Washington player Jonah Coleman (1) runs for yardage against Louisville during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game on Dec. 31, 2024.

Louisville holds off Washington’s rally to win Sun Bowl

Harrison Bailey threw for three touchdowns Tuesday and Louisville held off Washington 35-34 to win the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.

Bailey was more efficient than spectacular, completing 16 of 25 passes for 164 yards, but also directed a turnover-free offense that boasted good balance. The Cardinals (9-4) rushed for 207 yards, getting 99 yards from freshman Isaac Brown and 83 from another freshman, Duke Watson.

The Huskies (6-7) got a big game from quarterback Demond Williams, who shrugged off an early pick-six to hit 26 of 32 attempts for 374 yards and four scores. Giles Jackson shredded the Louisville secondary for 11 catches, 161 yards and all four touchdowns.

Bailey snapped a 21-21 tie on a 21-yard touchdown strike to wide-open tight end Nate Kurisky with 4:46 left in the third quarter. Louisville made it 35-21 less than three minutes later on an 8-yard scoring jaunt by Caullin Lacy.

Williams found Jackson over the middle for a 31-yard touchdown pass with 3:42 left in the game to get the Huskies within a score. They got within a point with nine seconds left when Williams hit Jackson on fourth-and-goal for a 1-yard strike but the two-point pass for the win was knocked away by Antonio Watts.

After two 15-yard celebration penalties on the Cardinals, Washington tried an onside kick from their 35 but the ball was knocked out of bounds with four seconds remaining.

Tahveon Nicholson gave Louisville a 7-0 lead 2:45 into the game, picking off Williams and lugging it 21 yards for a touchdown. But Williams responded with a 40-yard strike to Jackson at the 8:09 mark.

Bailey made it 14-7 with 27 seconds left in the first quarter on a 9-yard touchdown pass to Lacy but Williams and Jackson hooked up from 49 yards out with 8:10 remaining in the half.

Bailey’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Meeks gave the Cardinals a 21-14 edge but Williams rushed for a 7-yard score with 51 seconds left, tying the game at halftime.

–Field Level Media

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Harrison Bailey (15) warms up ahead of their game against the Austin Peay Governors on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky.

Louisville, without many mainstays, meets Washington in Sun Bowl

The Louisville Cardinals will feature a new look as they head to El Paso, Texas, to face the Washington Huskies in the Sun Bowl on Tuesday.

Coach Jeff Brohm’s team will be without starting quarterback Tyler Shough, who threw for 3,195 yards; Ja’Corey Brooks, a 1,000-yard receiver; standout defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte; and Quincy Riley, who led the secondary with nine passes defended and had two interceptions.

Those players are all now preparing for the upcoming NFL draft, and several other players, such as backup quarterback Pierce Clarkson and defensive back Benjamin Perry, entered into the transfer portal.

That said, it is not as if the cupboard is bare for the Cardinals (8-4), who have won four of their past five games and are averaging 36.6 points per game on the season. Freshmen running backs Isaac Brown, who ran for 1,074 yards and an Atlantic Coast Conference-best 7.3 yards a carry, and Duke Watson, who averaged 9.0 yards a carry en route to 514 yards, will still be the centerpieces in the backfield.

In addition, wide receiver Caullin Lacy, one of Louisville’s top transfer portal acquisitions last season, is expected to replace Brooks in the lineup. Injuries sidelined Lacy for most of the season, and he chose midway through to take a redshirt year after playing in just four games. His appearance in the Sun Bowl will not affect his ability to return for a sixth season in 2025.

Another senior, Harrison Bailey, is expected to get the start at quarterback against the Huskies (6-6). Bailey, who previously played at Tennessee and UNLV, has thrown just eight passes this season, completing them all for 63 yards.

While some positions likely have been claimed for next season — Louisville landed former Southern California quarterback Miller Moss in the portal earlier this month — Brohm told reporters during a Sun Bowl press conference that some younger players will be vying for spots for next year’s team.

“It’s important that they do play well if they want to get a position for next year,” he said. “They need to prove themselves in this football game, and we have to make decisions after that, according to how the game goes.”

Meanwhile, the Huskies, after losing in the national championship game last season, stumbled a bit in their Big Ten debut under first-year coach Jedd Fisch. Washington never won or lost more than two in a row this season, falling at top-ranked Oregon 49-21 to end the regular season.

