By Sam Draut–
Louisville capped off the 2015 season with a 27-21 victory over Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday.
After starting the year 0-3, Louisville won six of its last seven games and ended the season 8-5.
The hard fought win over Texas A&M (8-5) is undoubtedly the Cardinals marquee win of the year.
“It was a team win, we needed everyone out there on that field tonight,” coach Bobby Petrino said.
Lambo: In his seventh career start, Lamar Jackson put together one of the most impressive individual performances in program history. The freshman quarterback completed 12 of 26 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns, but most importantly, Jackson rushed for 226 yards on 22 carries and scored two touchdowns.
Jackson had a 61-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and became only the second quarterback from a Power-5 conference school to throw and rush for 200 yards in a bowl game in the last four seasons. The only other player to do so is former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel.
“He really executed,” Petrino said. The head coach was most proud of how hard Jackson worked in preparation for the game. He said Jackson improved on his footwork, passing ability and understanding of the offense.
The 226 rushing performance marks Jackson’s fifth game this season he rushed for more than 100 yards. It is the fifth game this season he has passed and rushed for over 100 yards, more than any other quarterback in the country. Early in the first quarter, he broke the school’s record for career rushing yards for a quarterback.
The read-option was effective and lethal all night, opening gaps for Jackson and running backs Brandon Radcliff and L.J. Scott.
“It was good execution by our line, our blocking, we took it from there,” Jackson said.
Jackson ended his freshman year with 960 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Targeting: On the first play from scrimmage, linebacker James Burgess was called for targeting a Texas A&M receiver after a hard hit over the middle. The play was reviewed and the senior was ejected for the final game of his outstanding career.
“We had to keep our composure as a defense, we had to have people come in and step up,” junior linebacker Keith Kelsey said.
On the same play, Louisville lost starting cornerback Shaq Wiggins, but he returned in the second quarter for a few possessions, but did not play in the second half.
After Burgess was escorted off the field, sophomore Stacy Thomas replaced the captain at the inside linebacker position. Thomas ended up leading the Cardinal defense with 11 tackles.
Big stop: Missing three starters in the second half: James Burgess, Shaq Wiggins and Trevon Young, Louisville’s defense closed out the game with a stop late in the fourth quarter. (Trevon Young left the game in the first quarter with a hip injury). Texas A&M drove to the Louisville 24-yard line and appeared to complete a 17-yard pass to the six-yard line, but the call was overturned after review. This set up 3rd and eight on the 24 yard line, giving the Aggies two shots at extending the game with Louisville leading 27-21.
Texas A&M quarterback Jake Hubenak’s passes fell incomplete, and Louisville took over on downs with 1:39 left.
Radcliff rushed for seven yards and Jackson converted on a third down run to seal the game.
Hubenak was Texas A&M’s third-string quarterback for the entire regular season, but after coach Kevin Sumlin’s top two quarterbacks transferred, Sumlin was forced to put Hubenak into action.
The former junior-college transfer completed 28 of 48 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns. He helped to direct 445 yards of total offense for the Aggies.
Josh Harvey-Clemons picked off one of Hubenak’s passes in the third quarter. The interception was the first for Harvey-Clemons since he pulled down a pair in the season opener against Auburn. Harvey-Clemons was tied for third on the team with eight tackles.
Defensive standout: Coming off the edge, outside linebacker DeVonte Fields had a season-high three sacks and eight tackles. The former TCU-transfer also batted down two passes.
On the outside, cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Trumaine Washington struggled covering Texas A&M wide-receivers Josh Reynolds and Christian Kirk throughout the night, but the cornerbacks were able to bring down the bigger receivers in open space. Alexander was second on the team with 10 tackles while Washington finished with eight tackles.
SEC footnote: In its last nine games against Southeastern Conference competition, Louisville is 7-2.
What it means: Louisville started 0-3 and fell to 2-4 a few weeks later, but closed out the season winning eight of its last ten games. The team showed strong resilience throughout the year. Only four seniors started on Wednesday against Texas A&M, so the young roster will go into the offseason with added momentum and confidence.
“I’m really proud of their effort, and the team we became,” Petrino said.
The next question for Louisville will be what players contemplating the NFL will return next season.
Juniors Kelsey, Harvey-Clemons, DeAngelo Brown, Fields and Young have all expressed interest in seeking out opinions of NFL scouts and talent evaluators.
