LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville kicks off its 2023 football season when the team heads to Atlanta for a matchup with the Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech in the Aflac Kickoff Classic. The game is set for kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Friday’s game is the first the Cards will play under the helm of first-year head coach and former UofL quarterback Jeff Brohm. He was hired by UofL in December after spending the last six years as the head coach of Purdue.

“We’re excited to get things kicked off this Friday evening and I’m sure everyone’s excited to get the college football season started,” Brohm shared in his preview of Friday’s game.

“Our guys have worked hard, put in a lot of work, and now you have to go put it into action and trust the preparation that you had and go out there and perform,” he added.

Aside from being the coach’s first outing with the Cardinals, the game brings a double-dose of pressure as a road game and conference match-up. “Every conference game matters and every game matter, really, but you have to be prepared to go on the road, always,” Brohm explained.

Louisville is 56-42-6 all-time in season openers but they’ve dropped four of their last five on the road, including a 31-7 loss at Syracuse in last season’s ACC opener. The Cards’ last victory in a season opener came in 2020 at home against WKU.

UofL launches their season with a new quarterback under center for the first time since 2019. Transfer Jack Plummer, who started last season at California, will take over the reins this year. Plummer threw for 3,095 yards and 21 touchdowns in his lone season with the Golden Bears. Prior to that, he played in 21 games with 13 starts over the final three seasons of his four campaigns at Purdue under Brohm.

Georgia Tech is also under new leadership. Head coach Brent Key begins his first full season at the helm of the Yellow Jackets after taking over for the final eight games of last season. Key’s team went 4-4 over that span, including a 2-1 mark against nationally ranked opponents.

The Yellow Jackets are looking to reload a stout defense after their two all-conference linebackers, Ayinde Eley and Charlie Thomas, departed for the NFL. Defensive back LaMiles Brooks and linebacker Trenilyas Tatum will look to fill in the big shoes left by the pair. Both returners received preseason all-ACC recognition, with Brooks receiving second-team honors and Tatum receiving a fourth-team nod.

This will be the third time the Cardinals have opened the season in Mercedez Benz Stadium. In 2021, they lost to Ole Miss, 41-23, and in 2015 they dropped a 31-24 decision to Auburn.