Clear your eyes with some Systane®.

This was not a fever dream.

This was not an LSD flashback.

This was not the wine you had too much of.

Nor a double shot of your baby’s love.

What you witnessed actually happened.

This was ’85 Bears kind of stuff.

This was Steel Curtain D.

This was Lawrence Taylor, Dick Butkus, Night Train Lane, Reggie White kind of mayhem. Aaron Donald, Bosa Bros kind of destruction.

In the 2d half of the University of Louisville’s evisceration of Wake Forest, the Cardinal defense drew, quartered, chopped, sliced and diced, julienned, deboned and defrocked the 10th ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Louisville, screwed when a WF TD that wasn’t a catch was allowed, was down 13-14 at intermission, the offense frittering away a chance for a late lead with consecutive penalties on made  James Turner FGs.

Then the world turned.

Second half kickoff.

Cue the heavy metal thunder.

Wake Forest Possession I: On a 2d & 10 at WF’s 38, Kei’Trel Clark snared Sam Hartman’s pass, and took it to the house for a Pick Six.

U of L 20, Wake Forest 14.

Wake Forest Possession II: Yasir Abdullah sacked Hartman, forced a fumble, which was recovered by Mason Reiger.

Wake Forest Possession III: On a 1st & 10 at the Cardinal 24 yard line, Jared Dawson sacked Hartman, forced the ball loose, which was recovered by MoMo Sanogo.

Five plays later, Tiyon Evans cut back left, scampering untouched 56 yards to paydirt.

Louisville 27, Wake Forest 14.

Wake Forest Possession IV: Monty Montgomery intercepted a Hartman toss on a 2d & 10. MM returns it about 20 yard, feigns a lateral, runs it 10 more yards then does give it up for more yardage to the Demon Deacs’ 9 yard line.

Seven seconds later, M Cunningham totes the pigskin into the endzone.

Louisville 34, Wake Forest 14.

Wake Forest Possession V: On a 2d & 10, Caleb Banks forced a sack/ fumble, recovered by K.J. Cloyd.

Two plays later on a 2d & 5 at the WF 28, it was a delicious trickeration. (Who was calling these plays? Coach Satt? OC Lance Taylor? Who cares?)

A pitch to a wideout, then a flick back to WR Braden Smith, who tossed a rainbow to Jaelin Carter, all alone a couple of steps from the endzone, which he soon entered.

Louisville 41, Wake Forest 14.

In 7 prior games, six Ws, Wake Forest had turned the ball over 5 times.

U of L’s D forced 5 in 5 possessions in 12:02 of the 3d Q.

Then, almost an are you kiddin’ me afterthought, there was Quincy Riley’s 90 yard Pick Six.

Louisville 48, Wake Forest 14.

And his exclamation point intercept in the endzone, with which, during garbage time, he tried to get too fancy and handed it back. Allowing a Deacs’ mercy tally with seconds left.

It was of No Consequence. The University of Louisville had broken Wake Forest’s will.

Inexplicable, dumbfounding.

But oh so very true.

They gave Top Ten Wake Forest a “thorough ass kicking.” Deacon’s coach Dave Clawson’s words.

 * * * * *

So, yeah, let’s also give a serious and heartfelt tip of the visor to Coach Scott Satterfield and his staff.

Especially Bryan Brown and the guys on the D side.

Satt said he needed turnovers.

Satt got turnovers.

“Let it be said. Let it be done.”

Four picks. Two for 6. One in the endzone.

Eight sacks by eight different Men In Black.

Multiple fumbles caused. Multiple fumbles smothered by the Victors.

Once 0-3 in the ACC, his Cards have tightened up, won three league games in a row, coming back in the 2d for the last couple.

With a Defense that has befuddled Pitt and Wake, and gobsmacked the faithful.

— c d kaplan