Villanova Vs Louisville: No. 24 Louisville hosts Villanova in the teams’ first meeting
Villanova vs Louisville is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 11, with No. 24 Louisville hosting Villanova at 7 p.m. ET in L&N Stadium. Louisville is seeking its first win after a 41-38 loss to Ole Miss, while Villanova enters at 1-1 after beating Bucknell 17-16. CBS Sports PrizePicks
No. 24 Louisville hosts Villanova in the teams’ first meeting
The game will be the first-ever meeting between Louisville and Villanova. The Cardinals are ranked No. 24 nationally and are playing their 2026 home opener, while the Wildcats are coming off a 17-16 victory over Bucknell. The matchup is scheduled to air on ACC Network. CBS Sports PrizePicks
Villanova began the season with a 35-32 loss to William & Mary before narrowly beating Bucknell. The Wildcats finished 12-3 in 2025 and reached the FCS semifinals, according to PrizePicks. Senior quarterback Pat McQuaide has completed 30 of 50 passes for 488 yards and three touchdowns this season, while also throwing three interceptions. PrizePicks
Louisville lost its opener to No. 9 Ole Miss despite scoring 38 points and gaining 469 total yards. Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, making his first collegiate start, completed 18 of 29 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns while adding 69 rushing yards and another score. CBS Sports also reported that he produced 376 total yards. PrizePicks CBS Sports
What Louisville needs to clean up after the Ole Miss loss
Louisville-focused analysis identified penalties and execution as issues in the opener. The Cardinals had multiple delay-of-game penalties, a holding penalty that ended a drive, and one late hit out of bounds; a separate poor decision by freshman DJ Waller was also cited. The analysis also said Louisville’s offense took time to settle into the game and that defensive coverage decisions created problems against Ole Miss. Card Chronicle
The same analysis credited Louisville’s defensive line for controlling the run game against Ole Miss and said the team’s depth allowed it to keep players fresh. Kienholz’s play improved as the game progressed, including throws to different levels of the field and effective improvisation on a completion to Isaac Brown. Card Chronicle
The matchup outlook and reported betting lines
Louisville is favored by a wide margin in the available previews, but the listed spread differs by publisher. CBS Sports reported Louisville as a 37.5-point favorite with an over/under of 56.5 points, while PrizePicks listed the Cardinals as 35.5-point favorites. Those figures are reported betting lines rather than a confirmed game result. CBS Sports PrizePicks
For Villanova, the reports point to McQuaide, running backs Isaiah Ragland and Ja’briel Mace, and the offensive line as central parts of the offense. Ragland and Mace have combined for 265 rushing yards through two games, according to PrizePicks. The latest available reporting establishes the scheduled matchup and preview information, but not the final score or outcome. PrizePicks