Despite the ups and downs, Fisch noted that the team is treating the game as a reward for the season.

“They are opportunities for players who gave a ton of blood, sweat and tears in spring ball, in training camp, in the season, during 6 a.m. workouts, lifting all throughout November, December, to be able to play in a game,” he said. “For some reason, recently, we’ve decided that (bowl games are) not as important, and I don’t agree. … If you have a chance to go play in a bowl game, it should be a championship mentality.”

Washington averages just 22.5 points a game, 110th nationally out of 134 teams. However, the Huskies have some talented players on offense.

Freshman Demond Williams Jr., whom Fisch lured from Arizona when he became the coach, is expected to start at quarterback. Jonah Coleman ran for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Denzel Boston led the team with 807 receiving yards and nine scores.

“We’re excited about going to the second-oldest bowl game,” Fisch said. “I’ve never been to the Sun Bowl, so there’s a new bowl game on my checklist, and we are going to make it a fantastic experience for our team.”

The Huskies will be without multiple players who entered the transfer portal, including running back Cameron Davis (44 carries, 190 yards), offensive linemen Gaard Memmelaar and Kahlee Tafai, linebacker Khmori House (35 tackles, four passes defensed, one interception), cornerback Elijah Jackson (17 tackles, two passes defensed) and punter Jack McCallister (36 punts, 44-yard average).

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) reacts following a turnover on downs against the Washington Huskies during the fourth quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Ex-USC QB Miller Moss headed to Louisville

Former Southern California quarterback Miller Moss officially committed to Louisville on Saturday.

Moss posted an edited graphic of him wearing a Louisville jersey on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a caption that reads, “Let’s do it #TheVille.”

ESPN had Moss as the 10th-best player in the transfer portal, also tabbing him as the third-best player at his position. He has one year of college eligibility left.

In four seasons with the Trojans (2021-24), Moss completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 3,469 yards, 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Moss was replaced as Southern California’s starter after getting nine games under center this season. Before the move, Moss had 2,555 passing yards, 18 TDs and nine picks.

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Isaac Brown (25) runs the ball against Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Alex Afari Jr. (3) during the first quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Louisville ends losing streak to Kentucky in blowout fashion

Louisville’s Issac Brown ran for a season-high 178 yards and also scored twice, and Duke Watson added 104 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries to lead the visiting Cardinals to a 41-14 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington on Saturday.

Thanks to the freshmen running back tandem and a defense that forced five turnovers, the Cardinals (8-4) scored their first triumph in the Governor’s Cup rivalry since 2017.

Louisville jumped out to a 20-0 lead and outgained the Wildcats 241-61 through the first 25 minutes.

In all, the Cardinals racked up 486 yards on offense, including a season-high 358 yards on the ground behind the explosiveness of Watson, whose scores went for 58 and 24 yards, and Brown, who ran 26 times and capped off the scoring a with a 67-yard jaunt with 9:01 left in the game.

Brown, who also added a 1-yard score, became the first Louisville freshman to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, breaking Lamar Jackson’s record of 960 in 2015.

The Wildcats (4-8) finished with 328 yards on offense, but they failed to convert any of their nine third downs. The defense gave up a season-high in yards to Louisville’s rushing attack.

Freshman Cutter Boley struggled in his first start at quarterback for the Wildcats. He completed just one of his first seven passes for just 9 yards and an interception, which led to Brock Travelstead’s 20-yard field goal. The lone Wildcats’ drive that reached the red zone with Boley at quarterback ended in his second pick of the game.

Boley left the game in the third quarter after receiving a hit to the helmet. Gavin Wimsett replaced him and threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Mori Macklin to cut the deficit to 20-7 with 9:22 left in the quarter.

Kentucky’s defense then held Louisville on the ensuing drive, but Jamarion Wilcox fumbled on the Wildcats’ next offensive play. Defensive lineman Ramon Puryear scooped up the loose ball and returned it for a 20-yard touchdown to make it 27-7 with 4:59 left in the third quarter.

