By J.J. Hysell
It just didn’t seem like Louisville was meant to even the score with Colorado State.
Battling the team that dealt them a gut-wrenching 22-17 loss at the frigid Liberty Bowl last year, the Cards were hoping to make a statement on national television that this time would prove a different result from an improved team.It was a variation, indeed as U of L pulled out a 7-2 win over the Rams in front of 39,389 fans at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
The message – although it got through – wasn’t very convincing. After the Cards (5-1, 1-0 C-USA) took a 7-0 lead in the first half, they had to correct mistakes and mishaps to survive, teasing the Rams (2-3) by giving them an opportunity here and there.
U of L quarterback Dave Ragone completed 20 of 28 passes for 213 yards; in 18 games as a starter, the junior has topped the 200-yard mark 15 times. But the Cards struggled offensively in the second half, as Ragone threw a near-costly interception and was sacked during a series that ended in a CSU safety. The only highlight when U of L had the ball was receiver Zek Parker, who tied a career high number of catches with seven, for a total of 92 yards.
It was the defense that pulled the weight off the Cards’ proverbial shoulders, making all the wrongs right again by silencing the CSU comebacks.”The defense did a great job; they won the game for us and we needed that,” Ragone said. “It seems like my mistakes were a lot more emphasized but that’s the pressure of playing quarterback. The defense played incredible. I’m the defense’s biggest fan right now.”
Admirers can point to several moments in which the defense, with a single switch or a slight adjustment, literally saved the win for the Cards. But overall, CSU wasn’t playing its best, either. In CSU Coach Sonny Lubick’s farthest trip east as head of the Rams, his team was held to its lowest yardage total (148) since 1993.
U of L also notched three interceptions and five sacks.
“I knew that it was a day the defense was going to have to come and limit the offense,” U of L defensive lineman Dewayne White said. “I have to give it to the defense. But if I make plays, it’s just going to carry over to the linebacker and the safeties. If I’m pressuring the quarterback, he might throw an errant pass.”
Even Lubick was defensive-minded after the game: he praised both team’s sets.”If you like defense, this was a good ball game,” he said. “I’m sure that they’re over there saying the same thing, because both offenses did not play well tonight. Defensively, we came in and met our challenge on stopping the Louisville offense.”
It appeared U of L had the game in hand, but this took a turn for the unpredictable late in the fourth quarter. On third and nine from the Rams’ 47, CSU quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt – a sophomore transfer from Michigan State who was impressive in the Rams’ win over Wyoming last week – misfired and found himself suddenly playing defense as U of L safety Anthony Floyd snatched the ball for his 14th career interception. The Cards couldn’t sustain the turnabout, however, as Floyd lost control of the ball in mid-stride and CSU recovered.”I was trying to get some yards and got careless with the ball,” Floyd said. “But that ain’t going to happen again.”
The battle for possession, according to Floyd, was a lively one.”I had one hand in there but the Colorado State player, he had like two hands on the ball. Really, I knew they were going to get the ball so basically I was just trying to rest right there.”
The next play looked like a replay as Van Pelt threw straight to U of L’s other safety, Curry Burns, who held on and gave the Cards first and ten at their own 16 yard line with 8:06 left.
U of L couldn’t get out of its own territory, as the next series included a sack and two short runs by running back Tony Stallings.
Punting from his own end zone, Wade Tydlacka saw trouble coming as he had difficulty handling the snap. With two defenders approaching, he attempted to boot the ball away, but it was blocked by Andre Summersell and rolled out of bounds for a safety.
CSU had cut the deficit to 7-2 and claimed possession with 5:56 remaining. Three plays netted nothing for the Rams, who decided to play on fourth and five from their 46. Van Pelt’s throw was incomplete – almost snagged by Michael Brown – but a holding penalty on the Cards gave CSU new life.
The next three plays, Van Pelt looked to running back Henri Childs, who could only muster a combined six yards. On fourth and three from the 29 yard line, U of L defensive back Josh Minkins thwarted the Rams’ rally for good – or so it appeared – by knocking the ball away from receiver Chris Pittman.
U of L needed to waste just 2:36 off the clock to register another ‘W.’ But the football gods – and ESPN viewers who hadn’t been diverted to watch Barry Bonds’ 70th home run – would be treated to even more tension. On second and ten from U of L’s 31, Ragone lofted a wobbly pass that landed in the waiting hands of Ameer Lowe, who rambled to the 30-yard line.
With the crowd at its feet and 2:36 left, the Rams made one last attempt. They drove all the way to the 13-yard line, but were pushed back by an illegal substitution penalty. U of L defensive lineman Michael Josiah, mysteriously absent from the game until the fourth quarter, sacked Van Pelt for a loss of 11 yards.
On fourth and thirty from the 39, Van Pelt’s Hail Mary to the end zone – which fell into a crowd – was grabbed by Ronnie Gallishaw.
“We just kept wailing on each other and nobody wanted to go down,” U of L Head Coach John L. Smith said. “I kept thinking ‘They’re gonna go down’ but they wouldn’t.”
Parker put U of L’s only score on the board with a seven yard TD catch from Ragone midway through the second quarter.
U of L next hosts Southern Miss on Oct. 16.
