The No. 19 Louisville Cardinals escaped a potential upset scare in their ACC opener, narrowly defeating the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 31-19 at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. The Cardinals, coming off a bye week and a dominant start to the season, faced a stiffer test against a resilient Georgia Tech squad.
The game saw Louisville fall behind early, trailing 7-0 after a Georgia Tech touchdown on their opening drive. The Cardinals were able to even the score on a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Ramon Puryear, but the Yellow Jackets responded with another touchdown to regain the lead.
The first half saw both teams exchange blows, with Georgia Tech holding a slight 14-17 lead at the break. The second half, however, saw Louisville take control thanks to a series of big plays and a crucial blocked punt that turned the tide in their favor.
One of the biggest plays of the game came in the fourth quarter when Louisville’s Tayon Holloway blocked a Georgia Tech punt and recovered it for a touchdown, giving the Cardinals a 31-19 lead with 7:05 remaining. The play followed a crucial defensive stand by the Cardinals who stopped Georgia Tech on fourth down inches from the goal line.
The game turned on one fourth-quarter sequence. After Louisville stopped a potential game-tying drive when T.J. Perry tackled King inches from the goal line on fourth down with 11:28 left, the Cardinals had momentum.
And one play later when Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough slipped in the end zone and flipped the ball forward incomplete – but not before his knee hit the turf – they had lost it again. Louisville still had a 24-19 lead after the ensuing safety, but King went to work following the free kick.
He hit Malik Rutherford over the middle for 19 yards to the Louisville 45 on Georgia Tech’s second play from scrimmage. Louisville’s Jeff Brohm took a timeout to challenge the call, as Rutherford appeared to let the ball hit the ground while sliding out of bounds, but officials couldn’t find conclusive enough evidence to overturn their call of a complete pass.
Georgia drove to the Louisville 30, then its drive stalled. T.J. Quinn and Rene Konga stuffed King up the middle for a four-yard loss, then after a pair of incompletions, Georgia Tech lined up for a 40-yard field-goal try that would’ve pulled the Yellowjackets within two.
Instead, Tayon Holloway rushed through the line, blocked the punt, and had it bounce right to him, at eye level. He picked it up and sprinted 50 yards for a touchdown. Instead of clinging to a 24-22 lead, Louisville led 31-19 with 7:05 left, and had a measure of control.
After Georgia Tech drove inside the Louisville 25 on its ensuing possession, Quinn came up with the big play, delivering a hit on Georgia Tech running back Jamal Haynes to give the Cardinals the ball back with just under 4 minutes to play.
Offensively, Louisville used big plays to great effect. Shough had four pass completions of 37 yards or more, and that 181 yards on big plays accounted for more than two-thirds of its total passing yardage. The Cardinals, however, could manage little on the ground. They averaged less than 3-yards per rush, a far cry from the offense that came into the game ranked ninth nationally in rushing offense and second nationally in yards per rush, at 8.2.
Louisville didn’t play poorly on offense, but it hurt itself with penalties. Flags cost Louisville plays of 32, 21 and 29 yards, and their seven penalties for 69 yards were by far the most they’ve had this season.
Brooks was the offensive standout for the Cardinals – with four catches for 125 yards and a touchdown.
Shough completed 13 of 19 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns, including the acrobatic grab by Brooks and a 37-yard TD pass to Chris Bell in the second quarter.
Defensively, Louisville got nine tackles from senior Tahveon Nicholson. Quincy Riley forced the first-quarter fumble that Puryear pounced on in the end zone, giving Louisville its first touchdown to tie the game.
Konga finished with seven tackles, assisted on a tackle for loss and had a pair of quarterback hurries.
The Cardinals now look ahead to another tough test next week, a matchup against No. 17 Notre Dame in South Bend. The game will be a primetime matchup, with the Cardinals hoping to carry their momentum from the close win over Georgia Tech into a challenging road contest.
Key Takeaways from Louisville’s Win Over Georgia Tech
Louisville’s Defense is For Real
Despite the scare against Georgia Tech, the Louisville defense showed its mettle throughout the game. They were able to hold the Yellow Jackets scoreless in the second half, while also making key stops on crucial fourth-down plays. The Cardinals proved that they can be a formidable defense in the ACC, especially with a talented secondary that can make big plays.
Louisville’s Big-Play Offense Will Be A Threat
Louisville’s offense showed its explosive capabilities, particularly with Tyler Shough’s ability to find open receivers downfield. Ja’Corey Brooks was a standout performer, with four catches for 125 yards and a touchdown. The Cardinals, however, need to improve their ground game if they want to be truly dominant in the ACC.
The Cardinals Can Win Close Games
The win over Georgia Tech was not a perfect performance, but it was a crucial one for the Cardinals. They showed they have the ability to win close games, which is something they will need if they want to compete for a conference championship.
Looking Ahead: Louisville vs. Notre Dame
The Cardinals now face their toughest test of the season so far, a trip to Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are a formidable opponent, but the Cardinals have the talent and confidence to pull off an upset.
The key for Louisville will be to replicate the big-play offense and defensive intensity that they showed against Georgia Tech. If they can do that, they will be in a good position to win their first four games of the season and make a statement to the rest of the ACC.
