Wake Forest was the worst possible opponent for the University of Louisville football team following what many fans considered to be a landmark win over Southern Methodist University. A ho hum name with a mediocre football tradition, Wake Forest has never engendered much respect on the gridiron.
So one has to believe the Cardinals were once again just going through the motions over the past week. Yeah, Wake Forest may has defeated Jeff Brohm’s old Purdue team in a double overtime and competitive in a 12-point loss to Miami last week, the same old Demon Deacons. Louisville finally in the discussions for the national playoffs. We got this, not to worry.
The Cardinal rule of respecting thine opponent goes out the window. Despite the fact that UofL always seems to have difficult games against this particular North Carolina school. Even when former coach Bobby Petrino allegedly had the Deacons’ game plan against Louisville in 2016. The Demon Deacons never roll over.
So here we are a day after Wake Forest somehow managed to pull off 30-27 upset over the nation’s 17th ranked team in the nation. Holding the Cardinals to a mere 75 yards rushing and 325 yard passing. The Deacons grinding out 199 yards on the ground and 225 through the air. All the talk about UofL being an offensive juggernaut, a potential playoff participant and a top 10 team in a trash heap.
Going by the wayside was much of the fan base’s undying admiration for Coach Jeff Brohm. Another disappointing loss after impressive performances in the first three games only to lose to Wake Forest. This despite the fact that Louisville was within a field goal of taking the game overtime and, if UofL had won, improving the won-lost record to 3-1. But that didn’t happen and the honeymoon for Brohm family, Louisville’s first family of football, is over.
At least until the next win. Football fans are a fickle bunch, they do not take losing easily. They will turn on you in a New York minute. Sitting the hot sun for four hours, watching one’s team struggle against a no-name opponent will do the trick every time. That and all the needless penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct only added to the humiliation for the crowd of 46,042 fans.
The fact remains, however, that Jeff Brohm is still the same coach that has guided Louisville to nine wins in each of his first three seasons, including an ACC title game in 2023. He’s an alumnus who loves the program, and is dedicated to its success and is not using UofL as a stepping stone and is not going to be lured away at the first opportunity.
