Louisville football

Among the 23 honorees, nine UofL student-athletes achieved Academic Team status for the second time in their career. This includes notable players like wide receiver Chris Bell, defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte, offensive lineman Michael Gonzalez, center Bryan Hudson, long snapper Shai Kochav, tight end Josh Lifson, defensive lineman Ramon Puryear, defensive lineman Mason Reiger, and placekicker Brock Travelstead. These players have consistently shown their commitment to academic excellence, and this recognition highlights their hard work on and off the field.

The second year under coach Jeff Brohm will kick off on August 31 when the Cardinals host Austin Peay, marking the first home opener in August for the school since 2008. They will remain at home the following week against Jacksonville State, a team that secured a bowl berth in their first season as FBS and Conference USA members.

Last season, the Cards emerged victorious with a resounding 56-28 win at L&N Stadium. Louisville had an explosive start to the game, scoring an impressive 42 points in the first half. This high-scoring output equaled their highest single-game score of the entire 2023 season. It’s worth noting that the Cardinals also put up 56 points against Murray State during their home opener that same year.

Miller and Gillotte were placed on the national ballot after earning all-district recognition in May. To be eligible for the initial district ballot, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.30, be at least a sophomore academically, and be a starter or key reserve on their respective team.

Brohm acknowledged that his team had some chances in the second half to convert plays and get back in the game, but they were unable to make it work. He also mentioned that all three segments of the team – defense, offense, and special teams – were beaten by USC, and that is ultimately why they lost.

This was Louisville’s first appearance in the Holiday Bowl and their first matchup against Southern California. Unfortunately, they were unable to secure the victory. The team’s neutral site game record now stands at 17-17-1.

In the third quarter, things looked promising for Louisville as they forced a USC punt and Quincy Riley made a huge play with a 61-yard interception return, the longest in Holiday Bowl history. Guerendo capitalized on the opportunity and scored his second touchdown of the game with a one-yard run, cutting the deficit to seven points.

This game marks the first-ever meeting between USC and Louisville on the football field. Head coach Jeff Brohm expressed his excitement for the upcoming match, stating, “We are excited to take on USC on Wednesday night. For our football team to go against such a great team, it’s a great chance for our team to showcase what we are all about. Our guys are excited to get back on the field.”

Gillotte’s standout game came against Boston College, where he recorded a career best 3.0 sacks. He also managed to get a pair of sacks against Duke in a shutout victory over the Blue Devils. With a total of 22.0 career sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss, Gillotte has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in his 37 career games for the Cardinals.

Among the signees are nine offensive players, including one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, and three offensive linemen. The Cardinals also added five defensive players, including one linebacker, two defensive linemen, and two defensive backs.