Louisville Football Postgame Notes vs. Mississippi State
December 30, 2019 | Football
Louisville 38, Mississippi State 28 | Nissan Stadium | Nashville, Tenn.
Louisville 38, Mississippi State 28
December 30, 2019
Nissan Stadium | Nashville, Tenn.
TEAM NOTES
PLAYER NOTES
December 30, 2019
Nissan Stadium | Nashville, Tenn.
TEAM NOTES
- The Cardinals finished the regular season at 8-5 and 5-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It was the team's first bowl win since defeating Texas A&M in the 2015 Music City Bowl.
- With the win, Louisville equaled the overall series with Mississippi State at 3-3.
- The Cardinals are 11-11-1 all-time in bowl appearances and won their second-straight appearance in the Music City Bowl. The Cardinals defeated Texas A&M 27-21 in 2015.
- The Cardinals are 2-0 all-time in the Music City Bowl and are 4-0-1 in games played in Nashville.
- The Cardinals are 4-0 all-time at Nissan Stadium.
- The UofL defense recorded four sacks, the eighth time this season with two or more sacks this year. The four sacks were the most since registering four against Virginia on Oct. 26.
- The Cardinals recorded their second defensive touchdown of the season when Khane Pass returned a fumble 31 yards for his first defensive touchdown of his career. The other defensive score also came at Nissan Stadium when Rodjay Burns returned a fumble 30 yards against Western Kentucky on Sept. 14.
- The Cardinals limited Mississippi State, which entered the game 18th nationally in rushing at 226.9 yards per game, to just 145 yards on the ground.
- MSU's Kylin Hill, the SEC's leading rusher, was held to seven carries and three yards.
- Mississippi State was held to 12 total yards in the third quarter, including -8 yards rushing.
- Louisville outgained MSU 144-12 in the third quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 14-0.
- The Cardinals recorded their third 300-yaerd passing game.
- Louisville notched a pair of turnovers for the seventh time this season, raising its record to 6-1 in those contests.
- Louisville's 28 points in the second half were the most it has ever scored in one half of a bowl game, surpassing the 25 points scored in the first half of the win over Alabama in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl.
- The Cardinals finished the night with 510 yards of total offense, the fifth time they have amassed 500 yards this season.
- The 510 yards mark the fifth time Louisville has totaled 500 yards in a bowl game.
PLAYER NOTES
- QB Micale Cunningham was named the MVP of the 2019 Music City Bowl, throwing for 279 and two touchdowns with 81 yards rushing.
- Cunningham closed out the season with 578 rushing yards, which is fourth on the school's single season list. He has 979 in his career, which ranks second all-time at Louisville.
- Cunningham set the Louisville single-season record for passing efficiency, finishing the year at 194.45.
- RB Javian Hawkins moved into third place on the school's single season rushing list with 1,525 yards.
- Hawkins is the first Louisville running back to rush for 1,500 yards.
- Hawkins tallied his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season, moving him into a tie for second place (Lamar Jackson, 2016) for most 100-yard games in a season in Louisville history.
- WR Tutu Atwell broke Harry Douglas' (1,265, 2007) school record for most receiving yards in a season with
- Atwell closed the 2019 season with 70 receptions for 1,276 yards. He caught nine passes for 147 yards to move into a tie for eighth place on the single season list for receptions.
- Atwell threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Marshon Ford to put the Cardinals on the board. Atwell entered the game 0-for-2 on his previous passing attempts. It was the first touchdown pass by a wide receiver since Patrick Carter threw one in the 2007 Orange Bowl.
- Atwell recorded his seventh 100-yard receiving game, which ties a school record for the most 100-yard games in a season, equaling Deion Branch (2001), Arnold Jackson (1998) and Mark Clayton (1982). Atwell owns eight 100-yard games in his career, which is tied for ninth all-time.
- TE Marshon Ford recorded his third multiple touchdown game this season to give him seven on the season.
- WR Devante Peete caught a 24-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, only the second of his career, and the first since scoring one in the 2015 season opener versus Auburn.
- LB C.J. Avery recorded a career-best two sacks in the victory. Avery finished the night with a team-high nine tackles, 2.5 for loss.
- LB Boosie Whitlow registered his second sack this season. Whitlow matched his career-high with four stops in the win.
- DL Gary McCrae forced his first career fumble that led to Khane Pass' 31-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
- DB Cornelius Sturghill made his first start since Boston College (Oct. 5) and finished with a career-best seven tackles.
- K Ryan Chalifoux, who missed his first career attempt earlier in the season, booted a 31-yard field goal to end the first half for his first successful field goal made.
Players Mentioned
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