How it happened: Louisville's defense blitzes James Madison 28-14
It wasn’t a walk in the park, but in the end, Louisville’s defense paved the way in the Cardinals’ 28-14 Friday night win over James Madison.
JMU is consistently recognized as one of the best group of five teams in the nation, and they played like it, leading the game 7-6 at halftime.
Louisville’s offense got off to a slow start, with a struggling run game, as the Cardinals were held to five three-and-outs over the course of the game and just four first downs in the first three drives. Eventually, Jeff Brohm’s team made the explosive plays necessary for the comeback with Miller Moss‘s 64-yard pitch and catch to Chris Bell, which, following the two-point try, tied the game at 14 in the third quarter. Bell was the U of L’s leading receiver with four catches and 83 yards.
Isaac Brown hit the gas and hit James Madison with the knockout punch late — a 78-yard run where he tightroped the left sideline. He was responsible for 104 of the Cardinals’ 113 yards on the ground.
Moss dealt with pressure throughout the night getting sacked three times finishing the game throwing for 151 yards and a touchdown. Louisville’s coaching staff tried multiple different combinations on the offensive line, trying to find a groove. Jordan Church entered at right guard in the first half as Louisville moved Lance Robinson (who started at RG) to tackle, sitting Mak Pounders. Then in the second half, Pounders (LT) and Mahamane Moussa (RT) swapped sides at tackle. Brown’s touchdown run, which sealed the game in the fourth quarter, was highlighted by a massive hole on the left side and some nice perimeter blocking.
Still, other than the two drives that ended in offensive touchdowns after the break, the Cards went three-and-out every time they had the ball.
The two James Madison QBs shared time under center on Friday. The starter, Alonza Barnett III, was inconsistent through the air, completing 15 of 25 passes for 102 yards and a score. Matthew Sluka was used more as a runner, with one of his five passes being intercepted. He carried the ball 21 times for 83 yards and a touchdown. In all, the Dukes’ offense was held to 263 yards and JMU was penalized 12 times for 104 yards.
Most of the post-game chatter should be about Louisville’s defense. The Cardinals’ front was all over the field and continues to be a bright spot through the first two games of the season. The Cards’ pass rush got to James Madison quarterbacks for six sacks, and as a team, Louisville had seven tackles for loss and 10 third-down stops.
Not to mention, Louisville’s two fourth-quarter turnovers. The first, a strip sack in the endzone from Clev Lubin, which was recovered in the end zone by the U of L’s Adonoijah Green for a touchdown. Lubin led the Louisville defense with 10 tackles (seven solo), 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. The edge now has 3.5 sacks through the first two games of the season.
Transfer cornerback Jabari Mack also had an interception with under two minutes to play.
It was the second time the two programs had faced, and the first since 2022.
Louisville moves to 2-0 on the season and will enter its first of two bye weeks before hosting Bowling Green on September 20.
