Top Bowl Game Performances in Louisville History

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - We're just a couple week away from the Louisville football program putting a bow on their 2025 campaign. The Cardinals are set to take on Toledo in the Boca Raton Bowl, with kickoff against the Rockets set for Christmas Eve Eve at 2:00 p.m. EST.

The bulk of Louisville's bowl history has come in the last three decades, as 23 of their 28 all-time postseason appearances have come over the last 30 years. But while UofL doesn't have a super extensive bowl history, we have seen several standout efforts from Cardinals players, many of which have near single-handedly carried them to a bowl win.

Here's our ranking of the 10 best individual bowl game performances in Louisville football history:

Honorable Mentions

2022 Fenway Bowl: RB Jawhar Jordan rushes for 115 yards and two touchdowns on just nine attempts vs. rival Cincinnati.
2013 Russell Athletic Bowl: WR DeVante Parker catches nine passes for 142 yards and a score against Miami.
2006 Orange Bowl: WR Harry Douglas logs 10 receptions for 165 yards on Wake Forest.
2000 Liberty Bowl: WR Deion Branch finishes with 10 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown in loss to Colorado State.
1998 Motor City Bowl: RB Leroy Collins runs for three touchdowns and 94 yards on 14 rushes in loss vs. Marshall.

10. William Gay Seals the Deal in Orange Bowl

The 2006 team for Louisville is widely viewed as the best in school history, mainly thanks to their offense. That being said, cornerback William Gay played a massive role in the Cards' 24-13 win over Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. He collected only five tackles, but also broke up three pass attempts and logged two second half turnovers - one being a third quarter forced fumble, and the other being a fourth quarter interception in the final minutes to essentially ice the game.

9. Paul Mattingly Makes Plays All Over the Field in Pasadena Bowl

In what was just Louisville's second-ever bowl appearance, Paul Mattingly turned one of the best postseason defensive performances in program history. Facing Long Beach State in the 1970 Pasadena Bowl, the linebacker collected 17 tackles, which is a UofL bowl record, earning Defensive Player of the Game honors. While the game ended in a 24-24 tie, Mattingly prevented it from being an outright loss, as he also blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter.

8. JR Russell Scores Thrice in GMAC Bowl

The 2003 GMAC Bowl is an otherwise forgettable game for Louisville fans, as it resulted in a 49-28 loss to Ben Roethlisberger's Miami of Ohio squad. That being said, the final score came despite a prolific day from J.R. Russell, as the wide receiver finished with three touchdowns and 144 receiving yards on just seven catches. He scored from two, 24 and 36 yards out, and also had a field-flipping 56-yard catch.

7. DeVonte Fields Sets the Defensive Tone in Music City Bowl

There's another performance from the 2015 Music City Bowl later on this list, but DeVonte Fields' effort against Texas A&M in this game is a worthy inclusion. The edge rusher lived in the Aggies' backfield, collecting three sacks to set the program bowl record. Fields was a tone-setter all over the line of scrimmage, also adding eight tackles overall as well as a pair of pass breakups.

6. Brian Brohm Earns Orange Bowl MVP Honors

As previously mentioned, the 2006 Louisville team was primarily known for their electric offense. While it wasn't the Cardinals' most prolific day on that side of the ball, it wasn't due to quarterback Brian Brohm. Facing a Wake Forest team that came in allowing only 207.8 passing yards per game, Brohm went 24-for-34 for 311 yards. While he didn't throw for a touchdown, he still was named the Orange Bowl MVP after guiding Louisville to a 24-13 win.

5. Isaac Guerendo Runs Wild in Holiday Bowl

Most Louisville fans remember the 2023 Holiday Bowl as the game where USC quarterback (and future Cardinal) Miller Moss absolutely tore UofL apart in a 42-28 loss. But lost in the shuffle from that bowl was a career day from Isaac Guerendo. The running back ran for 161 yards and three touchdowns on 23 attempts, while also catching five passes for 42 yards - both of which led the Cards. Add in 38 yards on two kickoff returns, and his 241 all-purpose yards is a UofL bowl record.

4. Teddy Bridgewater Torches Hometown School in Russell Athletic Bowl

In what wound up being his final game as a Cardinal, Teddy Bridgewater ended his collegiate career on a high note. In the 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl against Miami, Bridgewater, a Miami native, went 35-of-45 for a career-best 447 yards, as well as three touchdowns. He also ran for 24 yards and a score on six carries, being named bowl MVP in the 36-9 victory.

3. Browning Nagle Guides UofL to Monumental Fiesta Bowl Victory

The 1990 Louisville team was Howard Schnellenberger's best squad as the head coach, and the Cardinals' stunning 34-7 blowout over Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl clinched their first 10-win season in program history. Quarterback Browning Nagle was the catalyst behind this route, as he went 20-of-33 for a program bowl record 451 yards, as well as three touchdowns and one interception. Nagle, who helped put Louisville up 25-0 in the first quarter, was named the Fiesta Bowl Co-MVP with CB Ray Buchanan.

2. Teddy Bridgewater Leads Louisville to Program-Defining Win in Sugar Bowl

Louisville's 33-23 upset win over Florida in the 2012 Sugar Bowl is arguably the best win in school history, and Bridgewater played a massive role in securing the victory. The No. 22 Cardinals were facing a third-ranked Gators team that just barely missed out on contending for the national championship and had one of the best defenses in the nation, but that didn't matter to Bridgewater. He finished the game going 20-of-32 for 266 yards and two touchdowns (plus one late interception), getting named Sugar Bowl MVP.

1. Lamar Jackson's Prelude to a Heisman in Music City Bowl

Sure, Louisville's 27-21 win over Texas A&M in the 2015 Music City Bowl didn't have the program impact like the aforementioned Fiesta, Orange and Sugar Bowls. But what it did serve as was the springboard for Lamar Jackson's Heisman Trophy campaign the next season. The quarterback put together one of the most dominant single-game performances in school history, going 12-of-26 for 227 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 226 yards and two scores on 22 attempts. Unsurprisingly, he was named Music City Bowl MVP.