University of Louisville
3-1 , 1-0
Florida State
0-4 , 0-2
Cunningham guides Louisville past winless Florida State
September 25, 2021 | Football
Cunningham accounted for all four Louisville touchdowns in the win.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -Â Malik Cunningham had four touchdowns - two passing and two rushing - and Louisville held off Florida State's second-half rally, 31-23, in the Cardinals' Atlantic Coast Conference opener on Saturday.
Cunningham now has eight rushing touchdowns, two in each game for Louisville (3-1, 1-0). He completed 25 of 39 passes for 264 yards and ran 14 times for 56 yards.
The Seminoles trailed 31-7 with 1:49 to halftime but gradually chipped away at Louisville's lead in the second half, trimming the deficit to 31-23 on Ryan Fitzgerald's 45-yard field-goal with 8:40 left. But the Seminoles' rally fell short when McKenzie Milton's downfield pass was picked off by Louisville's Kei'Trel Clark with 48 seconds left.
Milton completed 24 of 39 passes for 248 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Parchment.
Jashaun Corbin had a 75-yard touchdown run and Treshaun Ward added a 20-yard TD run for Florida State (0-4, 0-2). The Seminoles have not opened 0-4 in a season since 1974, two years before coaching legend Bobby Bowden arrived.
Florida State ran for 209 yards, the third time in four games they surpassed that mark.
TAKEAWAYS
Louisville: The Cardinals converted on 8 of 10 third-down opportunities to score all 31 points in the first half and capture a win a week after an emotional home victory over UCF.
Florida State: The Seminoles have given up 30 or more points to all three of their FBS opponents - Notre Dame, Wake Forest and Louisville.
UP NEXT
Florida State: The Seminoles host Syracuse on Saturday.
Louisville: The Cardinals play at Wake Forest on Saturday.
Team Stats
LOU 7, FSU 0
LOU - Harrell,Tyler 59 yd pass from Cunningham,Malik (James Turner kick) 4 plays, 70 yards, TOP 01:16
LOU 10, FSU 0
LOU - James Turner 44 yd field goal 10 plays, 29 yards, TOP 04:24
LOU 17, FSU 0
LOU - Cunningham,Malik 4 yd run (James Turner kick), 10 plays, 51 yards, TOP 03:35
LOU 17, FSU 7
FSU - Ward,Treshaun 20 yd run (Fitzgerald,Ryan kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:44
LOU 24, FSU 7
LOU - Cunningham,Malik 1 yd run (James Turner kick), 15 plays, 82 yards, TOP 06:38
LOU 31, FSU 7
LOU - Watkins,Jordan 21 yd pass from Cunningham,Malik (James Turner kick) 10 plays, 66 yards, TOP 03:26
LOU 31, FSU 13
FSU - Parchment,Andrew 23 yd pass from Milton,McKenzie () 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:41
LOU 31, FSU 20
FSU - Corbin,Jashaun 75 yd run (Fitzgerald,Ryan kick), 2 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:11
LOU 31, FSU 23
FSU - Fitzgerald,Ryan 45 yd field goal 5 plays, 33 yards, TOP 01:29
