Mike RutherfordSat, November 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM UTC·14 min readLOUISVILLE CARDINALS (7-3, 4-3) at SMU Mustangs (7-3, 5-1)
Game Time: Noon
Location: Gerald Ford Stadium: Dallas, TX
Television: ESPN2
Announcers: Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst) and Taylor Davis (sideline)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFavorite: SMU by 2.5
All-Time Series: SMU leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: SMU won 31-24 on Oct. 5, 2024 in Louisville
Series History:
Statistics:
Depth Chart:
Louisville Uniforms:
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SMU Uniforms:
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Injury Reports:
Louisville CardinalsOUT
RB #1 Isaac Brown
LB #9 Antonio Watts
QB #17 Travis Egan
RB #22 Keyjuan Brown
RB #33 Jamarice Wilder
LB #43 Trent Carter
RB #43 Shammai Gates
OL #76 Tyler Folmar
QUESTIONABLE
QB #7 Miller Moss
PROBABLE
LB #34 TJ Quinn
TE #86 Jacob Stewart
OUT
DB #2 Zadian Gentry
CB #15 La’Modrick Spencer
LB #30 Kyle Ferm
WR #45 Isaiah Robertson
DE #58 Aakil Washington
OL #77 Alex Woods
DT #94 Jonathan Jefferson
QUESTIONABLE
DE #9 Cameron Robertson
CB #13 Jaelyn Davis-Robinson
LB #20 Justin Medlock
PROBABLE
OL #54 Savion Byrd
OL #59 PJ Williams
Relevant Videos:
About SMU:
Via Keith Wynne
OFFENSE
SMU joined the ACC last year and immediately put itself at the top of the conference by making the conference championship game in year one. The Mustangs have been able to utilize speedy transfers at their skill positions to maximize Rhett Lashlee’s explosive offensive system. Lashlee rode that system to a head coaching job for a program that has rewarded him with a new contract this year. With a week to prepare, Lashlee will undoubtedly have a plan to get his offense going against a strong Louisville defense.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSMU lost a lot of players from last season, but Kevin Jennings is back at quarterback, and he has continued his strong play since taking over the starting job early last year. Jennings is a mobile quarterback who likes to make the throw when possible as opposed to using his legs. However, when he uses his legs, he can be a real problem. Jennings ran for 113 yards against the Cards last year on top of his 281 yards passing.
Brashard Smith is playing on Sundays this year, but the Mustangs have started to figure out how to replace him late in the season. Miami transfer Chris Johnson has become a more consistent part of the offense lately, but his health is a concern coming into this game. His speed is tough to plan for, but he isn’t likely to run through tackles at his size. He and Derrick McFall give the Mustangs a nice young duo with speed and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
The more consistent option for the Mustangs at running back is TJ Harden, who is a load at 6-2/225. Harden is coming off a huge game against Boston College, where he ran for 130 yards on 8 yards per carry. Harden is the back we will see most often on Saturday, but the staff has done a good job of balancing out Harden’s power with the backups’ speed. The Cards will have to avoid giving up the big runs they allowed against Clemson.
SMU lost its top two receivers from last year, but they haven’t skipped a beat with their passing game. Jordan Hudson and Ramello Brinson have expanded their roles on the outside to give Jennings consistent options in the intermediate and deep passing game. Jalen Cooper and Yamir Wright are also options that allow the passing game to spread things around. If there is an area of this offense that worries me, it is the options in the passing game. It’s tough to focus on one or two guys.
SMU has one of the best tight end duos in the country in RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner. Maryland is a legit big-play threat with his speed and athleticism. He can take a short pass and turn it into a big play, and he is also a pure deep threat down the sideline. Hibner isn’t much of a big-play threat, but he stepped up when Maryland was out last year to be a key part of the offense. SMU has done well to utilize both of them this season.
SMU gets inconsistent play for its offensive line, but a lot of its pass-blocking issues come from Jennings extending plays and holding onto the ball. They have great size up front, but they are a little young in some areas, which can cause them issues. Run blocking is a real issue for them, and that has caused problems in the run game. SMU has had a few games this year where they have become one-dimensional because they couldn’t block for the running backs.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDEFENSE
Rhett Lashlee is an offensive guru, but he has done well to improve the defensive side of the ball since taking over as head coach at SMU. His group has turned into a strength of the program, which is why he has been able to put his program among the top of the ACC in such a short amount of time. Lashlee lost just about everyone from last year’s defense, but the group has been solid this year, with turnovers being their calling card.
