AJ Green’s fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown with 13:05 left lifted host Louisville to a 28-14 come-from-behind victory Friday against James Madison.
Isaac Brown ran for 104 yards on 12 carries for the Cardinals (2-0), with 78 of those coming on a clinching touchdown run with 3:31 remaining.
However, the defensive end’s go-ahead score was a fitting one considering how much of a factor both teams’ defenses were in the contest. Green’s score also marked the first time the Cardinals led the Dukes (1-1), who were attempting to earn a road win over an Atlantic Coast Conference team for a third straight season.
That score came right after James Madison — which won at Virginia in 2023 and at North Carolina last season — had a third-down conversion nullified by a holding penalty. On the ensuing third-and-10 at the Dukes’ 8-yard line, Alonza Barnett III lost the ball as he was sacked by Clev Lubin in the end zone. Green was the first one to pounce on it.
Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss threw for 151 yards on 13-of-23 passing.
The Cardinals trailed 14-6 less than five minutes into the second half, but Moss and Chris Bell connected on a 64-yard touchdown pass with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter. Moss then tied the game by scrambling for the two-point conversion.
Aside from Louisville’s big pass and run scores, both teams’ offenses struggled, especially in the first half. The Dukes mustered just 65 yards on 30 plays, while the Cardinals got 98 yards on 35 plays. However, both also took advantage of short fields to score in the first half.
Lacota Dippre caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Barnett in the first quarter to cap a drive that started after Louisville was stopped on downs at its 39.
Louisville’s Cooper Ranvier kicked two field goals, with the second coming near the end of the half after an 8-yard punt from Patrick Rea.
Barnett finished 15-for-25 for 102 yards and one touchdown. He split time under center with Matthew Sluka, who ran 21 times for 83 yards and an 8-yard touchdown run that put James Madison up by eight early in third quarter.
After the game, Louisville coach Jeff Brohm told reporters that starting middle linebacker Stanquan Clark suffered a lower-body injury in the fourth quarter. While saying the team will reevaluate Clark on Saturday, the coach said it’s the kind of injury that could force the junior to miss weeks. Clark had six tackles in the win. He had 76 tackles and two interceptions last season.
–Field Level Media
