
EKU enters its sixth season with Walt Wells as head coach, and they’ve been one of the better programs in the FCS under him. He has led the Colonels to two FCS playoff appearances (2022 & 2024), as well as an Atlantic Sun conference championship in 2022.
The Colonels will be looking to make a third FCS playoff appearance this season under Wells, and is vying for their second victory over an FBS opponent in four years. EKU beat Bowling Green 59-57 in seven overtimes back in 2022, marking their first win over an FBS opponent in eight seasons.
Second Down: EKU Offense Breakdown
EKU will have a brand new backfield in their offense, as both Matt Morrissey (quarterback) and Joshua Carter (running back) depart. They landed their starting quarterback in the portal by signing Myles Burkett from Albany (N.Y.) to lead the program in 2025. Burkett originally committed to Wisconsin in the 2022 recruiting class, but transferred to Albany in 2024 and ended up playing nine games for the Great Danes before suffering an injury.
Burkett struggled with consistency all year, completing just 54.7% of his passes and nearly having one interception per game. He will have experienced receivers though, as EKU returns its top three wide receivers in Marcus Calwise, Jr. (42 rec., 526 yards, five TDs), Dequan Stanley (27 rec., 372 yards, five TDs), and Ron Vann, Jr. (22 rec., 224 yards, TD). Tight end Caeleb Schlachter also returns to give EKU a big, athletic player that can cause mismatches with Louisville’s pass defense (he also had a kick return touchdown against Central Arkansas last year).
Joshua Carter was a huge piece for the Colonels last season, rushing for over 1,200 yards and earning all-conference honors. But EKU does have the fortune of seeing Brayden Latham return in 2025, and he should be the driving force behind their offense. The Colonels had an outstanding rushing attack last year, averaging 186.3 rushing yards per game (26th in FCS), but will also replacing several starters on their offensive line from last year.
Notable Players:
- QB Myles Burkett (54.7% completion, 1,845 yards, ten touchdowns, seven interceptions in nine games w/Albany)
- RB Brayden Latham (141 carries, 662 yards, three touchdowns in 2024)
Third Down: EKU Defense Breakdown
EKU’s secondary should once again be the driving force behind their defense, as former Kentucky cornerback Vito Tisdale, Jr. and safety Jaheim Ward highlight it. Vito Tisdale played at both Kentucky and Colorado before returning to the Bluegrass State to play for EKU, he tied with Ward for the team lead with eight PBUs.
Ward was named as a FCS Preseason All-American by Stats Perform earlier this summer, after a 2024 campaign where he logged 66 tackles (five TFLs), eight PBUs, three forced fumbles, and an interception. Both he and Tisdale are risk takers that will go after the ball and force turnovers, which will be crucial if EKU wants to get a massive upset win.
Leading tackler Maddox Marcellus committed to Virginia in the transfer portal in the offseason, but junior Braden Sullivan returns to give the Colonels a leader at the linebacker spot. He’s a tough player who can run sideline to sideline and make plays against the run. Gabe Stephens (35 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, three forced fumbles, 4.5 sacks) gives EKU a solid edge rusher in their 3-4 scheme, he is athletic and can drop back in coverage if needed.
Players to Watch:
- S Jaheim Ward (66 tackles, eight PBUs, three FFs, INT)
- LB Braden Sullivan (92 tackles, 2.5 TFLs)
- EDGE Gabe Stephens (35 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 3 FFs)
Fourth Down: Keys to the Game
When Louisville has the ball
The message is simple when Louisville has the ball: get the ball to your talented playmakers and avoid self-inflicted mistakes. I think Louisville’s offensive gameplan will mirror what we saw in the 2023 Murray State and 2024 Austin Peay games, which is leaning on a healthy balance between run and pass, and keeping the playbook relatively simple.
As far as personnel goes, I’m really looking to see who emerges as a consistent target for Louisville outside of Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy. Louisville acquired several players at both wide receiver and tight end to bolster their depth, and I think we should see it on full display this week. If somebody like Treyshun Hurry or Jaleel Skinner can become a reliable threat for Louisville, it will help the whole offense tremendously.
I’m also looking to see which of the backup quarterbacks behind Brady Allen and Deuce Adams has the best performance in a live game setting, assuming Louisville can get out to a big lead early. Getting to see how these guys perform in-game could give us some insight as to whether or not either will compete for the starting job in 2026.
When EKU has the ball
We’ve posited how Louisville’s defense could look in theory, now it’s time to see what it looks like in practice. There are a lot of newcomers on this year’s defense, in particular the secondary, and it’ll be under a microscope as fans hope for a more consistent showing.
Louisville has the personnel to stop EKU’s rushing attack and force the Colonels to face third-and-long situations. That should favor the Cardinals in those scenarios, as EKU will have to make plays through the air with a quarterback that had a lot of inconsistency at the FCS level last season. Burkett will have better players outside than he did last year, but this should be a game where Louisville’s talent level and depth overwhelms EKU’s offense.
