The Louisville Cardinals football team came close to cracking the playoff conversation last season. They had the talent, the momentum, and the coaching, but they still missed the cut, ending the regular season with eight wins and four losses. The program is on the rise under the head coach Jeff Brohm, and signs of something big were already seen last year. Remember, they even defeated the ACC Champions, Clemson, in the regular season. However, everything didn’t go their way.

Things could have been different if they hadn’t lost some crucial games. In the end, the Cardinals were 4-2 at home and 4-2 away from home. However, not all of those four losses were similar. The one against Stanford, which finished 3-7, must have gotten on the head coach’s nerves. 38-35 is as close a game can get. They also lost to the Hurricanes in a close encounter by 45-52. Even though they missed out on the playoff berth, they proved that they could hang with top-tier teams, finishing fifth in the regular season in their conference. Their defense was on point; however, the offense was a bit inconsistent, but decent enough to help them win at least eight games.

However, now, for the 2025 season, there’s a subtle twist in their schedule that might just give them the edge they need. It’s something that hasn’t happened in over a decade and only once in the Cardinals’ 111-year history. Cardinal Authority’s Jody Demling recently appeared in an episode of the Cover 3 Podcast, where the host asked him, “How do you define success for Louisville this season?”

“You know, you didn’t mention eight home games this year. Just the second time in school history, eight home games.” Demling said. That’s right. Louisville is set to host eight home games this season. This kind of scheduling can be a game-changer for the Brohm’s team, as every kind of advantage matters in college football. But having the advantage of playing eight games at your home is something that the Cardinals would like to capitalize on.

“And when you think about it, you’ve got Clemson at home. You’ve got Kentucky at home to end. I don’t know. It’s one of those weird things with the schedule. I’m not sure how they did it. It’s the second time it’s happened, but it’s crazy.” Demling added. Having the defending champion, Clemson, come to Louisville and play against them could be the kind of boost that can put the matchup in the Cardinals’ favor. Apart from Clemson and Kentucky, Louisville will have Virginia and Boston College at its home.

A 10-win season might be on the cards for the Cardinals with eight home games. And 10 wins could very well be enough for them to find a place in the playoff berth. But their former quarterback, Tyler Shough, has left big shoes to fill as he moved to the New Orleans Saints after being drafted in the NFL. However, Brohm has roped in an experienced guy to replace Tyler, and it’s Miller Moss.

How will Miller Moss’ addition impact Louisville’s performance?

It was the first time in three years that Tyler Shough was able to play a full season, and it really paid off for the Cardinals. He completed 244 of 389 passes for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 12 games. The 6-foot 5-inch and 225-pound player was in full flow last season. Now, if you look at Miller Moss, the star QB stepping in this year, his numbers are pretty eye-catching too. Standing at 6 ft 2 inches tall and weighing 205 pounds, Moss completed 233 of 362 passes for 2,555 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 9 games. The numbers are comparatively lower than what Tyler’s earned, but Moss also played three fewer games.

Moss recently spoke about the opportunity to represent the Brohm’s program and said, “I mean, it was always going to be hard to get me out of L.A.,” Moss told On3. “Coach [Jeff] Brohm had a history of putting guys in the NFL consistently. Obviously, coaches are going to sell you on certain things and are going to say certain things, but when there is proof year after year that someone can do something, it almost eliminates anything that they say.”

Brohm had high praise for Moss as well, saying that they want to help him get better. “I think he’s picked up what we’ve done to this point very well. I think he’s a leader in a different way than Tyler, but he’s a very good leader, and he wants to go out on this last year and go out with a bang. He wants to play really good football and play at a high level. We want to help him do that,” Brohm said to Sports Illustrated.

With eight home games and Moss settling in, the stars might be just aligning for the Cardinals. If Louisville protects its turf and Moss stays consistent, there’s something big that can be in store for Brohm’s squad, maybe even a playoff berth.