Homecoming was competing with Halloween for top honors on October 31 at L&N Stadium. A mix of nostalgia and warm feelings vs. monsters and ghosts competing for attention. The stands full of goblins and ghouls, the sidelines with UofL student royalty, tuxes and royal gowns. More than a few trick or treaters during the pre-game tailgate festivities.
The University of Louisville football team was in no mood for symbolism, however. The Cardinals would score five touchdowns in the second half en route to 52-24 romp over Stanford. The fourth straight win for UofL, improving its won-lost record to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Isaac Brown had a monster game on the big day, rushing for 139 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and another touchdown for 33 yards through the air. He is the first Louisville player with four TD’s in a game since Lamar Jackson ripped Florida State in 2016.
“”It felt good,” said Brown in the post-season press conference. “Practicing this week getting me in open space. I feel like the practice this week helped us get an advantage on the Stanford defense.”
Quarterback Lincoln Keinholz, continuing to become more comfortable, would rack up 300 yards and was responsible for three touchdowns for the fifth time this season.
“It’s super nice, you know, having someone like that to hand the ball off to and he’ll just take it to the house. I think we had a three-play drive and then a one-play drive. As an offense and as a quarterback, it just takes the stress off you. So, I think having him and Bama [Keyjuan Brown] is super important for us.”
Wide receiver Tre Richardson had a career best day totaling 10 receptions for 140 yards, both career highs for the senior. “I feel like we clicked this game,” he said. “It showed that we can start fast, continue fast and execute in the second half,” he said. “We started off slow in the beginning of the season but this bye week showed us that we got the talent, we got the explosiveness and we’re putting it out there.”
Can’t imagine a better way to celebrate Halloween.
That photo of the skeleton in the stands just puts another spin on “Cards forever.” Otherworldly.