Notre Dame’s offense apparently doesn’t like late nights. It prefers to go to mattress early. When the solar goes down, the No. 10 Irish desire to be executed for the day.

For the third straight week, Notre Dame (6-1) sputtered in primetime, and at No. 25 Louisville (6-0), the Irish protection couldn’t maintain up lengthy sufficient for the offense to seek out its method. The Cardinals used two big-play touchdowns and a number of quick fields to rout Notre Dame, 33-20, on Saturday night time in entrance of the largest crowd in Louisville soccer historical past.

In retrospect, the approaching Irish struggles could have been clear from the primary drive of the sport, sixth-year quarterback Sam Hartman throwing an interception on the fourth snap of the sport, attempting to provide a receiver an opportunity to make a play regardless of being underneath stress. Freshman Rico Flores Jr. could not have even identified the soar ball was on its method, coming earlier in his route than anticipated and his inexperience exhibiting in not recognizing the state of affairs as Cardinals cornerback Quincy Riley went up for the go.

Louisville turned that right into a landing, placing collectively a sustained landing drive, one thing of a rarity for Jeff Brohm’s offense, the one one of many night time.

That stress by no means left Hartman alone for lengthy. The Cardinals racked up 5 sacks and hassled him loads greater than that, forcing three interceptions in the identical stadium that Hartman threw three picks a yr in the past whereas nonetheless at Wake Forest.

“That’s why we won the game,” Brohm mentioned to ABC instantly after the win, surrounded by Louisville followers on the sphere. “Anytime you win the turnover battle, that’s why you’re going to win. … We got to the quarterback, we effected him like we wanted to. That’s why we won the game.”

Hartman was carrying a plain gold helmet this time, fairly than one with an interlocking “WF” on it, and going towards a special teaching workers, however in any other case, the outcome at L&N Stadium needed to really feel too acquainted for him.

He completed with 254 yards on Saturday, his solely aggressive landing go surprisingly going to order freshman receiver Jordan Faison, higher identified for his potential lacrosse exploits. Hartman’s second landing — Notre Dame’s second landing — got here as soon as already down three possessions.

It was beauty, as had been the Cardinals’ three fourth-quarter subject targets, all approaching collection with out first downs, gifted field-goal vary by the Irish offense. Louisville’s offense didn’t want to maneuver the ball. It simply wanted to not flip it over. Notre Dame’s offense set it up with the remaining.

SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
6:05 — Louisville landing. Jamari Thrash 9-yard go from Jack Plummer. Brock Travelstead pont after. Louisville 7, Notre Dame 0. (12 performs, 70 yards, 7:06)

Second Quarter
6:58 — Notre Dame landing. Jordan Faison 36-yard go from Sam Hartman. Spencer Shrader level after. Louisville 7, Notre Dame 7. (11 performs, 88 yards, 5:45)

Third Quarter
13:18 — Notre Dame subject purpose. Shrader 53 yards. Notre Dame 10, Louisville 7. (4 performs, 4 yards, 1:35)
8:24 — Louisville subject purpose. Travelstead 44 yards. Notre Dame 10, Louisville 10. (9 performs, 48 yards, 4:54)
5:45 — Louisville landing. Jawhar Jordan 45-yard run. Travelstead level after. Louisville 17, Notre Dame 10. (2 performs, 64 yards, 0:43)
1:06 — Notre Dame subject purpose. Shrader 54 yards. Louisville 17, Notre Dame 13. (7 performs, 27 yards, 4:39)

Fourth Quarter
11:12 — Louisville landing. Jordan 21-yard rush. Travelstead level after. Louisville 24, Notre Dame 13. (11 performs, 75 yards, 4:54)
7:31 — Louisville subject purpose. Travelstead 45 yards. Louisville 27, Notre Dame 13. (4 performs, 7 yards, 2:18)
5:02 — Louisville subject purpose. Travelstead 32 yards. Louisville 30, Notre Dame 13. (4 performs, -4 yards, 2:18)
3:12 — Louisville subject purpose. Travelstead 35 yards. Louisville 33, Notre Dame 13. (4 performs, 8 yards, 0:22)
1:35 — Notre Dame landing. Mitchell Evans 6-yard go from Hartman. Louisville 33, Notre Dame 20. (7 performs, 75 yards, 1:37)

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