SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 8, 2014
Louisville 38, Boston College 19: Reggie Bonnafon threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another after replacing injured starter Will Gardner, and the Louisville defense intercepted four passes - including three by free safety and FBS leader Gerod Holliman - as the visiting Cardinals downed the Eagles.
Bonnafon was 4-of-5 for 69 yards and ran for a
game-high 76 yards on 13 carries after replacing Gardner late in the second quarter
after the starter re-aggravated a knee injury. Brandon Radcliff added 50 yards
and two rushing touchdowns, and DeVante Parker added 144 yards and a TD on
eight receptions for the Cardinals (7-3, 5-3 ACC), who closed out their conference schedule.
Tyler Murphy was 7-of-15 for 149 yards, a
touchdown and the four interceptions for Boston College (6-4, 3-3), which
suffered its third straight home loss. Jon Hilliman ran for 42 yards and two
scores for the Eagles, but Murphy, who entered the contest as the FBS quarterback
rushing leader with 107.2 yards per game, was held to 41 yards on 12 carries.
Boston College overcame Hollimanกฏs interception
of Murphy on the first play and a subsequent Louisville field goal to take
a 13-3 lead on a pair of Hilliman 1-yard runs. However, the Cardinals, who only
managed a field goal despite reaching the Eaglesกฏ 1-yard line on three of their
first four possessions, closed out the half with a 5-yard TD run by Radcliff
and a 29-yard scoring strike from Bonnafon to Parker, sandwiched around a
blocked punt by Stacy Thomas to take a 17-13 advantage into the break.
Bonnafon connected with Eli Rogers on 12-yard
scoring pass to cap a 14-play, 75-yard drive to open the third quarter and give
Louisville a 24-13 lead, but Murphyกฏs 3-yard scoring pass to Bobby Wolford cut
the deficit to 24-19 on the ensuing possession. The Eaglesกฏ next three
drives, though, all ended in interceptions, and Hollimanกฏs final two picks set
up 11- and 36-yard fourth-quarter scoring runs by Radcliff and Bonnafon,
respectively, to cap the scoring.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Earlier Saturday, Louisville
announced that leading receiver James Quick had been suspended for an
unspecified violation of team rules and would miss the contest. กญ Hollimanกฏs
interceptions give him 13 on the season and broke the tie he had shared with
Anthony Floyd for the single-season school record. กญ The extra-point attempt off the left upright by Joey Launceford in the second quarter was the
seventh point-after attempt missed by three different Boston College kickers
this season.