SMU has been outstanding at bringing in transfers to make an impact on defense. Jeffrey M’ba is the next on the list of guys they’ve brought in who have been key players for the defense. M’ba is a former Auburn and Purdue player who hadn’t been able to make many plays, but he has racked up 7.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. The defensive tackle will be a handful for a Louisville offensive line that has been inconsistent this year.
The other interior spot on the defensive line is manned by Terry Webb, who is about as disruptive as it gets as a nose tackle. Webb is also having a career year after transferring in from Texas State. He and M’ba are massive bodies in the middle of a defense that wants to stop the run while forcing a lot of negative plays. Louisville will also see a former Card, again, in this game, with Woo Spencer backing up Webb.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIsaiah Smith leads the Mustangs in tackles for loss and sacks with 16 and 7.5, respectively. Smith is a player who had a solid year last season and has stepped into an expanded role with great results. He’s essentially what every coach would want to see year-over-year. Smith has improved each year, and he’s grown into the leader in the country in tackles for loss. Louisville hasn’t had too much trouble handling edge rushers this year, but they also haven’t faced a defense that brings pressure like SMU does in a good while.
The Cards will also have to have a plan for the opposite edge, as Cameron Robertson is another strong pass rusher for the Mustangs. He has missed their last three games, but if Robertson is back, the Cards will be facing the best pass-rushing duo since the Miami game. It’s possible we could see a similar game plan from Jeff Brohm.
The Mustangs have been hit by injuries at the linebacker position, but they have also not had great play from the group when they have been healthy. However, SMU is one of the best tackling teams in the country, and they are led by Brandon Booker in the middle. Booker has only missed four tackles on the year while being a solid player who can get the job done for this defense. He may not make a lot of big plays, but it’s always good to have a reliable player at linebacker.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSMU has gotten solid play from its cornerbacks this year, but injuries have killed them. They are now down to starting two freshmen at corner, after two starters went down with injuries. Deuce Harmon has rotated between corner and nickel over the last few weeks, and there hasn’t been much of a dropoff. SMU has one of the best pass defenses in the country, though they do allow a lot of yardage. They are ranked second to last in the country in yards per game allowed, while also being middle of the pack in just about every other passing defense statistic.
Ahmaad Moses and Isaiah Nwokobia are the best safety tandem in the ACC, and one could argue, they are one of the best in the country. Moses leads the team in interceptions for the second straight year, while Nwokobia is on pace for over 100 tackles for the second straight year. These guys are constantly in the thick of every play on the field. If there is a tackle being made, they are likely in the area. They are the reason that SMU leads the country in takeaways, and Louisville better account for them this weekend.
Motivational Tweets:
I’m just going to say look at the timeline of any average Louisville fan you can find on Twitter.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementExcitement Level: 4.9
I’m going to watch. I’m going to cheer. I’m going to be excited if we win. But I’m not going to lie. Beating Kentucky is the season’s major remaining goal.
Game Attire: Red Louisville Football hoodie
We are 3-0 on the road with this outfit, so let’s polish off a perfect season.
Pregame Meal: Cheerios, coffee
After last weekend’s stomach flu debacle, it’s all I’ve been able to have for breakfast this week.
Bold Prediction: Louisville doesn’t miss a field goal or an extra point in this game
And we all say “why couldn’t that have happened 8 days ago.” Or at least some of us say it.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementI’ll say it.
Jeff Brohm Tick Play Alert Level: Goldenrod (average)
Maybe. Probably. Who knows.
Predicted Star of the Game: Chris Bell
SMU has the second worst pass defense in the FBS, so if he’s not at least one of the stars of the game, we’re probably in trouble.
Notable:
—Louisville is 3-0 in true road games this season, with only Saturday’s game in Dallas to play. The Cardinals have not finished a regular season perfect on the road since 2013.
—Louisville is 0-3 all-time against SMU and also 0-3 agains the new members of the ACC — SMU, Cal and Stanford.
—Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm is 0-1 in games against SMU.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee is 1-0 in games against Louisville.
—Louisville has won 49 consecutive games when shutting out its opponent in the second half, something the Cardinals did three weeks ago in their 28-16 win over Virginia Tech. Louisville’s last loss in such a situation came in 1996.
—The SMU defense enters Saturday ranked first in the FBS for turnovers gained (26), second in red zone defense (0.658), fourth in passes intercepted (16), fourth in fumbles recovered (10), six in team sacks (3.20), eighth in defensive touchdowns (3), 15th in rushing defense (102.1) and 19th in team tackles for loss (6.7).