Boley finished completing just 6-of-15 passes for 48 yards. Wimsatt went 4-of-9 for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Macklin finished with 121 yards and both scores on three catches.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Cutter Boley during the second half against the Texas Longhorns Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Kentucky embraces chance to close by serving ‘L’ to Louisville

The Kentucky Wildcats end their season Saturday but before they go, a chance to extend their dominance over archrival Louisville in the annual edition of the Governor’s Cup game in Lexington.

The Wildcats (4-7) lost 31-14 at No. 3 Texas last Saturday to ensure their first season without a bowl game since 2015, which was also their last full regular season with a losing record. They have won five straight against the Cardinals (7-4) dating back to the 2017 season.

With an eye to the future, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops plans to feature true freshman Cutter Boley in a start at quarterback for the Wildcats. The in-state recruit has played in relief in three games this season, including the last two.

Against the Longhorns last Saturday, he completed 10-of-18 passes for 160 yards and threw an interception.

“We’ve made it a conscious effort to get Cutter some (first-team) reps the past couple weeks and get him time in practice during that bye week to get him prepped and ready for it,” Stoops said. “And ever since the bye week, I think you’ve seen him go out there and execute at a higher level.”

The Cardinals (7-4) will play in a bowl game for the fourth consecutive season, but coach Jeff Brohm said in his weekly press conference Monday that it’s important to finish the season on a strong note. Last year, Louisville led by 10 points late in the third quarter but fell 38-31 after Ray Davis ran for a 37-yard touchdown with 1:02 left in the game.

“If you don’t win it, man, it puts a sour taste in your mouth, and we had that feeling last year,” Brohm said. “It’s a bad taste. It stays there for a long time.”

Brohm’s team ranks 15th nationally in total offense, averaging 453 yards per game and will face a Kentucky squad yielding just 332.7, 37th among FBS teams.

Ja’Corey Brooks leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with 1,013 receiving yards on 61 catches and nine touchdowns for Louisville. Isaac Brown has 896 rushing yards and nine scores. His 7.4 yards per carry leads the ACC and is third nationally. He needs just 65 yards to break Lamar Jackson’s team record for rushing yards as a freshman.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Stanford, California, USA;  Louisville Cardinals head coach Jeff Brohm protests a call during the fourth quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Tyler Shough, Isaac Brown lead Louisville’s rout of Pitt

Tyler Shough threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns to lead Louisville to a convincing 37-9 victory over visiting Pitt in their Atlantic Coast Conference matchup on Saturday.

Isaac Brown rushed for 93 yards and two scores on 13 carries for the Cardinals (7-4, 5-3 ACC), who racked up 505 yards.

Louisville dominated on both sides of the ball and led 34-0 just 62 seconds into the third quarter after Chris Bell’s 68-yard catch-and-run touchdown on a flat pass from Shough. Bell finished with 101 yards receiving on two catches.

The Panthers (7-4, 3-4) entered Saturday averaging nearly 429 yards a game, but the Cardinals allowed just 265 and forced three turnovers as Pittsburgh lost its fourth straight contest.

Pittsburgh took the opening kick and marched to the Louisville 7, only for Stanquan Clark to pick off Eli Holstein’s pass in the end zone for the first of his two interceptions on the night. Louisville converted that turnover into Brock Travelstead’s 41-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 6:35 left in the first quarter.

Holstein started at quarterback for Pittsburgh after missing last week’s loss to Clemson due to a head injury. However, he left the game with 5:32 left in the opening quarter after being sacked by Ashton Gillotte at the Panthers 49.

As he was going down, Holstein’s left ankle rolled under Gillotte. He was already in a walking boot as he was carted off the field.

He was replaced by Nate Yarnell. After throwing for 350 yards against Clemson last week, Yarnell managed just 96 yards on 11-of-23 passing. He also threw an interception by Clark that led to Brown’s 15-yard scoring run.

David Lynch replaced Yarnell to start the fourth quarter.

Brown was in the starting lineup despite suffering a shoulder injury early last week at Stanford and continued producing at his prolific pace against the Panthers. He entered Saturday ranked second nationally averaging 7.4 yards a carry.

–Field Level Media

Oct 25, 2024; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Jeff Brohm looks over his play card during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Free-falling Pitt, Louisville lock up with bowl position in play

Teams eager to move past late losses take the field Saturday when the Louisville Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Louisville (6-4, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) returns after allowing Stanford to score 10 points in the final 45 seconds to upset the then-No. 19 Cardinals 38-35.

