This UCF fan was pretty distraught! To have that pick six in the waning moments of the game was heart-breaking! But a little background here - we can go 11-1 on a season, but guess which game I'll attend? Rarely fails. We'd thrashed Pitt at home 45-14 in 2018, and I was expecting much the same when I traveled to Pittsburgh in 2019. That game was much tighter, and Pitt had gone toe to toe with us. Still, with seconds left, we led 34-28...but Pat Narduzzi drew up a trick play (now called the "Pitt Special") in which they ran an end around, as the Quarterback dashed to the end zone and caught the winning TD! Pitt wins 35-34. The game at Louisville felt much the same way. After we intercepted late, all we had to do was move the ball 20 yards to maybe win it with a FG.
With our stud running back, Isaiah Browser, going down with a deep knee bruise in the very first series, we didn't have that option to get into position. Gabriel zipped his pass to Johnson too hot, bouncing off his pads into the waiting hands of your LB. Game over. But wait - there were a few seconds left to try that desperation sand lot lateral thing ( that works maybe once in a hundred attempts), and in that trash play, Dillon Gabriel goes down with a season-ending broken collarbone? Too much!
Despite my frustration and disappointment, losing that way, your Cards played to win. We KNEW we had to contain Cunningham, but our guys bit on every juke and head fake, time and again. Fool us once, shame on you - fool us 10 times, shame on us! Plus, our secondary was again abysmal. Not a good recipe for success.
Hats off to Malik. Playing through obvious pain, he showed what he's made of, and he is a true gamer. Couldn't slow him, and I believe Louisville will win its share this season. In summary, while it was tough to lose the way we did, Louisville deserved the W for answering the bell and playing 60 minutes of solid football. Congrats and good luck the rest of the season!
