LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Six days after one of the strangest losses imaginable, the Louisville Kings finally got the ending they’d been waiting for.
Louisville earned the first win in franchise history Thursday night, beating the Houston Gamblers, 24-22, in overtime behind a record-tying night from kicker Tanner Brown and a game-winning touchdown pass from Jason Bean to Tre’ McKitty.
For a team that had watched an overtime loss to Orlando slip away at home last week, this one felt overdue.
Louisville | Kentucky | Indiana | Eric Crawford
"I am so proud of these guys, they have worked so hard all year," first-year Louisville coach Chris Redman said. "It wasn’t pretty at times, but they didn’t give up, and maybe the football gods were with us tonight. I also want to give credit to our kicker, Tanner is a great player and he kept us in it the whole night, and I am happy for him."
Brown did far more than keep Louisville in it.
He tied a UFL record with five field goals, including kicks from 59, 58 and 52 yards, and knocked through a 48-yarder with 10:05 remaining to tie the game at 22-22. Brown, who entered the night leading the league in field goals, now has 12 through four games.
Houston had a chance to win it in regulation, but John Hoyland missed from 38 yards with 57 seconds left, sending the game to overtime.
This time, Louisville found the finish.
After the teams traded empty possessions in the first overtime round, Bean hit McKitty on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the second. The Kings defense then closed it out, forcing two Houston holding penalties to help seal the victory.
"It was an up and down game, but the guys stayed in the fight, and we got the win," Bean said.
Louisville (1-3) looked in control early, taking a 16-6 halftime lead behind Brown’s leg and a 1-yard touchdown run from James Robinson, the Kings’ first rushing touchdown of the season.
But Houston (1-3), led by quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, surged back in the third quarter. The Gamblers scored touchdowns on two drives and added a field goal, with Marcus Yarns breaking loose for a 68-yard touchdown run on his way to 111 rushing yards on just eight carries. Houston carried a 22-16 lead into the fourth before Brown’s late kick forced overtime.
Bean finished 16 of 30 for 192 yards, spreading completions to nine different receivers.
Louisville’s defense also turned in its sharpest performance of the young season. The Kings held Houston to 279 total yards and just 73 passing yards, and after struggling on third down through the first three weeks, limited the Gamblers to 1-for-10 on third down.
Outside linebacker Cam Gill continued his strong start with two sacks, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Gill now has 5.5 sacks on the season and has recorded at least 1.5 sacks in three straight games.
The Kings return to action April 26 against the Dallas Renegades in Frisco, Texas. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
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