The Cardinals fell out of this week’s College Football Playoff rankings when the selection committee released them on Tuesday night.

The Panthers (7-3, 3-3) lost their third straight when then-No. 20 Clemson scored a touchdown with 1:16 remaining to win 24-20. Pitt outgained the visitors 438-346 but committed two turnovers and allowed eight sacks. In addition, coach Pat Narduzzi’s team committed a season-high 13 penalties for 100 yards. Three came in succession when the Panthers had a third-and-goal from the Clemson 1. Instead of possibly scoring a touchdown, Pitt settled for a field goal.

Like Pitt, Louisville committed a season-high 13 for 102 yards. Flags negated two interceptions and a sack. Another gave Stanford a second chance for a two-point conversion. Others were even costlier.

Stanford got the ball at its 45 with five seconds remaining after Louisville turned it over on downs. In that time, the Cardinals committed two penalties, allowing Stanford to win on a 52-yard field goal as time expired.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Brohm said he’s fine if the players are still stung from the loss.

“We feel the pain, and you got to let it motivate you to want to not let it happen again,” Brohm said.

Pitt may not know until the end of this week whether starting quarterback Eli Holstein can play. He suffered a head injury in the loss to Virginia two weeks ago. Nate Yarnell started against Clemson and threw for 350 yards and a touchdown.

The Panthers have dealt with a rash of injuries, but the offensive line has especially taken a beating. With three regulars out, there’s been a rotation on the line, which is a reason for some of the penalties.

The injuries come at a point in the season when Narduzzi tries to limit practicing to save players.

“We’ve not cut the practice back yet because we needed to work the last two weeks,” he explained.

Louisville may play Saturday without Isaac Brown, who left the Stanford game with a shoulder contusion. Brohm hopes the freshman, whose 7.4 yards per carry ranks second in FBS, can play but was uncertain on Monday.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Stanford, California, USA;  Louisville Cardinals running back Isaac Brown (25) runs the ball during the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Report: Louisville RB Isaac Brown injured, out vs. Stanford

Louisville standout running back Isaac Brown was ruled out after the first half of the No. 24 Cardinals’ game against host Stanford on Saturday because of a shoulder contusion, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.

The true freshman was injured at the 6:29 mark of the first quarter and finished with three yards on two carries. The 5-foot-9, 190-pounder was seen leaving for the locker room with his right arm in a sling, according to media reports, and came out for warmups at halftime before being ruled out.

Brown entered the day third in the FBS with 7.55 yards per carry, totaling 106 carries for 800 yards in nine games. He was tied for 37th in total rushing yards.

Louisville was trailing 3-0 at the time of the injury but led 28-21 after three quarters.

The Cardinals resorted to a running back by committee approach after Brown’s departure, with freshman Duke Watson scoring two touchdowns and junior Don Chaney scoring one through the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Isaac Brown (25) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

No. 19 Louisville hopes to avoid ‘let up’ at Stanford

No. 19 Louisville and host Stanford may seem like a mismatch when the programs get together Saturday, but Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm knows his team can’t rest on their laurels.

The Cardinals (6-3, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) were off last week after beating Clemson 33-21, handing the Tigers a rare night home loss two weeks ago.

That victory propelled Louisville back into the polls and into the first College Football Playoff rankings last week. The selection committee bumped the Cardinals up from No. 22 to No. 19.

Louisville has won two straight since a 52-45 home loss to No. 9 Miami on Oct. 19. While the Cardinals’ best football of the season has come in their last two games, Brohm told reporters Monday that the off week came at a good time for key players recuperating from injuries to recover and gain their second wind.

They get back to the field and face a Cardinal (2-7, 1-5) squad reeling from six straight losses but also coming out off their bye week. Louisville is a 20.5-point favorite.

“Anytime you have a big win, you can’t have a let up, and if you do, you’re going to get beat,” Brohm said. “That’s the way college football works now. It’s more prevalent now than even in years past.”

One concern Brohm expressed about Stanford is its starting quarterback, Ashton Daniels. In the Cardinal’s last game, a 59-28 loss at North Carolina State on Nov. 2, the junior ran for a career-high 129 yards and his first two rushing touchdowns on 11 carries.

Mobile quarterbacks have posed a problem for the Louisville defense this season. Five have run for at least 50 yards, and two have gone for at least 100 yards.

