CRAWFORD | For Louisville, injuries hurt, but 38-6 loss at SMU should hurt more

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — This was always going to be a tough ask.

Louisville arrived at SMU missing its starting quarterback (Miller Moss), its top two running backs (Isaac and Keyjuan Brown), and lost return specialist Caullin Lacy early in the second half. It had a redshirt freshman quarterback making his first start, a reshuffled offensive identity, and a bruised psyche after back-to-back losses.

Louisville | Kentucky | Indiana | Eric Crawford

But even with all that, you come away with the feeling that this shouldn’t have looked this bad.

Louisville fell 38-6 to SMU — its third straight loss and worst since a 45-13 thrashing at Kentucky in 2019. For a team that was a handful of plays away from coming into this game undefeated, this flat spin in November is as stunning as it is painful.

And still, you come away thinking: the injuries were tough, yes. But the execution was worse.

Louisville was penalized 8 times for 61 yards, including two critical infractions that wiped away first downs or stalled momentum. The Cardinals managed just 211 yards of total offense, punted seven times, and went 1-for-11 on third down .

Freshman QB Deuce Adams was steady but limited: 12-of-17 for 94 yards, no touchdowns, no picks. Backup Brady Allen threw a late interception that SMU quickly turned into its final touchdown.

But the real letdown was on defense. SMU gashed Louisville for 485 yards, including 303 through the air from Kevin Jennings and 3 touchdowns. The Mustangs were 9-of-13 on third down, held the ball for over 35 minutes, and closed the game with a 17-0 run.

Line in the Sand

What once felt like a breakthrough season now teeters on something far more fragile.

Next week brings a surging Kentucky team to town. For Louisville, it’s not just a rivalry. It may be a reckoning.

Win, and this becomes a hard-luck November in a disappointing season. Lose, and the conversation changes to, “What’s happening to Louisville?”

We’re about to find out.