By Tyler Bright and Derek DeBurger

The No. 15 Louisville Cardinals were handed their first loss of the season in a hard-fought battle against the No. 16 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend.

Slopping starts

With the rain showing itself immediately before kickoff, Louisville capitalized on a fumble by Notre Dame’s Devyn Ford on the opening kickoff. Tamarion McDonald recovered the ball at the Irish 24-yard line, setting up a quick three-play scoring drive. Tyler Shough threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Brown, giving the Cardinals a 7-0 lead.

However, things quickly unraveled for Louisville, as Notre Dame responded with 21 straight points in just over five minutes.

The first came on a 75-yard drive, ending with a six-yard touchdown by Jeremiyah Love.

On the next Cardinals drive, Shough broke loose for a 43-yard run only to have the ball stripped by Leonard Moore. The Fighting Irish capitalized on the first turnover of Louisville’s season, with Riley Leonard connecting on a 34-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Greathouse.

The next drive, Louisville moved the ball quickly to midfield, but stalled. On the punt attempt, the snap sailed past the punter and was recovered at the four-yard line.

The Irish would punch the ball in one play later, and just like that the score was 7-21.

After another drive where the Cards moved the ball but ultimately reached fourth down, they were forced to punt yet again. Luckily for Louisville, Notre Dame fumbled one play into their drive and Louisville recovered on the nine-yard line.

Shough found Ja’Corey Brooks a few plays later for a 5-yard touchdown pass.

Louisville’s defense was finally able to make a stand of heir own, forcing the Irish to punt. Louisville again drove the ball well down the field until a pass from Shough went in and out of Chris Bell’s hands directly into the hands of a Notre Dame defender.

Louisville easily shut down the Irish offense, but the field position gave them the perfect opportunity to push the lead to 10 with a field goal.

Right before the half, Louisville yet again moved the ball down the field effectively, but were forced into a fourth-and-one. The Cards ran Donald Chaney on the outside with just 34 seconds left in the half, but failed to convert for the first down.

Louisville trail 14-24 at the half.

All or nothing

The third quarter saw six-consecutive possessions for both teams end in either a punt or a turnover on downs.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, another failed drive forced a 56-yard field goal attempt by Brock Travelstead.

Travelstead just eked the kick through, but Notre Dame quickly responded with a touchdown extending the lead 17-31.

Louisville didn’t back down. The Cards mounted a 14-play drive that culminated with Shough throwing a 24-yard touchdown pass to Brooks, cutting the lead to 31-24 with 5:17 left.

Louisville forced Notre Dame into a three-and-out, getting the ball back right away.

Louisville struggled to move the ball, and found themselves in fourth-and-six after a delay-of-game. Shough threw one finally heave to the end zone to Caullin Lacy, but the pass fell incomplete after a questionable no-call.

Louisville would lose, 24-31.

Self-inflicted

Louisville out-gained the Irish by over 150 yards, but three turnovers, four turnovers on downs and six penalties for 50 yards doomed the Cards’ chances.

The Cards also put themselves in a hole early by allowing a perviously anemic Notre Dame offense to score 24 points in the first half. Louisville’s second half defense continues to look dominant, having only given up 12 second-half-points on the year, but their first half defense remains a concern.

Louisville is now 3-1 on the season. The Cardinals will look to rebound at home against SMU.

Photo by Vinny Porco