Points of Emphasis: Louisville vs. Washington

Here are the more significant storylines to follow ahead of Louisville football's Sun Bowl matchup vs. Washington.

Louisville Cardinals wide receiver Chris Bell (0) celebrates his touchdown during their game against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After a few weeks to regroup following the end of the regular season, the Louisville football program will attempt to head into the offseason on a positive note, taking on Washington in the Sun Bowl.

Here are some of the more notable storylines heading into Tuesday game:

Bowl Opt-Outs Having a Significant Impact on Sun Bowl

In this age of college football, neither team is going to be at full strength, and it won't be because of injuries. Whether it be due to the transfer portal or NFL Draft, both Louisville and Washington have their fair share of opt-outs for the bowl game.

Related: 2024 Sun Bowl Opt-Out Tracker

For the Cardinals, they have 22 players who will not be participating in the Sun Bowl. On the offensive side of the ball, their biggest hit are from both starting quarterback Tyler Shough and First-Team All-ACC wide receiver Ja'Corey Brooks, both of whom declared for the NFL Draft.

Over on the defensive side of the ball, there are "just" nine opt-outs, but four of them have significant roles. All-American defensive end Ashton Gillotte and All-ACC Quincy Riley both declared for the NFL Draft, while pseudo-starting defensive tackle Jared Dawson and reserve STAR Ben Perry both hit the portal.

As for the Huskies, they have been hit just as hard, also losing 22 players due to various opt-outs. Offensively, their biggest hits came on the offensive line, losing starter Gaard Memmelaar and key reserve Kahlee Tafai. Reserve running back Cameron Davis is also moving on via the portal.

UW did lose standout freshman linebacker Khmori House and reserve corner Elijah Jackson to the portal, but they were actually hit hard on special teams, too. Starting punter Jack McCalister and go-to kick returner Keith Reynolds both went portaling.

Louisville Aiming to End 2024 Season on Win Streak

There's no doubt that year one under head Jeff Brohm last season was a success. The Cardinals captured a 10-win season and made their first ever appearance in the ACC Championship Game. However, they dropped their last three games of the season, capped off by a beatdown at the hands of USC in the Holiday Bowl.

This year, they have the opportunity to pull off the opposite. Louisville heads into the Sun Bowl having won their last two games vs. Pitt and at Kentucky in blowout fashion. Instead of heading into the offseason with very little momentum, Brohm is fixated on making sure Louisville ends this year on a high note.

"We got to make sure that we finish the season the way we want," Brohm said. "While we finished the regular season, the last two games, how we wanted, we have another game left. We got an opponent that is talented, and had a successful year. We want to be able to manage going on the road, and enjoying a bowl game as much as we can, but finding a way to win.

"Last year, we proved that we could not do that. We didn't do a good job. We didn't play well in the game. We got beat in a lot of facets of the game, and that was just was disappointing. So want to try to get that taste out of our mouth, but also enjoy the bowl experience. These guys have earned it. They worked hard, so we definitely want to learn how to balance that. Enjoy yourself, experience El Paso, have a good time. But we're here to win a football game."

Washington is Far From Last Season's Huskies

Washington has certainly made waves in the sport of college football as of late. Last season, the Huskies went 14-1, clinching a Pac-12 title over Oregon and a Sugar Bowl victory over Texas that punched their ticket to the CFP National Championship. However, UW fell shot of the ultimate goal, dropping a 34-13 decision to Michigan.

Following that game was a cascade of changes for the program. Head coach Kalen DeBoer left to take over Alabama following Nick Saban's retirement, with Washington bringing in Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch to replace him. Of course, given the coaching change, a large portion of UW's top contributors, such as Michael Penix Jr., Rome Odunze and Jabbar Muhammad, either left for the NFL or entered the transfer portal.

As a result, while Washington still put together a respectable season, it wasn't one that came close to what they accomplished last year. The Huskies finished the regular season at 6-6, went 4-5 in Big Ten play during their first season in the conference, and didn't win a single game away from home.

That being said, Brohm still has a ton of respect for UW - especially with how they have navigated the Big Ten following the collapse of the Pac-12.

"Of course, Washington had a tremendous year a year ago," Brohm said. "I know they have a lot of talent on their football team. They're well coached. Like I said, I've coached in the Big Ten, and that's a defensive league. It's hard to score as many points in that league. Just very good defenses, the weather's not as conducive, and you got to be really efficient.

"I think they, of course, adapted to the Big Ten and that adjustment for them. But they're a talented football teams. We're used to coaching against that, and I think you just kind of got to do what you do well: Get it to your best players' hands, try to not make mistakes, be as clean as you can, and try to find a way to score more points than they do at the end."

Louisville's Offense vs. Washington's Defense Will Be The Focal Point

Even though each team will be undoubtedly impacted due to opt-outs, the Sun Bowl is still shaping up to be a very competitive matchup. When looking at each team, this will likely be a game that is decided when Louisville has the ball and Washington's defense takes the field.

Following a 2023 season where the defense actually led the charge, Louisville's offense more so resembled what we come to expect out of Jeff Brohm-led teams. The Cardinals' 455.8 yards and 36.6 points ranked 12th and 13th, respectively, in the FBS.

Their 20th-ranked passing offense at 272.4 passing yards per game will likely be impacted with both Shough and Brooks declaring for the draft. However, their 183.3 rushing yards per game (41st in FBS) will not, with true freshman running backs Isaac Brown and Duke Watson expected to have a heavy role in this game.

Over on the other side of the ball, Washington has the capacity to stop such a prolific offense. While their scoring offense ranks 47th at 22.8 points allowed per game, part of that is one the struggles of the offense, as their 324.8 yards allowed per game ranks 27th nationally.

Where UW really shines is in their linebacking corps and secondary. Linebacker Carson Bruener earned All-Big Ten honors after a 93-tackle and three-interception season. On the back end, the Huskies have the fifth-ranked passing defense at 166.8 passing yards allowed, and are 24th in defensive passing efficiency at 149.55.

(Photo of Chris Bell: Clare Grant - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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