Cardinals Win Battle of the Bluegrass

Saturday, November 30

Lexington, KY

12:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

8-4 , 5-3

Kentucky

4-8 , 1-7

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Louisville

Kentucky

November 30, 2024 | Football

Box Score PDF Box Score Postgame Notes Photo Gallery

By: Carly Haines

Cardinals Win Battle of Bluegrass on Rivalry Weekend

The University of Louisville Cardinals took back the Governor's Cup title after a seven-year drought against the University of Kentucky winning 41-14 on the road at Kroger Field.

The Cardinals played a near perfect first half, scoring 20 points and shutting out the Wildcat offense. Freshman running back Issac Brown led the way with the first touchdown of the game midway through the first quarter and Duke Watson scored a 58-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Ramon Puryear had his third scoop and score of the season returning a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown to carry the momentum into the fourth quarter, holding the Wildcats offense to seven points.

Quarterback Tyler Shough finished the day with 128 yards passing. Brown continued his impressive freshman season, rushing for 178 yards and two touchdowns, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark for the season and setting Louisville's true freshman rushing record. Watson followed right behind him also rushing for 104 yards and two touchdowns.

As a team, Louisville put up 486 yards of total offense, while holding its Bluegrass State rivals to just 328. Louisville also won the turnover battle 3-0 and was able to gain seven more first downs than Kentucky.

Louisville Head Coach Jeff Brohm said:
"Way to finish the season for our team, really proud of our effort. I thought we came ready to play to follow up a good solid victory last week with another one is the way to finish the season. So proud of our guys, we work through adversity during the season without question, that is part of it. It'll be part of it every year, try to make it as clean as you possibly can but football's football and you play good teams and things are going to happen so our guys hung together, they stuck together, they worked hard. Our coaches continued to work through things and we had a solid finish today to finally get the Governor's Cup back and represent our University and bring it back to our fans is really a great day for us and we are really happy to get this picture."

How It Happened

First Quarter

07:07 – UL – Isaac Brown opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run. 9 plays, 60 yards, 4:02. Louisville 7, Kentucky 0

Second Quarter

13:00 – UL – Brock Travelstead knocked through a 20-yard field goal. 4 plays, 22 yards, 1:53. Louisville 10, Kentucky 0

11:16 – UL – Duke Watson burst down the left sideline for a 58-yard score. 1 play, 58 yards, 0:09. Louisville 17, Kentucky 0

04:45 – UL – Brock Travelstead hit from 21 yards for his second field goal of the day. 10 plays, 72 yards, 4:51. Louisville 20, Kentucky 0

Third Quarter

09:22 – UK – Gavin Wimsatt hit Ja'Mori Maclin in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown. 7 plays, 73 yards, 3:54. Louisville 20, Kentucky 7

04:59 – UL – Ramon Puryear scooped up a fumble and returned it 20 yards for the score, his third touchdown of the season. Louisville 27, Kentucky 7

00:43 – UL – Duke Watson rushed in from 24 yards for his second touchdown of the game. 6 plays, 60 yards, 3:21. Louisville 34, Kentucky 7

Fourth Quarter