No. 11 Louisville wanted a late rally, however ultimately took down upset minded Virginia 31-24 Thursday evening. The win inches the Cardinals nearer to an ACC Championship Recreation berth and retains lingering College Football Playoff hopes afloat for one more week.
Louisville operating again Isaac Guerendo ripped off a 73-yard landing run with simply 3:24 left in regulation to interrupt a 24-24 tie, propelling the Cardinals to a seven-point victory after they entered the fourth quarter trailing by a landing.
Louisville gave the impression to be in management when it carried a 14-0 lead late into the third quarter, however Virginia exploded for 21 unanswered factors in 5 mintes on a sequence of untamed performs. The Cavaliers scored two touchdowns separated by simply 10 seconds — certainly one of them on an interception return — earlier than taking a 21-14 lead on a landing that was scored off an offensive fumble restoration.
The groups traded area objectives early within the fourth quarter earlier than Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer discovered receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce vast open for a 52-yard landing to tie the sport with 6:20 to play. Louisville’s protection — which compelled a pair of turnovers within the victory — got here up with a cease on the following drive to arrange Guerendo’s game-winning landing. Virginia had one final likelihood after to tie the sport, however turned the ball over on downs with 1:16 remaining.
- Plummer completed the sport 19-of-28 passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, one which was returned by Virginia for a landing
- Louisville’s particular groups got here up massive within the victory, blocking a punt within the second quarter that was recovered for a landing
- Play was stopped for practically 11 minutes within the second half after Virginia operating again Perris Jones suffered an harm that compelled him to be stretchered off and transported to an area hospital for additional analysis
- Louisville now sits 9-1 for the primary time since 2016, a season that was punctuated by then-Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson taking residence the Heisman Trophy
Playing cards on brink of ACC title sport berth
Whereas Louisville actually helped itself within the race for the ACC title sport with a win, it has not clinched a spot in opposition to No. 4 Florida State simply but. The Playing cards want a win Nov. 18 at Miami or for No. 24 North Carolina to lose certainly one of its remaining three ACC video games to punch their ticket to Financial institution of America Stadium in Charlotte on Dec. 2. That might come as quickly as Saturday because the Tar Heels tackle rival Duke.
Louisville’s path to the Faculty Soccer Playoff is a bit more fluid. The Cardinals would clearly should win out, which would come with an upset of No. 4 Florida State within the convention title sport. Even with that, the Playing cards would seemingly want some chaos to happen forward of them — say a two-loss Pac-12 or Huge 12 champion — to get a CFP invite.
