Pitt Panthers gets crushing blow from star RB hours before kickoff against Louisville

The Pittsburgh Panthers received a crushing blow just hours before kickoff, as their star running back, Desmond Reid, will not play this afternoon against the Louisville football program, according to Pete Thamel.

Reid is considered one of the top running backs in the nation, as he was a Preseason All-American in many eyes, but after suffering a lower-body injury against West Virginia in Week 3 and missing the rest of the game, he was considered questionable for this game but is now officially out against the Cardinals.

Reid is an explosive running back who can break loose, as he already has 318 all-purpose yards in three games this season, but missed the majority of the third game due to injury. Last season, he logged 1,704 all-purpose yards, including 966 rushing yards and 579 receiving yards. Pitt will now turn to Juelz Goff after he stepped in for Reid against the Mountaineers.

Louisville football eyes crucial Week 5 showdown to skyrocket ACC Title odds

With Reid now sidelined for the Panthers, the Cardinals fans have voiced all week that they like their odds if the Panthers' star running back is out. In the last game against West Virginia, Pitt showed some flaws with Reid not on the field. Expect Louisville's defense to dominate the entire game and force quarterback Eli Holstein to win the game with his arm.

Louisville needs to earn a victory this afternoon to keep their ACC Title dreams alive, and with Florida State falling to Virginia, next week's matchup against the Cavaliers looks like a bigger test than most thought. The Week 5 matchup against Pitt is a crucial game for the Cardinals, as it marks Louisville's first ACC game, their first road game, and their first game against a Power 4 opponent.

Louisville currently has the third-best odds to win the ACC at +1000 odds, and with a win this afternoon, it is clear that their Week 8 showdown with Miami gets bigger and bigger. However, their ACC race starts in a few hours, as the Cardinals can't mark this game as a win, and this Pitt defense is still one of the best in the conference.

Related: 5 reasons why the Louisville Cardinals will dominate the Pitt Panthers this weekend

The Cardinals and Panthers will kick off at noon local time in a crucial ACC showdown.