The first rule in any game is to respect thine opponent. Not saying the University of Louisville football had too low a regard for James Madison University, but the Cardinals appeared more than a little lethargic during the early stages of the game. A team nobody hears of until they spring some major upsets that are forgotten until they line up against your team.
Not a good thing that UofL would lose the opening coin toss. The Cardinals receiving the opening kickoff but unable to cross the 50 yardline on their first three offensive series. Isaac Brown consistently running into brick walls at the line, Miller Moss getting little time to find receivers, receiving little protection from the hyped James Madison defenders. No walk in the L&N park today, gonna be a grinder, lucky to make it out of here alive.
JMU opens up with one of Jeff Brohm’s own trick plays, with the quarter lateraling the ball to a teammate throwing a wide open receiver downfield. No one close to him. The only good thing about the play was that the intended receiver would drop the ball. The first half one with lots of frustration for the Cardinals. The good guys would win in the end, rewarding the patient crowd of 48,717 fans with a 28-14 Louisville win.
James Madison clinging to a 7-6 lead at halftime, increasing its unlikely lead to 14-6 on a scoring drive of 76 yards in nine plays at the 10:10 in the third quarter. Those would be the last points allowed by Louisville, which would take control of the game thereafter. Starting with a Miller Moss pass to Chris Bell on the next series of downs for a 68-yard touchdown. The Cardinals would successful complete a two-point play to know the game up at 14-14.
The game turner, however, would come when Clev Lubin would knock the ball out of the JMU quarterback’s hands in the end zone. The ball would be covered by A. J. Green, giving Louisville a lead it would never relinquish. Isaac Brown would earn most of his 100-plus yards with a 78-yard touchdown slamming the door on JMU’s lofty expectations. No upset tonight, guys, take your show else.
‘We hung in there on a rough night and just continued to play for 60 minutes and found a way to win,” said a relieved Coach Jeff Brohm. “So that is the great part. I thought our defense, which I thought was playing well the last weeks of camp, came through for us. They did a great job and found ways, with the help of the crowd noise, to push them back at times and, of course, got some sacks. The key touchdown in the end zone was the critical touchdown that got us over the hump. Then we found a way to hit a run at the end. So, it was just a good win. I was proud we hung in there …”
The rough and tumble experience was one the Cardinals may have needed after a much-too-easy win over Eastern Kentucky the week before. The choice James Madison a good one for the second game of the season, reminding them that college football can be unpredictable, that there are ups and downs. Games that test one’s manhood and commitment will be plentiful in the weeks ahead.
