By Elizabeth Scanland

Coming off their first loss of the season, the Cards will face the ACC-newcomer SMU Mustangs.

SMU is coming off a massive win against Florida State in their ACC debut and currently are tied for second place in the conference. This will be the first time the two teams play each other in nearly four decades.

Pony express

Ever since benching starting quarterback Preston Stone in favor of Kevin Jennings, SMU has been rolling on offense.

Jennings has a total of seven touchdowns and 882 yards in the two-and-a-half games he’s appeared in. Jennings is a very versatile quarterback who shows off his speed and arm in every game.

Outside ofJennings, SMU has several weapons he can rely on including running back Brashard Smith who has seven rushing touchdowns on the season. Smith has scored in every game except their matchup against BYU–SMU’s only loss of the season.

The Mustangs also have a clear go to wide receiver in RJ Maryland. Maryland only has three touchdowns on the year, but is a matchup nightmare with his unique combination of size and speed.

SMU’s offense features a little bit of everything from the run game, to the pass game and the occasional trick play, but the bread and butter of Rhett Lashlee’s scheme is an up-tempo running attack.

Stanquan Clark leads the team with 22 tackles, and will be a major factor in slowing down the two-headed monster of Jennings and Smith. Ashton Gillotte will look to pressure Jennings and create panic behind what has been a shaky offensive line so far. Top cornerback Quincy Riley will have the task of slowing down Maryland, assuming Riley’s health is not a factor.

Good defense, bad defense

Despite an up-and-down performance, SMU has a sneaky good defense with multiple star players. SMU has hauled in nine interceptions and recovered five fumbles this season, leading to four defensive touchdowns. Ahmad Moses leads the team in interceptions with three, and Kobe Wilson has an impressive two interceptions from the linebacker position. Moses and Wilson are also two of the top four tacklers for the Mustangs, with 24 and 31 tackles, respectively.

On the flip side, SMU has had complete lapses on the defensive side. The Mustangs gave up 42 points and 480 yards, with turnovers being their only saving grace. Louisville only has three turnovers on the season, with all three being a result of sloppy conditions against Notre Dame.

Tyler Shough has had an incredible start to his Cardinal tenure, already throwing 11 touchdowns to one interception and a total of 1,114 yards. With multiple strong weapons in the receiving game in Ja’Corey Brooks, Jamari Johnson and the newly reintroduced Caullin Lacy. Shough has the ability to carve up a defense if he is given enough time, so pass protection will be the difference between a hug offensive performance and a second-straight loss.

Arguably SMU’s biggest weakness is their special teams. The Mustangs are one of the most penalized teams in the country, averaging 75.4 penalty yards a game, and have given up an alarming number of blocked kicks and punts dating back to last season. If the Cards can capitalize in this aspect of the game, they could seriously strain the needs of the SMU offense.

SMU will be a real test for the Cards, but Louisville should be able to pull out the win and move to 4-1 on the season.

Photo Courtesy // Vinny Porco, The Louisville Cardinal