The Wolfpack was beaten 29-10 by Louisville, turning the ball over five times against a Cardinals defense that had been as soft as a Papa John's pizza this season. That's four losses in five games for State, with the lone victory over Wofford.

Quarterback Harrison Beck left Saturday's game with a shoulder injury a week after injuring his right knee against Clemson. While X-rays were negative, the sophomore returned from the locker room with his left shoulder in a brace and arm in a sling as junior Daniel Evans tried to rally the Pack.

But the five turnovers were momentum-killers for State. Beck had two passes intercepted -- one in the end zone -- and a fumble. Tailback Andre Brown added another two fumbles, one on the play after a 44-yard run that had Carter- Finley Stadium rocking.

"Too many mistakes, too many turnovers," Evans said. "They came back to bite us."

Brown and Evans agreed the Pack's defense did its part against Louisville, which was averaging 50 points and 620 yards a game. The Cardinals had 498 yards in total offense as senior quarterback Brian Brohm, who had passed for 300 or more yards in his last seven games, closed with 251.

"The defense played a [heck] of a game," Brown said. "You just can't turn the ball over. You have to keep their offense off the field, and I must hold on to the ball."

Louisville (3-2) was coming off disturbing losses to Kentucky and Syracuse. The Cardinals were 37-point favorites over the Orange, but Syracuse unloaded three TD passes of 40 or more yards in a 38-35 win.

The Pack managed one long completion -- Beck's 53-yard throw to wideout Donald Bowens in the third quarter. Beck, who had been injured on the previous play, then left the game and Evans came in for a 2-yard scoring pass to fullback Ced Hickman.

The Pack, which trailed 16-3 at the half, suddenly was within 16-10 and the crowd of 56,487 was roaring.

"We were in the game," Evans said. "Everybody was jacked up."

And then Brohm took over. A Heisman Trophy candidate until the Cardinals' two-game crash, Brohm completed four passes in 10-play, 81-yard drive that ended with Brock Bolen -- a 237-pound fullback used at tailback -- barreling in from 2 yards.

Brohm had a 2-point conversion pass knocked away, but Brown fumbled on State's next possession and the Cards scored again on Brohm's 18-yard throw to tailback George Stripling.

"I thought [Brohm] did a great job of managing the game for us," Louisville first-year coach Steve Kragthorpe said. "He made some key pass completions on some key plays. He was efficient."

The Cardinals, playing without leading receiver Harry Douglas, also were efficient running the ball. Bolen, who had missed the past two games, had a career-high 112 yards on 18 carries as Louisville finished with 247 yards rushing.

The Cards' time of possession -- 38:18 -- was the highest against NCSU since 2002.

"I told the team we played hard and we gave ourselves a chance to win," NCSU coach Tom O'Brien said. "But you can't give up all the rushing yards we gave."

O'Brien said the Cards made a defensive change, using more blitzes to keep pressure on Beck and Evans and not allow enough time to scan the secondary and make the long throw.

"A lot of people have gotten them on play action," O'Brien said. "Every time we tried play action, they had someone coming off the corner at us. They had made some adjustments on defense to take away the stuff that had hurt them."

What can be done about the rash of turnovers?

"We need to hold each other accountable," Evans said. "It can't just be the coaches. It's got to come from within.

"We have to make sure we don't make the same mistakes that the last two or three years would keep us from winning games and keep us out of bowls."

Louisville scored on the first possession of the game, and Art Carmody kicked field goals of 27, 42, and 30 yards in the first half. State got a 42-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka, but the Cards zipped down field to score on Carmody's 30-yarder on the last play before halftime.

"It was a discouraging loss," O'Brien said.

For State, another one.