3. Injuries plagued a stalled rushing attack
It was evident from the start that the injuries to Isaac Brown and Duke Watson were greatly limiting the star tandem from performing at their highest potential. Both showed a slow first step with minimal push as they started their limited number of rushing attempts. This became a further issue as Watson was helped off the field in the 2nd quarter from an apparent lower-body injury. With these two individuals not at full strength, the running game was practically non-existent in this game.
Louisville entered the season touting two returning starters at the position, with many media outlets ranking the rushing attack as one of the best in the country. Injuries have unfortunately kept this tandem from proving the preseason predictions correct. This has also been clearly evident in the offense, as the passing attack has been forced to step up its game to a much higher level than previously expected. As a result, the offense has looked stagnant and slow at times, with many Cardinals fans growing concerned about the offensive performance as the season and ACC play progress.