No. 23 Louisville Outlasts No. 16 SMU 41-31 in Wild ACC Shootout

No. 23 Louisville Knocks Off No. 16 SMU in ACC Thriller

No. 23 Louisville used a pair of explosive rushing performances and a late defensive stand to knock off No. 16 SMU 41-31 on Saturday in a back-and-forth Atlantic Coast Conference showdown.

The Cardinals and Mustangs traded the lead eight times before Louisville finally pulled away in the fourth quarter. The matchup featured two teams that were picked by the ACC preseason media to finish near the top of the conference, with SMU selected second and Louisville third.

Louisville running back Keyjuan Brown delivered the biggest plays of the afternoon, rushing for a career-high 163 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries. His explosive running helped the Cardinals produce 442 total yards of offense and overcome a 17-14 halftime deficit.

Keyjuan Brown Sparks Louisville With Explosive Runs

Brown immediately made his impact felt coming out of halftime. Less than a minute into the third quarter, Brown broke loose for a 58 yard touchdown run that put Louisville back in front. Later in the quarter, he added another huge play, racing 53 yards to give the Cardinals a 35-31 advantage with 10:02 remaining.

Those two long touchdown runs helped Louisville seize control of a game that had remained tight throughout the first three quarters. Isaac Brown eventually delivered the decisive blow, scoring on a 27 yard touchdown run with 5:32 remaining to push Louisville’s lead to 41-31.

Lincoln Kienholz Leads Balanced Louisville Attack

Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz completed 14 of 23 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He also added a rushing touchdown as the Cardinals repeatedly found ways to keep SMU’s defense off balance.

Louisville’s offense finished with 442 total yards, combining Kienholz’s passing with a ground game that produced several explosive plays. The Cardinals’ ability to answer SMU’s scoring drives proved critical in a game that featured eight changes of the lead.

SMU Gets Big Day From Kendrick Raphael

SMU running back Kendrick Raphael had a career performance of his own, rushing for a career-high 197 yards and three touchdowns. Raphael’s 12 yard touchdown run with 11:33 remaining in the fourth quarter put the Mustangs ahead 31-28 and appeared to give SMU momentum heading into the final stretch.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings completed 24 of 35 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown, but two interceptions proved costly. Louisville defensive back Kaleb Beasley intercepted Jennings twice, including one that helped the Cardinals protect their late lead.

Louisville Defense Seals the Victory

The biggest defensive play came with 2:43 remaining. With SMU driving and attempting to get back into the game, Louisville stripped Jennings of the ball just before he reached the goal line. The ball rolled out of the end zone, turning what would have been a 19 yard touchdown into a touchback.

The Cardinals took advantage of the turnover and were able to close out the 41-31 victory. Louisville now opens ACC play with a 1-0 record and leaves Saturday with a statement victory over a ranked SMU team. The Cardinals’ combination of explosive rushing, timely quarterback play and a defense that produced three turnovers proved to be the difference in one of the conference’s most entertaining games of Week 3.