Louisville Football 2023 Season Recap: Week 5, NC State

In week 5 of the 2023 season Louisville had to travel to N.C. State to play their first true road game of the season on a Friday night. The Wolfpack started the season off 3-1 with their only loss to a number 10 ranked Notre Dame.

This game had a really slow start, well it was honestly a slow game overall with the first quarter being filled with only punts and ending in a score of 0-0. The Cardinals had the ball to start the second quarter and drove down to attempt a 52 yard field goal unfortunately they missed. That left N.C. State with the ball on their own 35 yard line the Wolfpack drove down the field 65 yards for a touchdown. With the ball back in the Cards hands they were having a really good drive until quaterback Jack Plummer was sacked for 15 yards and fumbled the ball and it was recovered by the Wolfpack. Their drive ended in a punt and with 1:31 left in the first half Louisville had a chance to finally put some points on the board. On the 3rd play of the drive Plummer threw an interception giving N.C. State the ball on Louisville's 32 yard line they ended up kicking a 48 yard field goal to close out the first half going up 10-0 on Louisville.

N.C. State got the ball coming out of halftime and on the first drive of the 3rd quarter Louisville defensive back Cam'ron Kelly intercepted the ball giving the Cardinals the ball on their own 20 yard line. After a punt from both teams Jack Plummer completed a 39 yard pass to wide receiver Chris Bell for a touchdown giving Louisville their first points of the game. On the next drive Cam'ron Kelly came up big again forcing a fumble that was recovered by defensive lineman Ramon Puryear. This fumble helped set the Cards up for a 33 yard field goal. At the end of the third quarter the score was tied 10-10. Louisville kicker Brock Travelstead who had missed a 52 yard field goal in the second quarter lined up and nailed a 53 yard field goal to put the Cards up 13-10 with just 5:32 left in the game. On N.C. States final possesion of the game Louisville defensive back Quincy Riley made the game winning play intercepting Brennan Armstrongs pass on the first play of the drive. With that the final score was Louisville 13 N.C. State 10.

There is no doubt that the Cardinals defense is what won the game for them with 2 interceptions and 1 forced fumble. They also held N.C. State quaterback Brennan Armstrong to just 112 yards. Louisville was off to a 5-0 start on the season and were coming back home to face a red hot number 10 Notre Dame in week 6.