Clemson has long been the standard-bearer for ACC football, but Dabo Swinney’s Tigers weren’t the only team from the conference to claim a spot in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff last season. Rhett Lashlee’s SMU Mustangs were slotted into the No. 11 seed with an at-large bid after losing to Clemson in the ACC Title game.
Unfortunately for Louisville, those two contests fall back-to-back in Weeks 12 and 13, with a trip to Dallas completing the Cardinals’ 2025 conference slate. That crucial late-season stretch will determine the success of Jeff Brohm’s third season at his alma mater, and the Cardinals’ CFP hopes, if they weren’t dashed by November already.
SMU returns plenty of talent from last season’s CFP run, but the biggest problem that Louisville will need to solve in Week 13 is a player who didn’t see the field in the Mustangs' CFP first-round loss to Penn State.
A healthy RJ Maryland could keep SMU in the ACC Title hunt in 2025
Junior tight end RJ Maryland was SMU’s top receiver when he was lost for the season midway through October in a 40-10 win over Stanford. The penultimate game of his season took place at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, and it was one of his best.
Maryland proved to be a mismatch for the Louisville secondary, hauling in six passes for 83 yards to lead the way for the Mustangs. Quarterback Kevin Jennings did the bulk of his damage on the ground, rushing for 113 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in the 34-27 SMU victory, so limiting his legs will be important in the 2025 rematch, but shutting down Maryland could make Rhett Lashlee’s offense one-dimensional and be the key to a Louisville road victory.
Last year, Maryland did most of his damage against safety D’Angelo Hutchinson. Three targets with Hutchinson in coverage account for three of Maryland’s six catches, 61 of his 83 yards, and two of his three first downs. Hutchinson is back for his senior season at Louisville, along with a significant group of incoming defensive back transfers, so while the secondary rotation is unclear, he may draw the assignment again.
Hutchinson was a significant problem in coverage for much of the season. Though he wasn’t targeted often, when he was, it was a boon for the offense. Hutchinson allowed 11 catches on 16 targets for 290 yards and three touchdowns. He forced four incompletions, but allowed a 151.0 passer rating when targeted (according to PFF’s NFL passer rating), the worst on the team of any player targeted more than twice.
If Louisville keeps Hutchinson away from Maryland, Brohm’s defensive staff has a few other options. Nickel Antonio Watts is another returner in the secondary and was one of the most targeted players in coverage, but allowed under eight yards per reception and a passer rating of 91.1.
At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Watts is the perfect oversized hybrid linebacker/defensive back to handle a talented pass-catching tight end like Maryland. He is likely the Cardinals' best chance of keeping SMU’s top target in check and giving Miller Moss a chance to outscore Kevin Jennings on the road.