The CARDS were able to pick up their first conference victory of the season, 41-39.
LOUISVILLE, October 5, 2019 – Bradley Charles – Bluegrass
Sports Nation
On Saturday, the Louisville Cardinals (2-2, 0-1 ACC)
welcomed the Boston College Eagles (3-2, 1-1 ACC) to Cardinal Stadium. The weather
was perfect, clear and sunny, as 46,007 filed into Cardinal Stadium.
Entering the game, ESPN’s Football Power Index gave
Louisville a 77.6% chance of winning the game. Since Louisville went into the
game against Boston College as heavy favorites and their next three games are
against teams currently ranked in the Top 25 (at #22 Wake Forest, #2 Clemson,
and #23 Virginia), it was clearly a very important game for the Cardinals.
What Happened
It was a fast-paced, high scoring game. Both offenses played
well, taking advantage of defensive breakdowns at times. The Boston College
offense totaled 563 yards, while the Louisville offense totaled 664 yards. The
two teams totaled 1,227 yards of total offense, 766 of which came in the first half.
Louisville averaged 5.8 yards per carry; Boston College
averaged 5.4 yards per carry. In the passing game, the Cardinals averaged 18.6
yards per completion compared to Boston College’s average of 20.3. The two
teams combined for 50 first downs while each team ran 78 plays.
Brief Game Recap
It was back-and-forth to start the game as the teams traded
a pair of touchdowns. The score was 14-14 with 11:27 to play in the first half.
The Cardinals began to take control by scoring 14 unanswered points; however,
the Eagles responded with a score of their own just before halftime. The score
after two quarters was 28-22 in favor of Louisville.
In the second half, the offenses posted good numbers, but were
not quite as productive as they were in the first half. The Cardinals led 38-29
with 14:00 to go in the fourth quarter. Boston College stepped up, scoring 10
straight points, to take the lead with 3:32 remaining in the final quarter.
Trailing 39-38, Louisville covered 52 yards on eight plays, capping off the
drive with a 41-yard field goal by Blanton Creque.
The Eagles put together a seven-play drive, but ultimately
the Cardinal defense was able to force a turnover on downs. The final score was
41-39 in favor of Louisville.
Important Stats
As for the Louisville offense, quarterback Malik Cunningham
went 13-18 for 288 yards and a touchdown. Evan Conley, a true freshman, also
saw time at quarterback. Conley went 10-16 for 140 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Javian Hawkins, a redshirt freshman, had 25
carries for 172 yards and a touchdown. Louisville had three receivers haul in
over 100 yards: Dez Fitzpatrick (108), Seth Dawkins (110), and Tutu Atwell (170).
Both Dawkins and Fitzpatrick caught a touchdown pass.
As for the Boston College offense, the Eagles played three
quarterbacks who combined to go 15 of 33 for 304 yards, four touchdowns and one
interception. Running back A.J. Dillon covered 118 yards on the ground in just
22 carries. The Eagles spread the ball around nicely to their receiving core,
as four players led the team with three catches each.
As for the Defenses, neither team recorded a sack and
Louisville forced the only two takeaways of the game. Ultimately, it was the
Cardinal defense that was able to make the most critical stop of the game late
in the fourth quarter, to secure the win.
Next for the CARDS
Louisville’s next game is on October 12th, at Wake Forest.
The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 and will air on the ACC Network.
