A loss at Notre Dame last week not only dropped 22nd-ranked Louisville from the ranks of the unbeaten but also provided the Cardinals with learning experiences, according to second-year coach Jeff Brohm.
“There are all kinds of things to clean up, but you’re going to have that when you’re facing really good football teams every week,” he said. “We just have to find a way to be sharper with the turnover battle, try to limit big plays, execute in critical time situations, have a good plan for that and be better.”
The Cardinals will try to put those theories to good use Saturday when they welcome SMU to town for an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup.
Louisville (3-1, 1-0 ACC) outgained Notre Dame 395-280 but made too many mistakes to beat a good team on the road, falling 31-24. The Cardinals committed three turnovers, allowed three sacks and were flagged six times for 50 yards, including a key delay-of-game call before a fourth-and-1 play from the Fighting Irish 46 in the last minute. After the penalty, an incomplete pass sealed the outcome.
Louisville lost despite receiving 264 yards and three touchdowns in the air from Tyler Shough. The Texas Tech transfer is off to a hot start, completing 65 percent of his passes for 1,114 yards with 11 scores and only one interception in 117 attempts.
His favorite target has been Ja’Corey Brooks, an Alabama transfer. Brooks has 22 catches for 368 yards and four touchdowns, two of them at Notre Dame. However, Louisville will have to be vigilant in terms of ball security as the Mustangs are tied for the FBS lead with 14 takeaways in five games.
SMU (4-1, 1-0) came up with three interceptions last week as it routed Florida State 42-16 in Dallas during a smashing ACC debut. One of those picks resulted in a game-sealing, 82-yard touchdown by Kobe Wilson early in the fourth quarter.
“On third down, they get very exotic and they come after the quarterback,” Brohm said of the Mustangs. “They do some things that other teams aren’t aggressive doing, so I give them credit. They’re well-coached and they’re believing in what they’re doing.”
While Florida State is clearly not living up to its top-10 preseason ranking, the result was everything the Mustangs could have hoped for and more. They haven’t been in a “power” conference since 1995, when the Southwest Conference folded. They subsequently wound up in various Group of Five leagues.
SMU is averaging 42.2 points per game behind a balanced offense that logs 419.4 yards per game — more than 200 yards per contest both running and passing. Miami transfer Brashard Smith has rushed for 509 yards and scored seven touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the Mustangs’ defense has been sharp except in a 66-42 win over TCU, holding the other four opponents to an average of 16.3 points.
“I don’t know what to say about our defense,” Lashlee said. “They keep responding. That’s what we want to do. … It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our defensive staff and players.”
This will be the first matchup of the schools in 40 years. The Mustangs won both previous meetings in 1983 and 1984 by a combined score of 65-13.
