The Louisville Cardinals kick off their season as a healthy favorite to start 1-0 for the third consecutive season under head coach Jeff Brohm.

According to FanDuel, the Cardinals are a 38.5-point favorite in their season-opener against in-state foe Eastern Kentucky.

Louisville is 20-8-1 all-time in games against Eastern Kentucky, but has dominated the series since their last loss in 1985. The Cardinals have beaten the Colonels in five consecutive meetings, with all five victories coming by 27 points or more.

U of L has also dominated FCS opponents in recent years. In two seasons under Brohm, the Cardinals have destroyed a pair of FCS opponents (Murray State in 2023 and Austin Peay in 2024) by a combined score of 108-0.

Coming off of a trip to the FCS Playoffs last season, Eastern Kentucky is a bit of a step up from those two teams, but it will still be a surprise if the Cardinals aren’t in complete control on Saturday afternoon.

Prediction: Louisville 52, Eastern Kentucky 9