Cardinals Clobber Cougars, 66-45

Nov 22, 2003

By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Lionel Gates rushed for a career-high 140 yards and four touchdowns and Louisville amassed a school record 779 yards in a 66-45 win over Houston on Saturday.

Freshman Michael Bush ran for a career-high 137 yards and two scores and Stefan LeFors threw for 334 yards as the Cardinals (8-3, 4-3 Conference USA) topped the previous record of 769 yards they gained in a 63-45 win over East Carolina in 1998.

Louisville hadn't reached 60 points since that game and piled up its highest point total since a 68-0 win over Murray State in 1990.

Anthony Evans rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown for Houston (6-5, 3-4), which allowed its highest point total since a 66-10 loss to UCLA in 1997.

Kevin Kolb went 21-of-27 for 224 yards and two touchdowns for the Cougars.

Gates and Bush had touchdown runs on Louisville's first two possessions. The Cardinals had a combined 114 rushing yards on the drives - doubling their output from a 37-7 loss to Memphis last week.

Kolb finished two Houston drives with short touchdown runs to tie the game at 14-14.

Gates' 1-yard touchdown run with 9:28 left in the first half started a wild sequence of second-quarter scoring.

Ricky Wilson took the ensuing kickoff at the goal line, weaved through Louisville's defense and sprinted down the sideline for a touchdown. The 100-yard return was the second in Houston history.

Louisville started its next possession at the 36. On first down, Robert Haskins took a pitch from Gates on a reverse and followed a convoy of blockers for a score.

Three minutes later, Kolb lofted a 42-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Middleton to tie the game at 28-28.

The Cardinals had 420 yards at halftime. They reached 40 points for the fourth time this season on a 38-yard touchdown pass from LeFors to J.R. Russell three minutes into the second half.

Louisville's Nate Smith had a 47-yard field goal with 8:56 left in the third quarter. He booted the ensuing kickoff into a Cougar and the ball ricocheted to Louisville linebacker Rod Day, setting up Gates' third touchdown run.

Gates and Bush had fourth-quarter touchdown runs to push the Cardinals past 60 points at home for the first time since a 63-34 win over Western Kentucky in 1998.

Scoring Summary (Final)                            University of Louisville               HOU vs Louisville (Nov 22, 2003 at Louisville, KY)
                     HOU (6-5,3-4) vs. Louisville (8-3,4-3)Date: Nov 22, 2003  Site: Louisville, KY        Stadium: Papa John's CardinalAttendance: 33268
Score by Quarters     1  2  3  4   Score-----------------    -- -- -- --   -----HOU.................  7 24  7  7  - 45Louisville.......... 14 20 18 14  - 66


