Ranking Louisville's wins from 2019
Louisville football ended the regular season with seven wins and is set to play Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl to cap the 2019 season.
1. Wake Forest
(62-59) the Cardinals outlasted the 19-ranked Demon Deacons in Winston Salem for the program’s first road win over a ranked team since 2011. Louisville jumped out to a 28-7 lead early in the second quarter, but could never pull away from then undefeated Wake Forest on Oct. 12.
Louisville led 52-31 with 9:14 left in the fourth quarter, but the Demon Deacons closed their deficit to three points as the Cardinals needed Tutu Atwell to recover an onside kick.
Evan Conley had what would be a game-clinching 41-yard touchdown run with 2:15 left to give Louisville a 62-52 lead. Hassan Hall returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
2. Virginia
(28-21) possibly the most complete defensive effort didn’t start well as Louisville faced a 14-7 halftime deficit. The Cardinals held the Coastal Division champions to 311 yards of offense on a rainy day at Cardinal Stadium.
Atwell had a 77-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter for Louisville’s only touchdown of the first half. Micale Cunningham had a 25-yard touchdown run with 14:22 to give the Cardinals the lead for good.
Javian Hawkins, who finished with 136 rushing yards, scored from 17 yards in the fourth quarter for an insurance touchdown.
3. Boston College
(41-39) Louisville’s first conference victory since 2017 was sealed with a 41-yard game-winning field goal from Blanton Creque with 1:02 left.
Boston College erased a two-touchdown first half deficit and took a 29-28 lead early in the third quarter. Louisville returned its advantage to two possessions on a field goal by Creque and touchdown reception by Dez Fitzpatrick, but Boston College scored 10 unanswered points to take a one-point lead with 3:32 left.
Hawkins rushed for 172 yards and Cunningham and Conley combined for throw for 428 yards as Louisville finished with 664 yards of offense.
4. Western Kentucky
(38-21) the Cardinals used a 24-point second quarter to defeat an in-state team that would finish the season 8-4. Atwell had three touchdown receptions from nine yards, 46 yards and 62 yards.
Rodjay Burns returned a fumble 30 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to give Louisville a 31-7 lead. WKU finished with 288 yards of offense, a season low for an FBS opponent against Louisville.
5. Syracuse
(56-34) Louisville’s final win of the regular season came on a rainy senior day that guaranteed the Cardinals second place in the Atlantic Division.
Cunningham threw five touchdowns and rushed for a score as Louisville’s offense ended with 608 yards. Hawkins rushed for a career-high 233 yards on 23 carries.
Louisville maintained a comfortable lead through, ending the first quarter 21-3 and leading by a least two touchdowns for the entirety of the second half.
6. NC State
(34-20) Louisville clinched bowl eligibility with a road win in Raleigh. The Cardinals offense struggled in the first half as the only score came on a 43-yard reception from Cunningham to Fitzpatrick.
After trailing 10-7 at halftime, Louisville scored 20 unanswered points in the third quarter. Cunningham threw four touchdowns, but the Cardinals’ final score came on a fake field goal as Ryan Chalifoux found Marshon Ford for a 7-yard touchdown with 9:42 left in the fourth quarter.
7. EKU
(42-0) the first win in the Scott Satterfield era at Louisville was never close against the FCS opponent. Jawon pass threw two touchdowns in the first quarter.
The Cardinals scored a pair of touchdowns in the first, third and fourth quarters. Hawkins rushed for 123 yards.
