No drama, just dominance: Louisville steamrolls EKU 51-17 in season-opener

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – That’s how you’re supposed to handle an opener against an FCS opponent, even a pretty good one like Eastern Kentucky, which was coming off an FCS playoff trip.

Louisville coach Jeff Brohm had preached to his players to be ready, to do their jobs, to turn in a professional effort.

They looked like pros, all right. At least in this one. Louisville opened with a 51-17 win over EKU before a crowd announced at 50,536 in L&N Stadium. Sophomore running back Isaac Brown carried the ball six times for 126 yards and two touchdowns before Brohm placed him back into his safe packaging for next week.

USC transfer quarterback Miller Moss completed 17 of 25 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown, and ran for a score. He completed passes to six receivers.

Wideout Caullin Lacy had a 93-yard punt return touchdown and had four catches for 62 yards

Louisville scored touchdowns on its first five drives and led 41-0 before Moss threw high on a pass late in the second quarter and Vito Tisdale, a former Kentucky defensive back, grabbed it and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown.

Four passes later, Moss threw for Chris Bell down the sideline and Tisdale came away with the ball, returning that one 43 yards to no effect in the closing seconds of the half.

They were some of the few sour notes for a Louisville first-team whose day ended when the Cardinals trudged to the locker room up 41-7.

The interceptions and the penalties. Louisville had three quick ones to open the game and wound up with 70 yards in flags in the first half. For the game, they wound up with 12 penalties for 106 yards. And their turnover problems weren’t over.

Taking the reins in the second half, backup QB Brady Allen added a touchdown pass to Kris Hughes in the third quarter but also threw an interception in his own territory that set up a short EKU touchdown early in the fourth.

Freshman redshirt Deuce Adams looked composed when he got his chance, leading a 10-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a field goal and bled more clock.

Louisville finished with 542 total yards — including 229 rushing — and averaged 8.1 yards per play. But the Cards penalties and turnovers will give Brohm something to circle ahead of a tougher test next week.

On defense, Clev Lubin, a rush specialist who transferred from Coastal Carolina, lived up to his billing, with two sacks in the game. Defensive tackle Jordan Geurad led the Cardinals with five solo tackles.

The Cards have a short week before facing James Madison at 7 p.m. Friday night in L&N Stadium.