Louisville RB Isaac Brown Gets Instant Redemption Over Closest Rival After College Football 26 Rating Reveal

Remember last year’s Governor’s Cup between the Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats? It was a 41-14 humbling of the Wildcats as Isaac Brown ran riot on the field, rushing for 178 yards. But the best moment truly came in the fourth quarter with 9 minutes and 6 seconds left on the clock. The Cardinals were well ahead by 34-14, and in 2nd and 2, Isaac Brown gave the Kentucky defenders the run for their run money.

The snap was called as Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough handed off to Isaac Brown, with Brown running past not one but four defenders as he reaches the end zone effortlessly. It was an incredible 67-yard effort by Brown as the “dagger” sealed the Cardinals’ win, with the team winning the final game of the regular season. In total, Brown in his last season rushed for 1,173 yards and received another 152 yards. So, his story was undoubtedly incredible, but another running back was also lighting up those fields in the Big 10.

Yes, we are talking about Nicholas Singleton of Penn State, who led his team to the playoffs and rushed for 1,099 yards, in addition to receiving another 375. Both Singleton and Brown’s seasons were incredible, but who would you pick if you had to choose one? Well, according to EA Sports’ CFB 2026 video game’s ratings, Singleton edges Brown and is ranked second after Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with a 93 overall rating. But this isn’t where it ends.

PFF recently released their top-50 player rankings for the 2025 season, and guess who now comes on top? Of course, it’s Isaac Brown, who is ranked 28th overall instead of Singleton, who is 31st. The reason? “Brown wasn’t even among the top 40 running back recruits coming out of high school. The former three-star is now the runner-up for the title of ‘best running back in college football’… What he lacks in size (5-foot-9 and 190 pounds), he makes up for with game-breaking speed and quickness,” reported Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick of PFF. So what does this mean?

Both of these rankings show the close nature of the contest between the two players going into the 2025 season. But Brown’s pick ahead of Singleton is also because of the underdog nature of the team and the Cardinals’ exceeding expectations. As for Brown’s 2025 hype? Brown has switched his number 25 jersey for the elite number 1 jersey, which shows the level of development that he has undergone. So, is a Heisman-level performance loading in 2025? As for the 2025 expectations with the Cardinals? It’s quite high!

Louisville Cardinals have a secret admirer as Isaac Brown’s 2025 season gets bolstered

Last season, the Cardinals finished with a 10-4 season with their QB, Jack Plummer, who completed 3,204 yards and registered himself as one of the Cardinals’ legends. The 10-win feat by the team under Jeff Brohm was also momentous because the team has just seven 10-win seasons, with the recent one coming in 2024. Now, as for the 2025 expectations? Greg McElroy calls them a “sleeping giant.”

“Moving over to the Louisville Cardinals, I feel like no one’s talking about Louisville this year. No one is talking, but they’ve made great additions in the portal. They have an elite running back. They have a really solid nucleus of wide receivers returning. You still have a lot of talent on defense. Louisville is being slept on almost universally, and it’s time to start paying attention,” proclaimed former Alabama legend Greg McElroy.

Jeff Brohm has brought in Miller Moss, who comes from USC after a shaky season producing 2,555 yards. Still, the head coach’s reputation for developing ‘rejected’ QBs will be pivotal in Moss’ success, and that makes things interesting. In the wide receiver room, they are bringing Dacari Collins from NC State, who comes after receiving for 314 yards and has a great upside. Lastly, Isaac Brown’s magic will be pivotal, and the Cardinals might make it to the playoffs in 2025.