Field Level Media
Nov 23, 2019
Micale Cunningham threw a career-high five touchdown passes and also ran for a score as the host Louisville Cardinals defeated the Syracuse Orange 56-34 on Saturday afternoon.
There was more than 1,100 yards of offense in the game, including 608 for the Cardinals.
Javian Hawkins rushed 23 times for 233 yards and one touchdown and Tutu Atwell caught five passes for 152 yards and two scores -- including a 90-yarder -- as the Cardinals (7-4, 5-3 ACC) won for the fifth time in their past seven games.
Tommy DeVito threw two touchdown passes and Moe Neal ran for 163 yards and a TD to lead Syracuse (4-7, 1-6 ACC). The Orange have lost five out of six, and Saturday's defeat guaranteed that Syracuse will not play in a bowl game this season.
Louisville scored on the game's first possession, a 10-play, 77-yard drive capped by Cunningham's 7-yard toss to Marshon Ford.
After a 33-yard field goal by Syracuse's Andre Szmyt, Louisville capped the first-quarter scoring with two more touchdowns.
Syracuse's Sean Riley fumbled a punt at his own 29, setting up Louisville with a short field. On the next play, Seth Dawkins, running free down the middle of the field, caught a 29-yard pass from Cunningham to make it 14-3.
The Cardinals extended the lead to 21-3 when Cunningham ran around the left end, breaking two tackles for a 20-yard touchdown.
Syracuse answered in the second quarter with a 16-play, 75-yard drive. That march was capped by DeVito's 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hackett.
Louisville closed out the first-half scoring on Atwell's 90-yarder over the top of Syracuse's defense, giving the Cardinals a 28-10 lead.
The third quarter opened with Szmyt's 46-yard field goal, but Louisville's Hassan Hall followed with a 70-yard kickoff return, and Cunningham's 28-yard touchdown to Jordan Davis gave the Cardinals a 35-13 edge.
Syracuse (Neal's 45-yarder) and Louisville (Hall's 12-yarder) traded touchdown runs, giving the Cardinals a 42-20 lead with 6:13 left in the third.
A wild, 38-point third quarter ended with two more touchdowns -- 16 yards by Syracuse's Jarveon Howard and 44 yards by Louisville's Hawkins.
DeVito's 9-yard TD pass to Trishton Jackson cut Syracuse's deficit to 49-35 with 13:36 left in the fourth.
The Orange had a first-and-goal at Louisville's 3-yard line, but the Cardinals turned them over on downs to end their last legitimate shot in the game.
--Field Level Media