Louisville-USF Postgame Notes

Nov. 13, 2010

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

With the 24-21 victory, USF improves to 5-3 all-time against Louisville. The road win was the first for either squad in the series.

The loss moves head coach Charlie Strong's career head coaching record to 5-5.

Louisville won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. USF received the opening kick.

Strong tabbed linebacker Brandon Heath and wide receiver Doug Beaumont as captains for Saturday afternoon's game.

Redshirt freshman Jeremy Wright made his first career start in the contest and caught his first career pass on the Cardinals' first play from scrimmage, a six-yard screen from quarterback Justin Burke.

Wright becomes the 16th Louisville player to make his first career start this season and the fourth on the offensive side of the ball, joining wide receivers Andrell Smith and Josh Bellamy and center Alex Kupper. Wright is the first Louisville freshman to start a game on offense since Mario Benavides and Darius Ashley in last year's finale.

Wright's 51-yard kickoff return in the second half was a career best, as were his 128 kick return yards.

Ashley notched his first career forced fumble when he sacked USF quarterback B.J. Daniels on a third-and-12 play in the first quarter -- it was also Ashley's third career sack. Greg Scruggs recovered the fumble, his third career recovery and second this season, on the USF 11-yard line. The fumble was the deepest forced in opponent territory by the Cardinals since linebacker Jon Dempsey stripped Cincinnati running back Jacob Ramsey and also recovered the fumble on the Bearcat nine-yard line on Nov. 14, 2008.

Sophomore Andrell Smith's first-quarter touchdown reception was his second in as many games and the third of his career. After catching five passes in his first five games, Smith now has 13 grabs for 197 yards and two touchdowns in his last five contests.

Smith's three catches matched a career best, a mark he has now achieved three times.

Senior Justin Burke's three touchdown passes give him a new career high; he had previously thrown for a pair of scores in a game twice. Burke now has six touchdown passes and two interceptions in 2010 after recording five interceptions and just three touchdowns in 2009.

Wide receiver Josh Bellamy's five catches equaled his total from the previous four games combined, while his 58 receiving yards eclipsed his four-game total by 19 yards.

Louisville held USF to just 24 total yards in the first quarter, including just two yards through the air. The Bulls would then gain just 44 yards in the second stanza (16 by passing).

Since Cincinnati quarterback Zach Collaros threw for 275 yards and five touchdowns on Oct. 15, the Cardinals have held their opponents to just 113.0 yards per game and two touchdowns through the air.

Louisville has held its opponents to 160 passing yards or fewer in four straight games for the first time since a five-game stretch from Nov. 11, 2000-Sept. 8, 2001. The Cards also held the opposition to fewer than 260 yards for the fourth consecutive game, the first time that has been done by a Louisville team since Oct. 19, 1996-Nov. 19, 1996 (four game stretch against Northern Illinois, Cincinnati, Memphis, and North Carolina).

Only once since 1978 (first year for which game-by-game records are available) has a Louisville team held its opponents under 300 yards in five straight games, occurring when the 1980 squad held six straight foes in Murray State (209), Kansas (166), Memphis (214), Indiana State (257), Florida (264), and Temple (296) under 300 yards in succession from Sept. 20, 1980-Nov. 1, 1980. No Cardinal team has allowed 260 yards or fewer in five straight games since the records began.

The 67-yard run by USF's Demetris Murray was the longest by a Cardinal opponent since Noel Devine of West Virginia scampered 79 yards on Nov. 22, 2008.

Senior Bilal Powell reached the 100-yard mark for the sixth time this season and the seventh time in his career. The six 100-yard games in one year ranks third in Cardinal history, bested only by Frank Moreau's seven in 1999 and Walter Peacock's seven in 1973, while his seven career 100-yard contests rank Powell sixth in the Louisville annals.

