Louisville left Washington with a win that kept its playoff hopes alive, beating the Dc Defenders 20-13 on May 9, 2026, after forcing a second-half turnover and turning it into the go-ahead score. The Defenders, meanwhile, were held off the board on their opening drive for the first time this season.
The game opened with defense and a missed chance. Josiah Bronson sacked Jordan Ta'amu on third down and pushed DC out of field goal range on the Defenders' first possession, the kind of stop that can set a tone. Louisville then had its own early burst as James Robinson ripped off gains of 19 yards and 21 yards on back-to-back plays, only for Brandon Smith and Curtis Jacobs to combine on a big loss on a handoff and for Boogie Basham to drop Chandler Rogers after exploding off the edge. Tanner Brown missed a field goal after that sequence, and Matt McCrane later missed one of his own. Brown eventually broke through with a 48-yard field goal to put Louisville ahead 3-0.
DC answered with the most explosive play of the night and one of the most explosive plays of the season. Ta'amu hit Javon Antonio for an 81-yard touchdown on third-and-10, a strike that stood as the Defenders' longest play from scrimmage this season and the longest touchdown by any team this year. Ta'amu then went five-for-six for 68 yards on a late-half drive, and after Derrick Roberson hit Chandler Rogers hard and drew a 15-yard penalty for lowering the crown of his helmet, Rogers found Tarik Black for a nine-yard touchdown. DC took a 13-10 halftime lead, but the cushion did not last.
Louisville tied the game with a 49-yard field goal early in the second half, then seized control on the next kickoff. Jalen Wydermyer forced a fumble with a peanut punch, giving the Kings a short field, and Ian Wheeler and Robinson kept the drive moving with runs of 22 yards and 18 yards. Rogers finished it by throwing another touchdown pass to Black, and Louisville moved in front 20-13. From there, the Kings protected the lead and delivered the upset that kept their season alive while leaving DC to absorb a loss marked by early stops, a historic strike and a second-half letdown.
