Lincoln Kienholz is a game-time decision at NC State

Louisville's quarterback status won't be settled until Kienholz takes his warmup throws in Raleigh, the night before the reporting came in.

Pete Nakos

@PeteNakos

Louisville QB Lincoln Kienholz remains a game-time decision for tomorrow at NC State, sources tell @Brett_McMurphy and me for @On3. Will evaluate and decide after warmups. Davin Wydner or Briggs Cherry would get the start if Kienholz can't go. t.co/mzjaJYYOBa

On3@On3

Week 5 College Football injury report📋 Latest on Lincoln Kienholz, Vernell Brown III, Nate Frazier, Mario Craver & more. View: t.co/ajBofELjy8 t.co/roepTHIkdK

Kienholz got hurt at the very end of last Saturday's 30-27 loss to Wake Forest. After Louisville's last offensive play he limped off favoring his left leg, and trainers looked at him right away. Jeff Brohm called it a game-time decision on Monday and wouldn't say much more: "He has something. We're not going to probably elaborate." Brohm never named the injury, and reports since have called it a foot injury or an ankle injury. That's why nobody knows anything until he's on the field in Raleigh.

Louisville badly needs him to play. The Ohio State transfer won the job in preseason camp and has started all 4 games. Coming into the week he had completed 68.8% of his passes for 1,140 yards, 7 touchdowns and 1 interception. He also had 134 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns, the most in the ACC. Against Wake he went 27-of-36 for 324 yards while taking hit after hit, and his 318.5 yards of total offense per game ranked 9th in the FBS.

If he can't go, Davin Wydner is expected to start. He's a 6-foot-5 transfer who started 8 games at West Georgia in 2024 and threw 9 touchdown passes with 1 interception there, plus 7 rushing scores. He also threw for more yards than Kienholz in the spring game. Briggs Cherry is the other option: a true freshman who looked good in camp but hasn't taken a college snap.

It's also a bad spot to start a backup. This is Louisville's first true road game of the season, at Carter-Finley Stadium with a sellout crowd expected and kickoff at 3:30 p.m. The Cardinals are also coming off a 3-point loss to Wake, so they can't afford to drop another ACC game.

So keep an eye on the warmups. If Kienholz is moving fine and throwing without a limp, Louisville gets back the guy who has run basically its whole offense. If he's not, Wydner gets his first start in a road game against a sold-out crowd, and anyone who bet this game should probably check the injury news before kickoff.