New Year's Eve means that bowl season in college football is in full swing. The No. 20-ranked LSU Tigers (8-4) played the No. 13 Louisville Cardinals (9-4) in the Citrus Bowl, which was a no-show for this year's Heisman winner Lamar Jackson. The Cardinals quarterback, who spent most of this year dominating teams by himself, had a subpar game with no touchdowns thrown, going 10-for-27 on passing attempts to total 153 yards, and 33 rushing yards. He ended the season with a cold streak having no rushing or passing TDs in the first half in three of his past four games.
But that's not the only reason why the Cardinals have been down in the game. They have lost a huge chunk of their defense, down five keys players including two cornerbacks, a safety, and two linebackers due to injuries. ESPN is broadcasting the game, and had a graphic revealing that two of the players are out due to gunshot wounds.
The Cardinals' James Hearns was reportedly shot in the elbow at a party within an off-campus apartment complex in Louisville, Kentucky on Dec. 11. This was after his teammate Jackson won the Heisman the previous Saturday night (Dec. 3). His other teammate, Henry Famurewa, was shot in the foot and arm during the same incident.
To list gunshot wounds on the TV graphic like it's a common thing in college football is jarring. Well, sadly to say, gunplay in college football is happening too often and ESPN just can't sugarcoat this reality anymore.
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