CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — For the third consecutive week, Louisville found itself engaged in a tightly contested game, but this time they emerged victorious. Tyler Shough connected with Jamari Johnson on a 14-yard touchdown pass with just 1 minute and 55 seconds remaining, leading the Cardinals to a 24-20 triumph over Virginia at Scott Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Isaac Brown was a standout for Louisville, accumulating 146 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns. Alabama transfer Ja’Corey Brooks contributed significantly as well, recording 83 yards on five receptions for the Cardinals.

On the other side, Virginia’s Anthony Colandrea performed admirably, passing for 279 yards and tossing a go-ahead touchdown with 10:03 left in the game. He also added a career-high 84 rushing yards. Wide receiver Malachi Fields made a substantial impact with nine catches totaling 129 yards.

The Cavaliers were eager to secure their first three-game winning streak and back-to-back victories in the Atlantic Coast Conference under coach Tony Elliott. Virginia’s defense stepped up when it mattered, making key plays during Louisville’s opening drive of the fourth quarter. With the Cardinals deep in enemy territory, defensive end Chico Bennett managed to tackle Brown for a two-yard loss on second down. Following that, linebacker Kam Robinson sacked Shough on third down, prompting Louisville to attempt a 41-yard field goal, which Brock Travelstead subsequently missed. This kept Virginia within a manageable distance at 17-13.

As the game progressed, the Cavaliers capitalized on the opportunity created by the defense. On their next drive, Colandrea stood tall against the pressure and delivered a flat pass to Xavier Brown, who sprinted down the side, dodging a tackle to score a 46-yard touchdown that put Virginia back in the lead.

However, Shough and the Cardinals quickly answered back, orchestrating an impressive 11-play, 67-yard drive that culminated in the game-winning touchdown.

Takeaways from the match reveal that for Louisville, this victory was essential to break a two-game losing streak following defeats to Notre Dame and SMU. Although their potent passing attack was somewhat subdued, the team managed to pull through when it counted the most.

Conversely, Virginia, having previously struggled with only three wins in each of the last two seasons, was on the brink of achieving a fourth victory in six games. Looking ahead, they face a tough upcoming schedule, beginning with a match against Clemson, the former team of their head coach Elliott, next weekend.

Next on the agenda for Louisville is a home matchup against No. 6 Miami on Saturday, while Virginia will visit No. 10 Clemson on the same day.