No. 23 Louisville defeats No. 16 SMU 41-31 on Saturday, using several pivotal plays late to overcome a back-and-forth game. Keyjuan Brown leads the Cardinals with a career-high 163 rushing yards and two long touchdown runs. Louisville and SMU trade the lead eight times, setting up a finish decided in the final minutes.
With the game still in contention near the end, Louisville scores again to put the result beyond doubt. Isaac Brown catches a 27-yard touchdown with 5:32 remaining, extending Louisville’s advantage and sealing the final score of 41-31.
Both outlets frame the matchup as one expected to be closely contested, reflecting preseason expectations within the Atlantic Coast Conference. The contest turns on Louisville’s late offensive execution and big-yardage plays, even as SMU remains competitive throughout.
