The Cardinals managed to overcome a tumultuous third quarter, securing a hard-fought victory against the upset-minded Virginia team with a score of 31-24 on Thursday night. This win brings Louisville one step closer to securing a spot in the ACC Championship Game and keeps their hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff alive for another week.
In the final minutes of regulation, Louisville's running back, Isaac Guerendo, broke the 24-24 tie with a remarkable 73-yard touchdown run, propelling the Cardinals to a seven-point victory. They had entered the fourth quarter trailing by a touchdown, making this comeback even more impressive.
Initially, Louisville appeared to be in control as they held a commanding 14-0 lead late into the third quarter. However, Virginia quickly turned the game around, scoring 21 unanswered points in just five minutes through a series of dramatic plays. The Cavaliers scored two touchdowns within 10 seconds of each other, one of them being an interception return. They then took the lead with a touchdown following an offensive fumble recovery, making the score 21-14 in their favor.
Early in the fourth quarter, both teams exchanged field goals. However, with 6:20 left to play, Louisville's quarterback, Jack Plummer, found receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce wide open for a 52-yard touchdown, tying the game. Louisville's defense, which played a crucial role in the victory, forced a stop on the following drive, setting the stage for Guerendo's game-winning touchdown. Virginia had one final opportunity to tie the game, but they turned the ball over on downs with just 1:16 remaining.
Plummer completed 19 of his 28 passing attempts for 243 yards and two touchdowns, but also had one interception returned for a touchdown by Virginia. Louisville's special teams played a significant role in the victory as well, blocking a punt in the second quarter and recovering it for a touchdown.
The game was momentarily halted for approximately 11 minutes in the second half due to an injury suffered by Virginia's running back, Perris Jones, who had to be stretchered off and taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
Louisville's current record stands at an impressive 9-1, which is their best since 2016 when their quarterback at the time, Lamar Jackson, won the Heisman Trophy.
While the victory certainly strengthens Louisville's position in the race for the ACC title game, they have not yet secured a spot against the No. 4 ranked Florida State. To secure their spot, the Cardinals need to win against Miami on November 18 or rely on No. 24 North Carolina losing one of its three remaining ACC games. If these conditions are met, Louisville will secure their ticket to the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on December 2. There is a possibility that this could happen as early as Saturday, as the Tar Heels face their rival, Duke.
Louisville's path to the College Football Playoff is less certain. They would need to win all their remaining games, including an upset victory against No. 4 Florida State in the conference title game. Even with that, the Cardinals would likely require some unexpected outcomes in other conferences, such as a two-loss Pac-12 or Big 12 champion, to have a chance at receiving an invitation to the CFP.