Scoring Summary:1st 12:42 LOU - Gates, Lionel 6 yd run (Smith, Nate kick)                                                 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:18, HOU 0 - LOU 7    07:41 LOU - Bush, Michael 10 yd run (Smith, Nate kick)                                                10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:27, HOU 0 - LOU 14    01:40 HOU - KOLB,Kevin 4 yd run (BELL,Dustin kick)                                                13 plays, 54 yards, TOP 6:01, HOU 7 - LOU 142nd 11:12 HOU - KOLB,Kevin 1 yd run (BELL,Dustin kick)                                                6 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:00, HOU 14 - LOU 14    09:28 LOU - Gates, Lionel 1 yd run (Smith, Nate kick)                                                7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:44, HOU 14 - LOU 21    09:14 HOU - WILSON,Ricky 100 yd kickoff return (BELL,Dustin kick)                                                                             HOU 21 - LOU 21    08:54 LOU - Haskins, Robert 64 yd run (Smith, Nate kick)                                                 1 play, 64 yards, TOP 0:20, HOU 21 - LOU 28    05:37 HOU - MIDDLETON,B. 42 yd pass from KOLB,Kevin (BELL,Dustin kick)                                                7 plays, 64 yards, TOP 3:17, HOU 28 - LOU 28    00:49 LOU - Ghent, Ronnie 5 yd pass from LeFors, Stefan (Smith, Nate kick blockd)                                                9 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:10, HOU 28 - LOU 34    00:00 HOU - BELL,Dustin 43 yd field goal                                                7 plays, 35 yards, TOP 0:49, HOU 31 - LOU 343rd 11:58 LOU - Russell, J.R. 38 yd pass from LeFors, Stefan (Smith, Nate kick)                                                4 plays, 51 yards, TOP 1:13, HOU 31 - LOU 41    08:56 LOU - Smith, Nate 47 yd field goal                                                7 plays, 29 yards, TOP 2:29, HOU 31 - LOU 44    07:21 LOU - Gates, Lionel 4 yd run (Russell, J.R. pass from LeFors, Stefan)                                                3 plays, 49 yards, TOP 1:31, HOU 31 - LOU 52    03:45 HOU - EVANS,Anthony 2 yd run (BELL,Dustin kick)                                               10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:36, HOU 38 - LOU 524th 10:05 LOU - Gates, Lionel 1 yd run (Smith, Nate kick)                                                6 plays, 79 yards, TOP 2:32, HOU 38 - LOU 59    09:14 LOU - Bush, Michael 30 yd run (Smith, Nate kick)                                                2 plays, 35 yards, TOP 0:42, HOU 38 - LOU 66    04:30 HOU - MIDDLETON,B. 8 yd pass from KOLB,Kevin (BELL,Dustin kick)                                               12 plays, 74 yards, TOP 4:44, HOU 45 - LOU 66


Kickoff time: 3:06PM    End of Game: 6:27PM    Total elapsed time: 3:21Officials: Referee: J. Boger; Umpire: N. Strickland; Linesman: B. Choate;Line judge: W. Winkler; Back judge: T. Hutson; Field judge: R. Spindel;Side judge: T. Lombardo;Temperature: 71        Wind: SW14 mph  Weather: Cloudy
ID-184840






