By Derek DeBurger

Louisville once again mounted a late comeback, but fell short of victory in overtime against the No. 24 Virginia Cavaliers

Drawn out

Virginia’s offense took the field first but failed to do anything with it.

After receiving the punt, Louisville strung together a methodical drive with little resistance. On the 11th play of the drive, the Cards went for it on a fourth and short, but Isaac Brown fumbled the ball and Virginia was able to get a 61-yard scoop-and-score.

Louisville got the ball back after the mistake, and continued their slow matriculations down the field. After 12 long plays, Miller Moss took a fourth and goal into the end zone on a quarterback keeper to tie the game 7-7.

After the Cavs finally got the ball back in the second quarter, it was their turn to slow up the action.

Virginia took a 16-play, eight-minute drive 75 yards into the end zone to take back the lead. Just like Virginia’s defense, Louisville’s defense looked almost hopeless on the field.

The Cards got the ball back and finally quickened up the pace. Louisville went right down the field in just seven plays, with Moss finding Chris Bell for a 15-yard touchdown.

The Cards defense found its footing again as Virginia sputtered quickly. Moss and company then ran the two-minute offense to near perfection to get the Cards in field goal territory. Unfortunately, a bad snap caused a bad hold and a bad kick, leading to no points before the break.

The game was tied 14-14 going into halftime.

Keeping them in it

After a slow but steady stream of offense from both teams in the first half, that well dried up to start the second.

Both teams failed to do anything on their first drives of the half. Then Moss, in the process of getting sacked on third down, threw one of the worst pick-sixes imaginable to give Virginia a seven-point lead.

With both offenses continuing to struggle, Louisville handed UVA great field position. After only picking up 11 yards, Virginia was able to kick a field goal to put the Hoos up 24-14.

The offenses continued to struggle well into the fourth, putting a comeback in serious doubt.

But when hope was starting to dwindle, a fake flea flicker gave Brown a 22-yard carry to start a Louisville drive with some much needed hope. Brown would gash the defense two more times before Moss found Bell once again for an incredible touchdown catch.

After yet another failed drive by UVA, Louisville tried to tie the game up but Moss took two terrible sacks on third down. After both sacks, however, Moss made exceptional deep throws to Caullin Lacy and Kris Hughes to keep the chains moving.

With the clock getting low, Cooper Ranvier knocked a 49-yard field goal through the uprights for a career-long and game-tying kick.

Regulation would end tied at 24-24.

Louisville got the ball first in overtime, and moved well.

Jaleel Skinner had a wide open lane to pay dirt, but a shoestring tackle stopped him two yards short. Brown then made an incredible catch to set up first and goal, but the referees reviewed the play and deemed it incomplete.

Louisville would kick to take the lead 27-24.

Virginia shook off their offensive woes and got right to work. Chandler Morris hit his tight end on an RPO for a first down, and two plays later put his body on the line to get some yards for his team.

The quarterback would get injured, but it wouldn’t matter as a direct snap saw Virginia cross the goal line and end the game.

Louisville lost 30-27 in overtime.

Same old story

Something obviously clicked for Moss a week ago against Pitt, but it hasn’t clicked for the staff.

Moss went 21-for-26 in the first half with Bell having a career-day of 13 catches for 183 yards and two scores.

Three stupid mistakes made a 17-point swing throughout the game for the Cards, enough of a margin to avoid OT.

There are traces of the last two teams in this one, but in some of the worst ways. The offense is limited with the defense carrying the way. However, instead of winning with ugly football, Louisville has been undisciplined like their team a year ago.

They didn’t wait to fix the mistakes until it bit them then, and they haven’t done so now.

Louisville should have easily beaten a chesty Virginia team, but they shot themselves in the foot over and again.

Jeff Brohm has some major work to do during the bye week or else the Cards could take an early elimination from ACC title contention.

Louisville will enter the long bye with a 4-1 record on the year and 1-1 in the ACC.

Photo by Vinny Porco