Season 100-Yard Games, Louisville history

1. Frank Moreau - 7 (1999)
Walter Peacock - 7 (1973)
3. Bilal Powell - 6 (2010)
Michael Bush - 6 (2005)
Anthony Shelman - 6 (1994)
Deon Booker - 6 (1988)
7. Victor Anderson - 5 (2008)
Leroy Collins - 5 (1998)
Calvin Arrington - 5 (1995)
Howard Stevens - 5 (1971)

Career 100-Yard Games, Louisville history

1. Walter Peacock - 14 (1972-74)
2. Frank Moreau - 11 (1995-99)
3. Michael Bush - 10 (2003-06)
4. Anthony Shelman - 9 (1991-94)
Deon Booker - 9 (1985-88)
6. Bilal Powell - 7 (2007-)
Eric Shelton - 7 (2003-04)
Nathan Poole - 7 (1975-78)
Calvin Prince - 7 (1976-77)
10.Victor Anderson - 6 (2008-)

Powell's 31 carries set a new career high, besting his 27 versus Connecticut earlier this season.

Freshman Dominique Brown saw his first career pass attempt batted into the air and then intercepted by the Bulls' Ryne Giddins in the third quarter.

Senior linebacker Brandon Heath set a career high with 11 total tackles. He has now set a career high in tackles in two of the last three games, having also done so at Pittsburgh (nine stops). His 1.5 tackles for loss give him 5.5 over his last three games (6.5 for the season).

Redshirt freshman safety Hakeem Smith notched eight or more tackles for the fourth straight game, finishing with nine tackles (five solo, four assisted).

With a second-quarter catch, senior Doug Beaumont has now caught a pass in 32 straight games in which he has played.

Placekicker Chris Philpott has now converted 34 consecutive extra-point tries after a 3-for-3 day.

Freshman defensive end B.J. Butler set a career high with 2.5 tackles for loss, eclipsing his 2.0 (both on sacks) at Oregon State on Sept. 18.

At the conclusion of regulation, USF placekicker Maison Bonani made his first 52-yard field goal, but the Cardinals had called timeout before the kick. He then missed his second try wide left to send the game into overtime, the seventh game in Louisville history needing extra time. The Cards are now 3-4 all-time in overtime games.

Senior Johnny Patrick has set a new career high with 4.5 tackles for loss in 2010. Patrick entered the season with 5.0 career TFL (1.0 in 2008 and 4.0 last year).

Louisville's 14-play, 80-yard scoring drive ending in a Burke-to-Chichester touchdown and a 14-3 U of L lead was the Cards' longest (in terms of plays) since a 17-play, 71-yard fourth-quarter drive in the opener against Kentucky (which ended in a field goal). Burke hit six different receivers (Smith, Beaumont, Bellamy, Powell, Damian Copeland, and Chichester) and was 8-for-11 for 85 yards on the drive.

The drive had the most plays of any U of L touchdown drive since a 15-play march covering 64 yards and 7:54 in the loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 24, 2009. That drive also ended in a touchdown catch by tight end Josh Chichester.

With 140 yards on the ground in the game, senior Bilal Powell now has 1,207 rushing yards in 2010, tying him with Lenny Lyles (1957) for sixth place on Louisville's single-season list for rushing yards. Powell also jumped into the top 10 for career rushing yards, passing Anthony Shelman (2,114) for 10th place. For his career, Powell has 2,140 yards on 391 carries (5.5 yards per carry) with 17 touchdowns on the ground.

University of Louisville Athletics

Players Mentioned

Victor Anderson

Victor Anderson

Victor Anderson

Darius Ashley

Doug Beaumont

Josh Bellamy

Mario Benavides

Dominique Brown

Justin Burke

B.J. Butler

B.J. Butler

Josh Chichester

Damian Copeland

Damian Copeland

Brandon Heath

Alex Kupper

Johnny Patrick

Johnny Patrick

Chris Philpott

Chris Philpott

Bilal Powell

Greg Scruggs

Greg Scruggs

Andrell Smith

Hakeem Smith

Jeremy Wright

Related Videos