                                 Individual Statistics (Final)                                    University of Louisville                       HOU vs Louisville (Nov 22, 2003 at Louisville, KY)
  HOU                                              Louisville
  Rushing         No Gain Loss  Net TD Lg  Avg     Rushing         No Gain Loss  Net TD Lg  Avg  --------------------------------------------     --------------------------------------------  EVANS,Anthony   25  147    1  146  1 18  5.8     Gates, Lionel   23  141    1  140  4 26  6.1  TILLMAN,Bobby    7   63    0   63  0 18  9.0     Bush, Michael   15  138    1  137  2 38  9.1  MARSHALL,V.      1   16    0   16  0 16 16.0     Haskins, Robert  2   67    0   67  1 64 33.5  SCHIRMER,Matt    2    3    0    3  0  2  1.5     Patterson, T.J.  5   56    0   56  0 17 11.2  McCULLAR,Chad    1    2    0    2  0  2  2.0     Smith, Kolby     3   24    0   24  0 14  8.0  KOLB,Kevin      12   17   18   -1  2  4 -0.1     LeFors, Stefan   3   22    0   22  0 12  7.3  Totals...       48  248   19  229  3 18  4.8     TEAM             1    0    1   -1  0  0 -1.0                                                   Totals...       52  448    3  445  7 64  8.6
  Passing         Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack     Passing         Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD Long Sack  --------------------------------------------     --------------------------------------------  KOLB,Kevin        27-21-0   224  2   42    3     LeFors, Stefan    31-24-0   334  2   69    0  Totals...         27-21-0   224  2   42    3     Totals...         31-24-0   334  2   69    0
  Receiving        No.  Yds   TD Long              Receiving        No.  Yds   TD Long  -----------------------------------              -----------------------------------  MIDDLETON,B.       7  130    2   42              Russell, J.R.      9  111    1   38  McCULLAR,Chad      6   49    0   17              Ghent, Ronnie      4   65    1   24  MARSHALL,V.        2    9    0   11              Gates, Lionel      2   91    0   69  GIBSON,Leonard     2    6    0    8              Tinch, Joshua      2   18    0   11  MOORE,Shang        2    6    0    4              Haskins, Robert    2   15    0   10  PRITCHETT,J.       1   15    0   15              Owens, Richard     1   11    0   11  TILLMAN,Bobby      1    9    0    9              CLARK, B.          1    8    0    8  Totals...         21  224    2   42              Glenn, Victor      1    8    0    8                                                   Jones, Tiger       1    6    0    6                                                   Smith, Kolby       1    1    0    1                                                   Totals...         24  334    2   69
  Punting          No.  Yds   Avg Long In20        Punting          No.  Yds   Avg Long In20  -----------------------------------------        -----------------------------------------  McCLARY,Jimmy      3  166  55.3   66    0        Moody, Brent       2   81  40.5   50    0  Totals...          3  166  55.3   66    0        Totals...          2   81  40.5   50    0
                    Punts   Kickoffs  Intercept                      Punts   Kickoffs  Intercept  All Returns     No.Yds.Lg No.Yds.Lg No.Yds.Lg    All Returns     No.Yds.Lg No.Yds.Lg No.Yds.Lg  ---------------------------------------------    ---------------------------------------------  MIDDLETON,B.     0   0  0  2  65 51  0   0  0    Haskins, Robert  2  29 21  0   0  0  0   0  0  GRIFFITH,T.      0   0  0  1  10 10  0   0  0    CLARK, B.        0   0  0  5  66 25  0   0  0  WILSON,Ricky     0   0  0  5 176 100  0   0  0   Totals...        2  29 21  5  66 25  0   0  0  POPE,Roshawn     0   0  0  1  15 15  0   0  0  Totals...        0   0  0  9 266 100  0   0  0
  Field goal attempts                              Field goal attempts  ----------------------------------------         ----------------------------------------  BELL,Dustin     2nd 00:00  43 yds - Good         Smith, Nate     3rd 08:56  47 yds - Good  BELL,Dustin     4th 12:28  30 yds - Blocked
  FUMBLES: HOU-McCULLAR,Chad 1-1; WILSON,Ricky 1-1. Louisville-LeFORS, Stefan 1-0.





                            Team Statistics (Final)                            University of Louisville               HOU vs Louisville (Nov 22, 2003 at Louisville, KY)
                                                   HOU      LOU
               FIRST DOWNS...................       25       37                 Rushing.....................       18       21                 Passing.....................        7       15                 Penalty.....................        0        1               Rushing Attempts..............       48       52               Yards Gained Rushing..........      248      448               Yards Lost Rushing............       19        3               NET YARDS RUSHING.............      229      445               NET YARDS PASSING.............      224      334                 Passes Attempted............       27       31                 Passes Completed............       21       24                 Had Intercepted.............        0        0               TOTAL OFFENSIVE PLAYS.........       75       83               TOTAL NET YARDS...............      453      779                 Average Gain Per Play.......      6.0      9.4               Fumbles: Number-Lost..........      2-2      1-0               Penalties: Number-Yards.......     4-29     4-37               Number of Punts-Yards.........    3-166     2-81                 Average Per Punt............     55.3     40.5               Punt Returns: Number-Yards....      0-0     2-29               Kickoff Returns: Number-Yards.    9-266     5-66               Interceptions: Number-Yards...      0-0      0-0               Fumble Returns: Number-Yards..      0-0      1-5               Miscellaneous Yards...........        0        0               Possession Time...............    30:18    29:42               Third-Down Conversions........  7 of 15  6 of 10               Fourth-Down Conversions.......   3 of 3   0 of 1               Red-Zone Scores-Chances.......      4-5      6-7               Sacks By: Number-Yards........      0-0     3-17

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