Travis Hudson

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- This was the kind of game that pinned a losing record on the University of Louisville football team last season.

Back and forth. Decided by a snap or two. Turnovers and careless penalties to howl about. There for the taking until it wasn’t.

The Cards came close against Wake Forest, Virginia, Clemson and Air Force in 2021. But that’s not winning. It was 4 defeats by a combined 13 points, none by more than 6.

It happened again Friday night at Cardinal Stadium. Ahead by a touchdown a minute into the fourth quarter and still ahead by 3 with less than 8 minutes to play, Louisville floundered at closing time — again.

This time it was Florida State 35, Louisville 31. That makes it two defeats to programs the Cards defeated last season.

The Cards lost on a night when they generated nearly 500 yards of offense and out-gained the visitors by 40 yards. They watched a backup quarterback who had never thrown a touchdown pass in two-plus years of college football throw two in the second half.

"It's just very hurtful and disappointing not to be able to win this game," U of L coach Scott Satterfield said. "It's everybody, all the players, all the coaches, everybody has to find something to get better at ...

"We've got to be smarter in what we're doing. The penalties and turnovers are what's disappointing."

IMAGES | Louisville football takes on Florida State

The Seminoles outscored the Cards 21-10 in the second half. They put an exclamation point on the finish when Cards’ quarterback Malik Cunningham scrambled and then sailed a pass over the head Ahmari Bruce-Huggins on the right sideline. The Seminoles’ Kevin Knowles intercepted it in front of the Louisville bench with 37 seconds left.

Ball game. Flashback to 2021 when Louisville just wasn't good enough to win these toss-up games.

"The ball just sailed a little bit," Satterfield said.

It was one of three turnovers — one interception and two fumbles — that pushed Louisville on the wrong side of the score. As did 11 penalties for 81 yards.

Louisville needed to win this game. The schedule is back-loaded with the more challenging games. They were positioned to start 4-2 or maybe 5-1. The combined record of their next three opponents is 2-4.

They defeated Florida State the last two seasons. After beating Duquesne and Louisiana State, the Seminoles were eyeing a return to the Top 25. FSU coach Mike Norvell was moving off the hot seat.

Ten NFL scouts turned out as did representatives from a pair of bowl games. The team that won this game was the team most likely to spend a least a little more time near the top of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference with Clemson, Wake Forest and North Carolina State.

Unless something changes, that team won't be Louisville. The Cards dropped to 1-2, 0-2 in the league. The Syracuse loss was ugly. This loss was avoidable. Despite the interception, Cunningham was excellent, passing for 243 yards and running for 127. 

They're just a little short on talent or coaching or grit or concentration or luck or whatever it is that separates winning teams from losing teams in close games.

"Just finish (games)," U of L linebacker Momo Sanogo said. "That's what is on the back of our chairs. That's what we trained all summer for. We weren't feeling tired."

"I think in the first half we were in control of the game," Satterfield said. "We should have been ahead by more. ... they hit some big plays in the second half."

FSU quarterback Jordan Travis completed the first 11 passes he attempted — and then left the game in the second quarter with what appeared to be an ankle injury. Travis, a transfer from Louisville, did not return.

The Seminoles depended on Tate Rodemaker, a redshirt sophomore whose career numbers showed 4 interceptions and no touchdown passes.

Rodemaker wasn’t Travis, but he was certainly trouble for the Louisville defense, throwing the first two TD passes of his career and leading FSU to 3 touchdowns in the second half. Before Friday, Rodemaker had 152 passing yards in his career. He completed 6 of 10 for 109 yards on the Cardinals.

Sanogo said Rodemaker didn't do anything extraordinary. He credited Norvell for changing FSU's game plan to emphasize the run in the second half when the Seminoles ran for 123 yards, 82 in the fourth quarter.

"I think they did a good job of making him feel comfortable," Sanogo said. "They were just going to run the ball.

"They told him that if you see the bang, throw the bang. If you see the post, throw it up and hope for the PI (pass interference). Then their receivers went up and made some great plays."

Louisville’s victory against Central Florida last Friday in Orlando stirred more fans back on board. The announced crowd of 46,459 was larger than 5 of 7 U of L home games last season, all but the Clemson and Kentucky games.

The first quarter was nothing but yardage and points in both directions.

The Seminoles roared to 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Travis completed his first 11 throws. FSU averaged nearly 13 yards per snap.

Louisville was not as prolific but the Cards were more effective. They also scored twice, generating 151 yards, mixing the passing game (85 yards) with a solid running attack (66 yards). Plus U of L benefitted by a missed 36-yard field goal by FSU.

The pace slowed in the second quarter. The Cards were the only team to score, moving ahead 21-14 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Trevion Cooley, his first touchdown this season.

That situation flipped in the third quarter. FSU tied it with a touchdown in the third quarter while the Cards failed to score. Then the game got away in the fourth quarter.

"We've just got to keep on working," said offensive tackle Michael Gonzalez, who replaced Trevor Reid after an injury in the first quarter.

"We can't let this set us back and hold us back from what we want to do."

The Cards will play the second of their 6 home games next Saturday at noon when South Florida visits.

The Bulls lost to BYU before defeating Howard. USF will play Florida Saturday. They were 2-10 last season, and Phil Steele picked the Bulls to finish ninth in the American Athletic Conference.

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