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Jeff Brohm's Cards beat Indiana 21-14 in game full of firsts for Louisville football team

alexis cubit, louisville courier journal
·3 min read

INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday was filled with firsts for Louisville’s football team.

Running back Maurice Turner scored for the first time. Safety Cam’Ron Kelly had his first interception as a Cardinal. And facing Indiana for the first time in 37 years, Louisville defeated the Hoosiers 21-14 at Lucas Oil Stadium for its first win in the series.

The Cardinals (3-0), now 1-2 all-time against the Hoosiers, made an early statement — holding IU to 107 yards of offense through two quarters en route to a 21-0 halftime lead. That was challenged late when Indiana scored 14 points in the second half and threatened to tie or take the lead with less than five minutes in regulation.

But facing fourth and goal with Indiana 1 ½ feet away from the end zone, linebacker TJ Quinn appeared to catch Hoosiers running back Josh Henderson while he was attempting to leap over the pile of players. Quinn sent Henderson to the ground behind the pile, denying IU and turning the ball over.

From there, Louisville’s offense ran out the final 4:38, highlighted by a hurdle attempt from running back Jawhar Jordan and 23 rushing yards from quarterback Jack Plummer, who finished with 238 passing yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

Louisville Cardinals running back Jawhar Jordan (25) runs the ball against Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Jacob Mangum-Farrar (7) in the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept. 16, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Louisville Cardinals running back Jawhar Jordan (25) runs the ball against Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Jacob Mangum-Farrar (7) in the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept. 16, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The California transfer struggled in the second half but had a strong start to the game, getting many of the Cardinals’ playmakers involved. Two plays after Kelly’s first-quarter interception, Plummer hit wide receiver Jamari Thrash for an 85-yard touchdown to put the Cardinals on the board. Thrash, the team’s leading receiver, came into the game with 170 receiving yards and had 159 yards on four catches and five targets after two quarters.

Wide receiver Jadon Thompson missed the first two games of the season but made his debut Saturday and had a 7-yard catch in the second quarter to enter his first stats as a Cardinal. Three plays later, Turner ran in a 2-yard score for his first career touchdown. One of three running backs featured against Indiana, the sophomore had been held out against Murray State as a precaution but used his opportunity to add to Louisville’s lead, 14-0.

Louisville running back Maurice Turner, right, celebrates a touchdown run with quarterback Jack Plummer during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Indiana, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Indianapolis.
Louisville running back Maurice Turner, right, celebrates a touchdown run with quarterback Jack Plummer during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Indiana, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Indianapolis.

Kelly was a key contributor to the Cardinals’ first-half shutout. The North Carolina transfer replaced Josh Minkins (hamstring), starting in his second game this season. He didn't only cover Indiana’s receivers – Kelly bumrushed his way into the backfield twice and finished as the Cardinals’ leading tackler with 12.

Some firsts weren’t good for Louisville, though.

Kicker Brock Travelstead missed his first field-goal attempt during the Cards’ opening drive Saturday, ending his streak at four consecutive makes. Though U of L kept IU from capitalizing, the Cardinals weren’t as successful at keeping the Hoosiers out of the end zone in the second half. Indiana recovered an onside kick after halftime, the first the Cardinals have given up since 2019. IU quarterback Tayven Jackson used it to throw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Jaylin Lucas, cutting Louisville’s lead to 21-7.

The Cardinals continued to struggle in the third quarter and were held scoreless as the Hoosiers crept back in. They had the ball for 10 minutes in the third quarter and trailed by a touchdown heading into the final 15 minutes.

The game fell into the hands of Louisville’s defense as the offense sputtered, and the unit responded with that goal-line stop.

Louisville defensive back Cam'Ron Kelly (11) reacts after a tackle during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Indiana, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Indianapolis.
Louisville defensive back Cam'Ron Kelly (11) reacts after a tackle during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Indiana, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Indianapolis.

It was a different scene than the last time Cardinals head coach Jeff Brohm was at Lucas Oil Stadium. He made his head coaching debut with Purdue in 2017 by facing his alma mater, a 35-28 to Louisville. Six years later — and without Lamar Jackson — Brohm was on the winning side, though the result was still the same for the Cardinals.

U of L jumps back into ACC action by hosting Boston College at 3:30 p.m. next Saturday.

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville football score? Jeff Brohm's Cards win at Lucas Oil Stadium