Overview
- Louisville rallied to beat Florida State 44-20 on Oct. 9, 2026, keyed by Isaac Brown’s breakout night that included a 97-yard touchdown run, a 71-yard kickoff return and a 68-yard scoring run.
- Brown finished with a career-high rushing performance reported between 235 and 258 yards on 17 carries depending on the outlet, and the Cardinals totaled 537 yards of offense with 397 rushing yards.
- The game’s turning point came when Florida State failed on fourth-and-goal at the Louisville 3, and Louisville answered the next play with Brown’s 97-yard TD to ignite a 35-point unanswered run.
- Florida State’s defensive breakdowns on long runs and a questionable fourth-down sequence intensified criticism of coach Mike Norvell and extended the Seminoles’ away struggles to figures reported as 13 straight losses away from home including neutral sites and 11 true road losses.
- Both teams quickly shift focus to new opponents with Florida State traveling to No. 4 Miami and Louisville visiting Syracuse, and the loss raises near-term stakes for FSU’s coaching staff and defensive adjustments.