How it happened: Louisville rolls Bowling Green 40-17
University of Louisville football shook off a sleepy start to beat Bowling Green 40-17 on Saturday afternoon.
Louisville started its first-ever game against the Falcons, down 3-0 before scoring 26 straight and running away with it in the second half, and ultimately finishing with a 23-point cushion.
It was an efficient day for quarterback Miller Moss, who completed 24 of 33 passes for 329 yards. Moss was able to stay in the game until the final possession, which has to mean something because he had only played in six quarters coming in. Despite not throwing a touchdown, the USC transfer played his best game in the red and black completing 73 percent of his passes.
There was some angst regarding how Louisville’s offense would respond after the bye week and a rough week two against JMU. But Moss looked comfortable for the most part, and aside from the occasional pressure, he had command of the offense.
Through the air, Caullin Lacy led the team, catching nine balls for 110 yards, 87 of which came after the catch. Eight different receivers caught balls, including Dacari Collins, who had a season-best four catches and 84 yards. Louisville’s Chris Bell also hauled in four passes for 51 yards on six targets.
Louisville was without running back Duke Watson, who dressed but didn’t play a snap, and Isaac Brown only played one possession and carried the ball once for 18 yards. Redshirt sophomore Keyjuan Brown did have a career day rushing the football, finishing with 12 attempts, 84 yards, and two short touchdowns. The Cards outgained BGSU by a margin of 452 to 321.
Coming into the game, Bowling Green had yet to turn it over, but senior quarterback Drew Pyne threw two interceptions (Antonio Watts & D’Angelo Hutchinson) as the Louisville defense held the Falcons to three points in their first 10 drives. The Cards were without linebacker Stanquan Clark, and eventually seemed to run out of gas giving up two fourth quarter touchdowns on big plays. Hutchinson led the U of L in tackles with seven.
This revamped Louisville defense has held three straight opponents under 17 points to start the season.
Lacy had the play of the day with his 75-yard punt return for a touchdown — his second in three games this season. The slot receiver finished the game with 281 all-purpose yards, the seventh-highest single-game total by a Card. Place kicker Nick Keller also drilled his first career field goal attempt from 57 yards, a new school record. Starting kicker Cooper Ranvier remains perfect on the season after making three second half field goals.
The Cardinals move to 3-0 for the second consecutive season and travel to Pittsburgh next Saturday for the first game of their conference slate.
