University of Louisville
Army
Cardinals Open C-USA Play With A Rout
September 21, 2002 | Football
Sept. 21, 2002
By CONNOR ENNIS
Associated Press Writer
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Dave Ragone threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, and Louisville used two scores by its special teams to defeat Army 45-14 Saturday in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
The Cardinals, two-time defending conference champions, took control of the game in the second quarter as their special teams scored 14 points in 1:30.
Damien Dorsey put Louisville (2-2, 1-0) up 17-0 two minutes into the quarter when he returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown.
Four plays later, Brandon Johnson blocked a Chris Castelli punt at the Army 18. The ball rolled into the end zone and Joshua Tinch fell on it to give the Cardinals a 24-0 lead. It was Johnson's second blocked punt of the year.
Louisville blocked another punt in the fourth quarter, giving the Cardinals possession at the Army 31 and setting up Henry Miller's second 1-yard touchdown run of the day.
The Cardinals weren't perfect on special teams. Nate Smith missed a 36-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the first half and had a third-quarter attempt blocked. He did connect on a 22-yarder in the first quarter.
The loss marks the third straight disappointing defeat - and second straight shutout loss - for Army (0-3, 0-1), which dropped its season opener to I-AA Holy Cross and was blown out by Rutgers 44-0 in the second game of the year.
 Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone throws for 240 yards and a touchdown against Army.  | |
The Black Knights offense struggled again and gained just 140 yards. Eighty of those yards came on a drive late in the fourth quarter that ended with a 1-yard touchdown catch by Warren Stewart.
Louisville's offense didn't let the special teams do all the work in the second quarter. When the offense finally got on the field, Ragone led an eight-play, 57-yard drive that was capped with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Donta Spillman, giving the Cardinals a 31-0 lead they took into halftime.
Army quarterback Matt Silva, who replaced starter Zac Dahman in the second quarter, went 8-of-16 for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Despite throwing for 240 yards, Ragone did not look sharp. He missed open receivers on several occasions and tried to force the ball on others en route to completing 15 of 29 passes. He also led the Cardinals with 62 yards rushing.
Army got on the board in the third quarter when cornerback Delente Brewer caused Louisville's J.R. Russell to fumble inside the Army 20. Ryan Kent picked up the ball and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown.
T.J. Patterson added a 5-yard touchdown run for Louisville.
