Lincoln Kienholz absolutely lit up the scoreboard in his Louisville debut against No. 9 Ole Miss, racking up a wild 307 passing yards, three total touchdowns (two through the air, one on the ground), and zero turnovers! Can you believe it? The dude even led the Cardinals with a super impressive 69 rushing yards! This wasn’t just a solid first game; Kienholz was out there battling to knock off a top-10 team right out of the gate, making a huge statement.
A Gut-Wrenching Near-Upset
The game itself was an absolute roller coaster, a real slobberknocker that came down to the wire. Louisville was staring down a 14-point deficit with less than five minutes to play, and honestly, most teams would’ve folded. But Kienholz? He had other plans. He dropped a dime on a clutch 54-yard touchdown pass to Lawayne McCoy, sparking a rally that felt impossible. Then, with just 1:28 remaining, he tied the whole thing up himself with a gritty seven-yard rushing scamper. They did everything in their power to snatch victory from a powerhouse, only for Ole Miss to drive down the field and kick a game-winning field goal as time expired, sealing the 41-38 victory. Seriously, talk about a heartbreaking ending after that kind of performance!
From Buried on the Depth Chart to Blowing Up
What makes this debut even crazier is Kienholz’s journey to get here. The guy was buried deep on the depth chart at Ohio State for three long years, playing second fiddle to Julian Sayin, just patiently waiting for his shot. He was a total team player, always doing what was asked, but you know he had to be itching for real playing time to prove he was NFL-worthy. So, he made the smart move, hit the transfer portal, and landed in Louisville. He then went out and battled all offseason to earn that starting job. It’s awesome to see a player who did things the right way, putting in the work, finally seeing that hard labor pay off huge. It’s like what happened with Ethan Onianwa, another former Buckeye backup, who went on to make the Atlanta Falcons’ 53-man roster as a 7th round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft without ever starting for Ohio State. It really looks like Louisville pulled off a major steal from Columbus with Kienholz. Buckeye Nation, in fact, couldn’t be happier for him!
So, what’s next for Kienholz and the Cardinals? They get to regroup and prepare for their next challenge against FCS Villinova next Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. After a jaw-dropping debut like that, you can bet everyone in college football will have their eyes glued to see if he can build on this incredible start. The pressure’s on, but something tells me Kienholz is just getting warmed up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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