By Derek DeBurger

No. 15 Louisville drops a heartbreaker to the California Golden Bears in overtime.

The loss all but ends the Cards’ hopes of playing for the ACC championship or getting to the College Football Playoff.

Fool’s gold

Cal started the game with a successful trick play on a double-pass from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to Jacob De Jesus to Trond Grizzell. That very trick play has been open against the Cards multiple times this season, the Golden Bears were just the first to hit it.

Cal continued to drive the ball, with Sagapolutele looking like a seasoned veteran. The drive ultimately stalled, and the 40-yard field goal attempt went wide right.

On their first drive, Louisville marched down the field. A 40-yard pass from Miller Moss to Caullin Lacy set the Cards up in a goal-to-go.

Two plays later, Duke Watson made his return known with a touchdown to put Louisville up 7-0.

A couple of plays later Sagapolutele threw an interception just past midfield, but the referees convened and ruled the play a simple incompletion. The Bears punted two plays later, but the field position made all the difference as Louisville went three-and-out on their next drive.

Cal then hit the gas as they marched right down the field, gashing the secondary. The drive was capped off with a phenomenal pass for a 20-yard touchdown to tie the game.

The two teams then traded field goals on each of their next drives, but Louisville hit yet another field goal to take the lead 13-10.

Louisville did a solid job slowing down the Cal offense, but a defensive pass interference kept the drive alive and well. Sagapolutele continued to torch the secondary until Kendrick Raphael could punch in a two-yard touchdown.

Louisville went into the half down 17-13.

Misfire

The second half got off to as bad a start as possible.

After getting the ball to start the second half, Watson got blown up for an eight-yard loss. The very next play Moss threw a terrible pick to give the ball right back to Cal.

Cal’s offense didn’t actual do much, but they were in such good position after the pick that they scored an easy field goal to take a 20-13 lead.

The next drive was once again a terrible one right out of the gate, but a roughing the passer on third down bailed out Louisville’s offense.

From there Keyjuan Brown willed the offense down the field, with a 21-yard carry getting to the goal line. After a couple of quarterback sneaks the Cards tied the game at 20-20.

Cal then went on a long drive, going deep into Cardinals territory. After getting into a fourth-and-goal at the three-yard line, a false start pushed the Bear back and forced a field goal attempt.

On the attempt, Tayon Holloway blew past the blockers but went too fast and ran past the kicker. The kick ended up just barely going through the uprights, and Cal retook the lead 23-20.

Louisville was staring down the barrel of a three-and-out when Moss hit Nate Kurisky for a 31-yard pass on third-and-one. After the conversion, Watson and Brown drug the team into enemy territory. But the Cards were forced to settle for another field goal as Cooper Ranvier tied the game again.

At that point the two offenses just quit working. Three-and-outs and failed game-wining drives ended regulation in a whimper.

Regulation came to a close at 23-23.

Deja vu

In overtime, the Cards got a nice pickup of nine yards on their first play. Their second play pushed them back 15 yards on a chop block, and two incompletions forced Ranvier to kick a field goal.

On Cal’s turn they just dinked and dunked all the way inside the five. After getting stopped on third-and-goal, Cal kept their offense on the field for all the marbles.

On the fourth down play, coverage on De Jesus was far too weak. Sagapolutele found the receiver on the corner to squeeze into the end zone for the walk-off score.

Louisville lost 29-26.

All over

Louisville’s dreams have all but been dashed by a sleepy performance in front of an electric crowd.

Sagapolutele had his way with Louisville’s defense, throwing for 323 yards and two touchdowns. The unit rendered him less effective in the second half, but it was too little too late.

For the second week in a row, the defense looked lost against passing plays designed to go side-to-side, exposing a flaw that will only be highlighted in the weeks to come.

Moss was dreadful when it mattered most, only coming up with three combined points on three crucial drives at the end of the fourth and overtime.

He threw for just barely over 50% (20-of-39), and many of his misses were just flat overthrows to wide open guys.

Louisville is now 7-2 on the season and 4-2 in the ACC. The biggest question becomes whether anyone on the team throws in the towel.

Photo by Harrison Plank