—SMU is outscoring its opponents 156-91 in the first half so far this season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement— SMU’s 61 wins in the last six years are the most by any FBS team in the state with Texas. In addition, the Mustangs have won 27 of those on the road, tops for any team in the state since 2019.
—SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee is 26-4 in conference games as the Mustangs’ head coach.
—The state of Texas has produced two Kentucky Derby winners: Middleground (1950) and Assault (1946).
—Louisville has outscored its opponents 78-46 in the 4th quarter so far this season, and 273-199 in 4th quarters under Jeff Brohm.
—Louisville has had nine come-from-behind victories under head coach Jeff Brohm, including four this season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Louisville had scored at least 24 points in 23 consecutive games before last week’s 20-19 loss to Clemson.
—Louisville hasn’t lost by more than 7 points in 23 consecutive games, the third longest such streak in the country.
—Under Jeff Brohm, Louisville is 13-1 in games in which it rushes for 200 yards or more.
—Louisville has won five consecutive games away from home overall.
—Louisville has forced a total of 54 turnovers since the start of the 2023 season, but has forced just one over its last three games.
—Louisville has not allowed an opponent to rush for 200 yards in a game this season.
—The Louisville defense has allowed just three rushing play of 20 yards or more this season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Louisville is one of eight FBS teams to score in every game it has played for the last 25 years, joining Boise State, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, Southern California, Texas Christian, and Virginia Tech.
—Louisville is 167-178-5 all-time in the month of November, including a 65-95-3 mark on the road.
—Louisville is 7-7 all-time in games played on Nov. 22. Their last appearance on the date was a 31-28 win at Notre Dame in 2014.
—SMU will hold its Senior Day celebrations before Saturday’s game.
—Louisville is 7-4 in the month of November under head coach Jeff Brohm.
—SMU is 13-1 in November games under head coach Rhett Lashlee.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Louisville is 14-2 in ACC regular season games under Jeff Brohm when allowing fewer than 30 points, but they’ve lost two consecutive such games.
—Louisville is 53-44 all-time in ACC games, and 16-7 in ACC games under Jeff Brohm.
—Louisville is 12-0 under head coach Jeff Brohm when it doesn’t commit a turnover.
—Louisville is 16-0 under Jeff Brohm when it wins the turnover battle and 10-11 when it doesn’t.
—Louisville has a 17-game winning streak when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, last losing 31-16 at Clemson on Nov. 12, 2022.
—Louisville is 24-2 over the past five seasons when shutting out its opponent in the first quarter.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Louisville has won 38 of its last 43 games when holding teams to less than 300 yards of offense. The Cards lost to Virginia earlier this season despite holding the Cavaliers to 237 yards of offense.
—Louisville has won 17 straight games when holding its opponent scoreless in the first half.
—Since 2019, Louisville is 35-4 when winning the turnover battle, and just 8-26 when losing it.
—Louisville is 23-3 under Jeff Brohm when allowing fewer than 30 points.
—Louisville is 209-16 all-time when scoring 35 or more points in a game.
—Louisville is 142-4 all-time when scoring 40 or more points in a game, including an 83-3 mark since 2000. The Cards are 6-123 all-time when allowing opponents to score 40 or more points.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—Louisville is currently riding a consecutive game scoring streak that spans 324 games dating back to a 31-0 loss to Florida State during the 2000 season. The streak ranks as the second longest in the ACC behind only Virginia Tech, and the 8th-longest nationally.
Quotable:
—“They beat us last year. They’ve got an athletic quarterback, they play with tempo. I think they’re at one loss in the conference, so we’re going to have to have a good week of practice, which I think we will.” —Jeff Brohm
—“You’ve got to get to Sunday and be in contention. I kind of look at the month of November as Sunday in the golf analogy. We’re in contention. That’s all you can ask for as a competitor.” —SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement—”That fella (Kevin Jennings) presents some problems, there’s no doubt about it. He did last year for us, and not just for us but against everybody he has gone against.” —Mark Ivey
—“In November when it’s elimination time and the games count and the games matter, I think that’s when we’re our best.” —SMU QB Kevin Jennings
—“It’s good to be sitting here a week before Thanksgiving and playing in a game with four teams tied for first in the league, and we’re one of them. We’ve got to control what we can, which means we have to find a way to beat Louisville. I think that’s three straight years we’ve been in contention late in November.” —SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee
—“They play hard, they play fast, they’ve played some really good games here in the recent past and they’re playing very confident now. I think it’s a good football team that is playing confident. They have a lot to play for, like all of us, but it will be a tough battle for us.” —Jeff Brohm
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCard Chronicle Prediction: SMU 31, Louisville 20
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