University of Louisville
TCU
No. 17 Louisville Falls To TCU, 37-22
November 23, 2001 | Football
Nov. 23, 2001
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Louisville couldn't overcome another early two-touchdown deficit, but the 17th-ranked Cardinals really didn't really lose anything.
Despite their 37-22 loss Friday at TCU, which scored two touchdowns in the first two minutes, the Cardinals (10-2, 6-1 C-USA) had already clinched the outright Conference USA title for the second year in a row and a berth in the Liberty Bowl.
"It is bittersweet. They had a lot to gain and we were a little content," said Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone, who was sacked nine times while also throwing for 356 yards and three touchdowns. "It's an emotional letdown. They got to us."
TCU (5-5, 3-3) had to win just to keep alive its faint bowl hopes and a chance for a fourth straight winning season.
Casey Printers threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns, including an 80-yarder on the game's first play for TCU, which had lost three of its previous four games.
After Printers started with the 80-yard TD pass to Adrian Madise, who caught the ball in stride at midfield, TCU recovered a pooch kick that no Louisville player fielded. Four plays later, Printers scored on a 3-yard keeper for a 14-0 lead with 13:04 left in the first quarter.
"We jumped out and never looked back," Printers said.
"We came out for the first time all year against a quality opponent and played a complete game," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "We had two weeks to prepare, and we used it the way we were supposed to use it."'
The Frogs have two more weeks before playing their season finale Dec. 7 at Southern Mississippi.
Louisville had its seven-game winning streak snapped, but the Cardinals had already clinched the outright C-USA title because of East Carolina's 28-21 loss to Southern Miss earlier Friday.
The Cardinals had gained a share of the title and their 10th straight league win with a 39-34 win at East Carolina a week ago, overcoming 14-0 deficit after the first four minutes.
They couldn't pull off another comeback.
"Those first two touchdowns, that kills us. After that, they can throw caution to the wind," said Louisville coach John L. Smith. "They brought everything known to man to us. We didn't block anybody, we dropped balls. We might as well have not played."
Printers completed 13-of-24 passes and fell short of his third straight 300-yard game. Madise caught four passes for 116 yards, becoming the first TCU receiver since 1990 with three straight 100-yard games, and Ricky Madison rushed for 156 yards on 31 carries.
The Frogs led 27-7 when Nick Browne kicked a 50-yarder with 16 seconds left in the first half.
Louisville then took a shot down the field that paid off with a 78-yard TD catch by Deion Branch. Ragone's deep throw hit the hands of safety Charlie Owens, who batted it down right to Branch at the 20.
"That was a miracle," Ragone said. "I thought we were destined to win after that."
Branch caught seven passes for 133 yards. He finished the regular season with 1,188 yards, just 21 shy of the league record.
The Cardinals also had the ball to start the second half, and got to the TCU 46 before Ragone was sacked by John Turntine and fumbled. Joe Hill recovered, and five plays later Matt Schobel caught his second TD pass for a 34-14 lead.
Ragone lost 73 yards on the nine sacks, and TCU set a school record by holding the Cardinals to minus 47 yards rushing. But Ragone still threw for 359 yards on 32-of-50 passes.
Ragone's 22-yard TD to Richard Owens got Louisville within 14-7 at the end of the first quarter. TCU responded with a seven-play, 80-yard drive when that ended with Printers throwing 24 yards to Schobel.
The Frogs built the lead to 24-7 on Browne's 22-yard field goal just four plays after Ragone fumbled a snap.
Louisville makes its second straight Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31 against a team from the Mountain West Conference. The most likely opponent is No. 9 BYU (11-0), which likely will be left out of a BCS bowl even if it wins its regular season finale Dec. 1 at Mississippi State.
Louisville didn't score in the second half until Ragone hit Ronnie Ghent for a 5-yard TD pass with 2:36 left. After a personal foul penalty, Ragone caught an 18-yard throwback from Branch for the 2-point conversion.
The Cardinals recovered an onside kick, but gave the ball up 40 seconds later after an incomplete pass on fourth-and-4 from the TCU 38.
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
