CLEMSON, S.C. — Isaac Brown ran for a career high 151 yards and a clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter as Louisville beat No. 11 Clemson for the first time, 33-21 on Saturday night.
Cardinals quarterback Tyler Shough somersaulted for a score and Brock Travelstead tied his career high with four field goals as Louisville (6-4, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) qualified for a bowl game and snapped an 0-8 career mark against the Tigers (6-2, 5-1).
The Cardinals also seriously dented Clemson’s hopes of playing for an ACC title and reaching the College Football Playoff. The Tigers were among four undefeated ACC teams when the week began and now must get outside help with the season in its final month.
Shough put the Cardinals ahead for good in the second quarter with a 4-yard burst, finishing with a somersault into the end zone for a 10-7 lead.
Travelstead, who was 9 of 15 on field goals this season, made kicks of 21, 42, 40 and 49 yards to match his career high accomplished twice last season.
And when the Tigers closed to 26-14 midway through the final period, Brown ended any hope of a comeback with a 45-yard touchdown run.
It was Brown’s fourth game with 100 or more rushing yards and he’s got 847 yards this season, within striking distance of Heisman Trophy winner and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson’s school record for freshmen of 960 yards set in 2015.
Louisville, which began the season in the Top 25 and started 3-0, had lost three of its past five games and was a heavy underdog to continue that slide at Clemson.
Clemson came in averaging 42 points and 490 yards a game in its 6-1 start. But it was Louisville that continually churned out yards and kept the Tigers from piling up the points.
Louisville found every opening in the Tigers’ defense and took advantage of every mistake.
Louisville blocked Clemson’s 49-yard field goal try late in the second quarter and tacked on Travelstead’s second field goal to lead 17-7 at the break — the first time Clemson trailed at the half since a loss to Georgia.
The Cardinals blocked another field goal attempt in the fourth quarter after Clemson’s drive stalled at the Louisville 7.
Clemson tailback Phil Mafah had 171 yards and two fourth-quarter TDs.
The takeaway
Louisville: The Cardinals’ defense has been the weak point during their 2-3 slide after a 3-0 start, allowing almost 33 points a contest in their past five games. But Louisville had more than enough to stuff the Tigers, including on a fourth-and-1 in the third quarter when Clemson was desperate to keep a drive alive.
Clemson: The Tigers had dug themselves out of hole after their loss to Georgia in the season opener before falling back in against Louisville. Even winning their final four games does not guarantee they’ll play for a league title.
Up next
Louisville is off before going to Stanford on Nov. 16.
Clemson plays at Virginia Tech next Saturday.
