Cardinals’ Playoff Hopes Ride on SMU | Louisville Football News

The Cardinals crushed Villanova 59-13 in a statement-opening win, but the real test begins Saturday against SMU — a must-win for playoff hopes. New QB Lincoln Kienholz showed flashes of brilliance, connecting with receivers like Tre Richardson and Jaleel Skinner for over 300 yards and two TDs, though his early struggles hint at potential volatility. The offense looked explosive — especially on the ground, where eight different backs combined for 260+ yards — but sloppy play, including costly penalties and defensive lapses, raises red flags. With key RB health in question and a porous secondary exposed by a long TD pass, the Cardinals need to tighten up fast if they want to be taken seriously as playoff contenders. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6313ee457d609ad8