Daniels may get help from freshman running back Cole Tabb, who made his debut against the Wolfpack and gained 72 yards on 11 carries. Stanford coach Troy Taylor told reporters Tuesday that the 5-foot-8, 190-pound four-star recruit impressed him with his elusiveness.

Stanford’s defense has taken a pounding in its first season in the ACC. The Cardinal rank next-to-last, giving up 412.9 yards a game, and the 34.6-point scoring average is the league’s worst.

Louisville’s offense, meanwhile, has big-play potential. Nationally, the offense is the 19th-best in the country, averaging 449.6 yards per game while only averaging 65.2 plays a game, making it 83rd among Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

Freshman running back Isaac Brown averages 7.5 yards per carry, and Ja’Corey Brooks, a senior transfer from Alabama, ranks 13th nationally with 841 receiving yards. Both are on pace to give Louisville a 1,000-yard rusher and receiver in the same season for the fifth time in school history.

Stanford defensive lineman Tobin Phillips told reporters Tuesday that Louisville’s skill players have stood out this season.

“Their offensive line is long, and they do their job really well,” Phillips said. “But they do lean on their skill guys, so I think we have to try to take advantage of their offensive line and try to prevent as many big plays from occurring.”

Defensively, Louisville expects Benjamin Perry to play on Saturday. The linebacker/safety left the Clemson game in an ambulance and wore a neck brace after trying to make a tackle in the first quarter.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Tyler Shough (9) celebrates with receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce (24) after scoring against the Clemson Tigers during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

Isaac Brown rushes for 151 as Louisville stuns No. 11 Clemson

Isaac Brown rushed for 151 yards, including a game-sealing 45-yard touchdown burst with 5:50 to play, as Louisville went to Clemson and stunned the No. 11 Tigers 33-21 in the Atlantic Coast Conference matchup on Saturday night.

Louisville (6-3, 4-2 ACC) scored on seven of its 11 possessions while Clemson (6-2, 5-1) mostly struggled to sustain drives.

Louisville posted touchdowns on its last two possessions of the first half, then got field goals of 42, 40 and 49 yards by Brock Travelstead in the third quarter.

Clemson pulled within 26-14 on Phil Mafah’s 3-yard run with six minutes left in the game, but Louisville recovered the onside kick and set up Brown’s late heroics. Mafah added a 1-yard scoring rush with just over two minutes remaining.

While the Cardinals were building their lead, the Tigers began the second half with a three-and-out, failed to convert a fourth-and-1 on their own 34, and had Nolan Hauser’s 24-yard field-goal attempt blocked by D’Angelo Hutchinson. It was the second kick Louisville blocked.

Tyler Shough threw for 156 yards for the Cardinals. Shough and Keyjuan Brown had touchdown runs in the first half.

Mafah rushed 30 times for 171 yards for Clemson, which outgained the visitors 450-366 in total yards and dominated in time of possession 37:52 to 22:08.

Clemson’s Cade Klubnik completed 33 of 56 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown. His 12-yard scoring pass to Antonio Williams late in the first quarter gave the Tigers their only lead at 7-3.

Louisville then took over with back-to-back touchdowns.

The Cardinals started on their 8-yard line but immediately got a 23-yard run by Isaac Brown. With Louisville soon facing third-and-7 on its 49, the Tigers were flagged for pass interference. Duke Watson later took Shough’s short pass and went 31 yards to the 5, and Shough soon rushed 4 yards for a 10-7 lead.

Clemson then marched 50 yards on 10 plays, with 24 yards coming on rush by Mafah, only to see T.J. Quinn block Hauser’s 49-yard field goal attempt with 1:43 left in the half.

Taking over at the Clemson 47, the Cardinals scored quickly. Isaac Brown combined for 35 rushing yards on the first two plays, and Keyjuan Brown scored from 1-yard out for a 17-7 lead with 43 seconds remaining before halftime.

Louisville defeated Clemson for the first time in nine meetings since the Cardinals joined the ACC nine years ago.

Louisville linebacker Benjamin Perry, who left the game late in the first quarter with an apparent neck injury, was helped off the field and later put on a stretcher and taken to a hospital in Greenville, S.C., according to the Louisville Sports Network.

–Field Level Media