ORLANDO, Fla. - Leading up to the Russell Athletic Bowl, Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater batted back questions about whether the game would be his last in college.
If it was, he left plenty for the Cardinals to remember.
Bridgewater threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score to help No. 18 Louisville rout Miami 36-9 on Saturday night.
The Cardinals (12-1) spotted Miami (9-4) an early 2-0 lead, then dominated the rest of the way, racking up 554 total yards to the Hurricanes’ 174.
With Cardinals’ fans chanting “Teddy! Teddy!” at times throughout the game, Bridgewater, projected to be a top NFL draft pick if he comes out this summer, set a school season record with 31 touchdown passes. The Miami native also tied the school record with his 27th victory as Louisville’s starter.
“It meant a lot because not only I and so many other guys were going against our hometown school, but we were going against a quality opponent,” he said. “That’s what we’ve been waiting for all year. … That’s why you play the game, to compete.”
He was 35 for 45 for a career-high 447 yards.
Louisville won its second consecutive bowl game for its second 12-victory season.
On the stage during the post game trophy presentation, Bridgewater, the game’s MVP, was showered again by Louisville fans who beckoned him with cheers of “One more year!”
He reiterated that he hadn’t set any timelines on deciding whether to submit his name for the NFL’s early entry deadline.
“As of now it’s not about me, it’s about this team,” Bridgewater said. “We want to celebrate tonight’s victory and each of us, whether it’s seniors or underclassmen, we all have decisions to make. But for tonight we wanted to focus on this game and get this game out of the way. Celebrate it and enjoy this moment.”
Louisville Coach Charlie Strong (Batesville, University of Central Arkansas) said throughout the week that he was banking on his defense to help spark the Cardinals’ offense. It responded with one of its best efforts of the season.
Miami, playing in its first bowl game since 2010, hasn’t had a bowl victory since 2006, losing four consecutive. The Hurricanes were returning to the postseason following a two-year, self-imposed ban during an NCAA investigation.
They got on the scoreboard first with the safety, but that was one of their few highlights.
Hurricanes Coach Al Golden said despite the setback they aren’t going to stray too far from the foundation they have been trying to build.
“We got beat in all three phases. There’s no excuses,” Golden said. “I’m going to evaluate the whole program, just like I do every year. It’s not going to be any different. … We’re going to keep moving it forward. We’re going to be resolute in that and we’re not going to flinch with that.”
A big second quarter by the Cardinals, punctuated by Bridgewater’s two touchdown passes, helped Louisville take a 22-2 lead.
Strong said he thinks his team sent a nice message to its future opponents as it joins the Atlantic Coast Conference next season.
“I’ve been saying this all season long and I still feel like this: We’re one of the best teams in college football,” Strong said. “When we go out and play the way we played tonight, you can understand why.”
PINSTRIPE BOWL Notre Dame rips Rutgers
NEW YORK - Tommy Rees passed for 319 yards in his final college game, Kyle Brindza kicked five field goals and No. 25 Notre Dame muddled through a 29-16 victory against Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.
The Fighting Irish (9-4) finished their follow-up season to last year’s run to the national championship game a long way from the BCS against a two-touchdown underdog trying to avoid a losing record.
Notre Dame’s TJ Jones scored on an 8-yard run in the first quarter and Rutgers star Brandon Coleman answered with a 14-yard touchdown catch soon after. Tarean Folston’s 3-yard touchdown run with 3:38 in the fourth made it 26-16 and finally gave the Irish a comfortable lead.
On the slick, cold turf at Yankee Stadium, the Pinstripe Bowl turned into a field-goal kicking contest. Brindza was 5 for 6. Kyle Federico made 3 of 3 for the Scarlet Knights (6-7).
The Irish dominated in yards (494-237) and time of possession (38:49) but bogged down in the red zone repeatedly.
Rees closed a college career packed with both memorable and forgettable moments with a solid performance, going 27 for 47.
BELK BOWL
Heels crush Bearcats
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The North Carolina Tar Heels have broken their Belk Bowl jinx.
T.J. Logan returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown, and Ryan Switzer scored on an 86-yard punt return to help North Carolina beat Cincinnati 39-17 on Saturday for its first Belk Bowl victory in four attempts.
Marquise Williams threw for 171 yards and a touchdown for the Tar Heels (7-6) in their first bowl victory since 2010.
Romar Morris scored on two short touchdown runs and Jack Tabb caught a touchdown pass as the Tar Heels (7-6) closed the season by winning six of their final seven games under second-year Coach Larry Fedora.
Cincinnati (9-4) was looking to become the bowl’s first back-to-back champion since Virginia did it 10 years ago, but last year’s MVP Brandon Kay was limited to 181 yards passing and no touchdowns.
The Tar Heels had five sacks, including one for a safety.
North Carolina came in having lost its previous three in-state Belk Bowl appearances, but bolted to a 23-3 halftime lead behind two long touchdown drives led by Williams and Logan’s kickoff return.
Sports, Pages 30 on 12/29/2013