Louisville is hoping it has changed its momentum and started a trend in another direction. With a 25-23 win over Southern Miss Saturday night, the Cardinals won their first game over a Football Bowl Subdivision team in nearly a year and snapped a three-game losing streak. “Winning is contagious, just like losing,” said Cardinals receiver Scott Long, who had one of the most spectacular plays of the night—a 92-yard touchdown reception. “I hope it starts a nice little trend and gives us confidence.” The Cardinals’ only other win this season came against Indiana State of the Football Championship Series. Since then, Louisville (2-3) has suffered losses to rival Kentucky, Utah, and conference opponent Pittsburgh. One of Louisville’s most relieved players was kicker Ryan Payne, who made a 32-yard field goal with 30 seconds to play to give Louisville the win. Payne was one of three kickers Louisville used last season, and made 3-of-6 attempts. “I was nervous as heck,” he said. “I’m just glad my team put me in a position to kick a pretty easy kick.” Long had a career day for the Cardinals, with 146 yards receiving on five catches, plus a touchdown. The Cardinals trailed 16-7 at halftime but scored touchdowns, including a 2-point conversion, on their first two possessions of the second half to go ahead 22-16. The Golden Eagles (3-3) regained the lead 23-22 after a 13-yard touchdown run by Tory Harrison. Damion Fletcher and Harrison combined for 161 rushing yards and two touchdowns. A 64-yard kickoff return by Louisville’s Trent Guy after Harrison’s touchdown helped put the Cardinals in position for their game-winning field goal. Guy dropped a punt in Louisville’s loss to Kentucky that gave the Wildcats the chance to take the lead, and missed games last season recovering from being shot. “It was great to see Trent to make a play like that,” Long said. “I was almost in tears. He’s a special person.” As excited as the Cardinals were about the play, the Golden Eagles were equally disappointed. “It was pretty upsetting, but we can’t let that get us down,” said Southern Miss quarterback Martevious Young, who made his second career start. “Everybody is kind of down right now. We just have to pick each other up and be able to count on each other.” Young completed 22 passes to eight receivers for 229 yards. The Cardinals’ last win over a FBS team came on Oct. 25, 2008, against South Florida, when Long set his previous career-high of 134 receiving yards. Louisville scored a touchdown on its second possession, capped by a 12-yard run by Victor Anderson, who leapt over a defender at the goal line. The Cardinals’ four other complete series in the first half ended with three punts, and an interception, with time expiring on the last series of the half with the Cardinals near midfield. The Golden Eagles had their chances to open up a lead in the first half, but in four trips inside the Louisville 20, settled for three field goals and a touchdown, a 1-yard run by Fletcher. Louisville quarterback Adam Froman, in his second career start for the Cardinals, completed 14-of-26 passes for 248 yards, including Long’s 92-yard touchdown catch. The Golden Eagles got the ball first in the second half but had to punt, leading to an 85-yard scoring drive by the Cardinals, culminating in a 13-yard touchdown run up the middle by Bilal Powell. Southern Miss still held the lead 16-14, but went three-and-out on their possession following Powell’s touchdown. A fair catch by Andrew Robinson after the Golden Eagles’ punt put the ball at Louisville’s 10-yard-line. Robinson played cornerback Saturday night, rather than his usual wide receiver, to shore up the Cardinals’ secondary. Four Louisville defensive backs missed the game because of injuries. On third-and-12, after an incomplete pass and a run for a loss, Froman found Long deep, near the left sideline. The lanky receiver then cut back and ran down the middle of the field for the long score to give the Cardinals a 22-16 lead after a 2-point conversion with 4:31 to play in the third quarter. “We were torn between two plays, but I told coach I wanted the ball,” Long said. “I just heard ‘go route’ and that’s what I wanted.” After the teams traded punts on the next four series, Southern Miss had the ball at its own 11. The Eagles drove down the field, with Harrison carrying the ball six times for 43 yards, including the go-ahead 13-yard touchdown run. Guys’ kickoff return nearly put the Cardinals in field-goal range. From there, the Cardinals kept it simple, running the ball up the middle, moving the ball to the Golden Eagles’ 15-yard line for Payne’s kick.
