University of Louisville
EAST CAROLINA
Cardinal Comeback Falls Three Points Short To East Carolina
October 19, 2000 | Football
Oct. 19, 2000
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Coach Smith Postgame Audio
By CHRIS DUNCAN
Associated Press Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - David Garrard threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third score to lead East Carolina to a 28-25 victory over Louisville on Thursday night.
Garrard finished 11-of-20 for 174 yards to keep the Pirates (5-2, 3-1 Conference USA) in the race for the league title.
The Cardinals (5-2, 2-1) trailed 28-10 after a 12-yard touchdown pass from Garrard to Keith Stokes early in the third quarter.
But Louisville backup quarterback Mike Watkins, who replaced injured starter Dave Ragone at halftime, engineered two long touchdown drives in the second half that pulled the Cardinals within three points midway through the fourth quarter.
Louisville got the ball at its own 19 with 3:58 left in the game for a chance to tie the game or win it. The Cardinals reached the ECU 30, but the drive stalled there with 44 seconds left.
Deion Branch caught eight passes for 131 yards for Louisville, which dropped to 1-6 in Thursday games since 1990.
Ragone finished 8-of-17 for 93 yards and threw a career-high three interceptions in the first half. He left the game at halftime with an injured clavicle. X-rays were negative, but he was replaced by Watkins in the third quarter.
Watkins completed his first two pass attempts but was intercepted by safety Travis Heath on his third. The senior came into the game just 3-of-6 for 25 yards this season.
Watkins led the Cardinals on a 10-play, 59-yard scoring drive late in the third quarter to cut the Pirates' lead to 28-17.
An East Carolina punt gave the Cardinals the ball at their own 46 with 8:50 left in the game and two long passes from Watkins to Branch put the ball at the Pirates' 8. Watkins ran into the end zone on the next play and then hit Arnold Jackson on a 2-point conversion pass to trim the lead to 28-25.
But the Pirates hung on, winning for the 39th time in the last 43 games when they score at least 28 points.
Garrard's first touchdown pass came on third-and-16, a 50-yard heave to Arnie Powell.
Louisville tied it when Ragone engineered a nine-play, 70-yard scoring drive over the next five minutes, capping it with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Damien Dorsey.
Ragone, who came into the game fifth in the nation in passing efficiency, struggled the rest of the half.
East Carolina linebacker John Williamson made a leaping interception on a screen pass by Ragone early in the second quarter and returned it to the Cardinals' 11. The Pirates reclaimed the lead on Leonard Henry's 5-yard touchdown run with 12:15 left.
Wade Tydlacka atoned for an earlier miss with a 25-yard field goal with 3:47 left in the half to trim the Pirates' lead to 14-10.
Garrard scored on a 15-yard scramble with 26 seconds left in the half to give the Pirates a 21-10 halftime lead.
