Pick details
| MATCHUP | Villanova Wildcats | Louisville Cardinals |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 1-1 | 0-1 |
| Where | L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, Louisville, KY | |
| When | Friday, September 11, 2026 | |
| Time | 07:00 PM EDT | |
| TV | ACC Network | |
Louisville Cardinals Betting Preview
The Villanova Wildcats beat Bucknell, lost to William & Mary, and they play Long Island next. Villanova has won 1 of its last 12 regular-season games. Pat McQuaide is completing 60 percent of his passes for 488 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Braden Reed and Brandon Binkowski have combined for 220 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, while Jake Hilton has 6 receptions.
The Villanova Wildcats ground game is averaging 122.5 yards per contest, and Isaiah Ragland leads the way with 136 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensively, Villanova is allowing 25.5 points and 349 yards per game. Omari Bursey leads the Villanova Wildcats with 29 tackles, Ratu Delano Navoti has 1 sack, and Jamie Tyson has 1 interception.
Louisville Cardinals Betting Preview
The Louisville Cardinals lost to Ole Miss, and they play SMU next. Louisville looks to avoid its first 0-2 start since the 2015 season. Lincoln Kienholz is completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 307 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Tre Robinson and TreyShun Hurry have combined for 150 receiving yards and 1 touchdown, while Lawayne McCoy has 2 receptions.
The Louisville Cardinals’ ground game is averaging 182 yards per contest, and Lincoln Kienholz leads the way with 69 yards and 1 touchdown. Defensively, Louisville is allowing 41 points and 488 yards per game. T.J. Capers leads the Louisville Cardinals with 7 tackles, Jabari Mack has 2 pass deflections, and Stanquan Clark has 1 interception.
Why the Louisville Cardinals will win
- Louisville has won each of its last nine September games as an AP-ranked team against a non-AP-ranked team.
- Louisville has covered the spread in three of its last four September games as an AP-ranked team.
Why the Villanova Wildcats will win
- The team ranked 24th in the AP Poll has lost four of its last six games.
- Louisville has failed to cover the spread in each of its last four home games as an AP-ranked team.
Total Points Facts
- Four of Louisville’s last five games in September have gone OVER the total points line.
Louisville Cardinals Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 2, Tre Richardson is one of only six players averaging over 20.0 rushing yards and 60.0 receiving yards per game this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- One of Louisville’s games this season has been decided by a margin of three points or less – equal-most amongst FBS teams.
- Louisville ranks T1st among FBS teams for red zone percentage this season (100.0).
Villanova vs Louisville Prediction
Louisville obviously has the talent to blow the doors off here, but this is a tough spot for the Cardinals. This game is fresh off playing Ole Miss and is before playing SMU. This game is sandwiched between matchups between ranked teams, and we can’t forget Louisville played on Sunday. This is a super short week for Louisville. For Villanova, this has to be its game of the season. I’m going to grab the points if forced to get involved in this spot.
Randy Chambers's Pick: Villanova +36.5
