LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Back and forth the score went Friday night at Cardinal Stadium as Louisville finished on top of UCF, 42-35, thanks to late-game heroics from Cardinals defender Jaylin Alderman.
Alderman picked off UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel moments after the Knights forced a turnover of their own. The Louisville freshman went the other direction for a 66-yard touchdown.
The pick-six gave Louisville the lead with 13 seconds remaining. UCF fell to 2-1 on the season.
Moments prior, the Knights thought they were putting together a game-winning drive off of a turnover as Tre’mon Morris-Brash tipped and picked off Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham.
Gabriel led the Knights down the field with less than four minutes remaining trailing by a touchdown. The UCF quarterback ran into the end zone himself tying the game at 35 with 1:21 left in the game.
The game was tied five times, but every time UCF worked to even the score, Louisville responded, including in the final moments of the game.
Cunningham had his way with UCF’s defense, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for another. The Louisville quarterback finished the game with 265 passing yards to go along with 99 rushing yards.
Entering the game, the Knights had only given up 44 rushing yards. Louisville ran for 105 in the first quarter.
UCF opened the game forcing a turnover on downs, scoring 22 seconds later on a 41-yard pass from Gabriel to O’Keefe.
Louisville moved the ball well, capping off two drives of 10 plays or more with touchdowns. The second scoring drive, which went 75 yards, tied the game at 14 with 9:38 left in the second quarter.
Forcing UCF to punt, the Cardinals took control of the game with 22 seconds left in the quarter as Cunningham found Marshon Ford in the end zone. Earlier on the drive, Ford caught a 28-yard pass. Louisville led 21-14 at halftime.
Down a touchdown, the Knights opened the second half with some trickery, using a double pass between Gabriel and O’Keefe, who threw the ball back to the UCF quarterback for the 20-yard score.
The Cardinals regained the lead late in the third quarter thanks to another long drive that resulted in Cunningham’s second rushing touchdown from one yard out.
Louisville pulled off a trick play of their own as wide receiver Braden Smith threw to running back Trevion Cooley for 45 yards. The Cardinals led 35-28 with 9:15 left in the game.
Gabriel’s score tied the game one last time with just over a minute remaining. But in the end, Gabriel’s final turnover would cost the Knights the game.
