LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville's grind-it-out pattern has yielded mixed outcomes the past two games, a habit coach Jeff Brohm clearly wants to break ahead of the season’s toughest stretch. The No.
22 Cardinals must pick up their pace against a high-scoring SMU squad that has gained attention with consecutive lopsided victories as an ACC rookie . The visiting Mustangs (4-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference ) enter Saturday’s showdown having outscored TCU and preseason conference favorite Florida State by a 108-58 combined margin. Louisville (3-1, 1-0) was its own worst enemy in last week’s 31-24 loss at Notre Dame, committing three first-half turnovers leading to 17 points.
The Cardinals clawed back with a chance to at least tie the game in the final minute but turned the ball over on downs after a costly delay of game penalty. Louisville has to get out of its own way quickly or end up left behind in the conference race with ACC newcomer SMU leading off a six-game gauntlet featuring No. 8 Miami (5-0, 1-0) and contests at No.
15 and first-place Clemson (3-1, 2-0) and Stanford, another first-year member along with Cal. “We just have to find a way to be sharper with the turnover battle, try to limit big plays, execute in critical time situations, have a good plan for that and be better,” Brohm said. “It’s a lot of small things that add up when you’re facing good teams that you can’t have.
” Louisville has upsides to build on, such as a 17th-ranked defense (27.
