SMU Blows Out Louisville, 38-6

Just when you though the football season couldn’t possibly be more over, we hit a new rock bottom. And the scariest part about that is there’s still a Governor’s Cup to play for against a less than impressive Kentucky team. It could still get oh so much worse.

I think the question we should start with is this: What the hell happened?

In less than 3 weeks, really more like 2, Louisville went from 7-1 with everything to play for, including a CFP berth and an ACC title. The Cal game was the obvious torpedo that decimated any chances of those lofty hopes coming to fruition, but the Clemson game is where I think the season went from “we blew it” to “the wheels may be falling off.” I’d say after today’s embarrassing blowout at the hands of SMU that the wheels are long gone and we are screeching violently towards the Kentucky game with a team held together by duct tape and gum.

It’s ugly. There’s no way around it. What we saw today was unfathomable even 2 weeks ago.

To put things into perspective, let’s play a game of “never did I ever”

Never did I ever think I’d see…– A Jeff Brohm coached Louisville team get completely and totally embarrassed– A Jeff Brohm coached Louisville team score just 6 points– A Jeff Brohm coached Louisville team throw for just 100 yards in a game– Jeff Brohm flip flop between 3 QBs without any sign that any of them have the ability to win at this level– This team could go from 7-1 to 7-5, which is now very very possible

It’s collapse unlike any we’ve really ever seen in this program. Usually the bad seasons are bad, and the good season are good. 2016 is likely the best comparison as the Houston loss derailed and demoralized what had been up to that point a great team and a successful season.

I’ll briefly talk about the game itself, but it’s so hard to focus on anything other than the narrative and the redirection of this program.

The game sucked.

Despite the massive disappointments of the last few weeks, there was still something to play for. Sitting at 7-3 you still had the opportunity to finish 9-3, with wins over Miami and UK, and possibly a 10th win in a bowl. And despite all of the successes this program has had in the last 30 years, 9 and 10 win seasons just aren’t anything that should ever be taken for granted.

But the defense got off to a sleepy start, and even when they bowed up deep in their own territory the refs made two questionable PI calls that bailed out SMU and put them in a very disadvantageous position. Down 7-0, the Deuce Adams experiment began. It started out promising with Louisville’s script driving them deep into SMU territory with some crafty runs including speed options, read options, and QB draws that we really haven’t seen under Miller Moss’ direction. But the drive stalled and the Cooper Ranvier narrowed the gap 7-3.

On the ensuing SMU drive UofL was able to get off the field only for the offense to go 3-and-out. SMU would score on their next two drives, with another UofL 3-and-out sandwiched between them. Both touchdowns drive included a flurry of 3rd down conversions that were just back breakers over and over.

But what really stood out was Brohm going with Brady Allen on the third drive. It felt forced, inconsiderate, and felt like poor timing when Deuce Adams was still trying to get settled into the game. On the final Cardinals drive of the half, Deuce came back in the game and Jeff finally let him take shots down field instead of to the sidelines and they worked out beautifully. His first dart went for 28 yards to Collins, and the next went for 26 to Bell to get them all the day down to the SMU 11. But after a 1-yard run, a batted ball, and a sack you really only see inexperienced QBs take (he had an escape route to the right of the pocket), UofL had to settle for another 3 points, and their last of the day.

After the defense got a big sack from Green to make it 3rd & 22 with 33 seconds left in the half, both teams elected to let the clock run out. Really disappointing from Brohm again at the end of the half with the opportunity to get points and the ball back after the half.

With Louisville getting the ball back after the half down 21-6, they had an opportunity to make things interesting and the opening drive started out well. Facing 4th & 1 on SMU’s 40 yard line, UofL had a beautiful conversion with Chris Bell taking a jet sweep for 10 yards only for it to get called back on another very untimely penalty. A theme we’ve seen way too much of this season. Louisville punts away, and that’s pretty much the ball game.

For the remainder of the game the defense looked completely uninterested, and the offense playing with a hodge podge of second, third, and fourth stringers just could not get any rhythm going. Caulin Lacy going down on a nasty hit only made the offense’s injury woes even worse.

When will it end, man.

After taking a few hours to absorb this humiliating loss, Louisville’s worst since 2019(!), I’m still at a loss and have so many questions.

I’m not surprised with all of the RB injuries and the QB mismanagement that the offense struggled today. But I was genuinely surprised how poorly the defense played. There’s definitely something to be said about the offense putting them in bad spots and not letting them get a breather, but allowing SMU to go 9-13 on 3rd down is beyond embarassing and just flat out unacceptable. They were showing some serious signs of quitting, and that’s just about the worst thing you can see as a fan, especially with at least another game left on the schedule, and one that means a lot to the fans.

So where do we go from here?

No idea. That’s for the millionaires in charge to figure out, and boy do they have a lot of questions to answer about this season and what lies ahead for the future of this program.

Even with a victory over UK, UofL would have taken another step backwards in Jeff Brohm’s 3rd year going from 10 wins to 9, to 8 (bowl game pending). That in and of itself is massively disappointing, and with the multiple decommitments these last few weeks and with the talent set to graduate after this season, it’s hard to buy into what may come after this season.

Brohm has a lot to fix, and he needs to do it quickly.

A great way to alleviate some of that pressure would be to take down arch-rival UK next week, but with the way the entire team played today it’s just so difficult to imagine this team beating anyone. Now that’s not to say Kentucky looked impossible to defeat after their performance in Nashville today, but I still think Kentucky has more motivation and better QB play heading into the season finale.

Do you go back to Moss and hope to skate by for one more win? Do you hope for some magic with Deuce or Allen? Who the hell knows.

Just fucking win it, Jeff. Then we’ll worry about *EVERYTHING* else.