University of Houston
Louisville
Cougars Dropped By Louisville, 34-10
11/10/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov 10, 2001
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Dave Ragone threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns and No. 25 Louisville secured its second straight nine-win season with a 34-10 victory over Houston on Saturday.
Ragone completed 19 of 27 passes and avoided an interception for the fourth straight week as the Cardinals (9-1, 5-0 Conference USA) continued the best start in school history. A victory at East Carolina next Thursday would give Louisville its first 10-win regular season.
Houston (0-9, 0-6) lost its 10th consecutive league game and 13th straight overall.
The Cardinals dominated their final home game of the season from the opening kickoff.
Zek Parker returned the kick 59 yards to the Houston 38, and five plays later, Ragone threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Deion Branch.
Ragone went 3-for-4 on Louisville's next drive, and Nathan Smith extended the lead to 10-0 on a 32-yard field goal with 8:56 left in the opening quarter.
Joffrey Reynolds' 1-yard touchdown run with 2:47 left in the first quarter capped a 12-play, 82-yard Houston drive.
Louisville's defense stiffened after that, holding the Cougars to just 44 yards the rest of the half.
Sophomore defensive end Dewayne White sacked Houston quarterback Kelly Robertson on the final play of the first quarter to set the single-season school record for tackles for losses. White's 24th career sack was his 20th tackle behind the line of scrimmage this year.
Two plays later, Anthony Floyd returned Jimmy McClary's punt 52 yards for a touchdown, Louisville's second punt return for a score this season. Branch returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown in Louisville's 31-7 win over Western Carolina on Sept. 8.
The Cougars drove to Louisville's 35, but White tackled Reynolds for no gain after a screen pass on fourth-and-5.
The Cardinals then drove 65 yards against Conference USA's second-worst defense. T.J. Patterson's 4-yard touchdown run with 7:47 left in the second quarter was his team-leading sixth scoring rush of the season.
Louisville got the ball back near midfield with 19 seconds left before halftime, and a 22-yard pass from Ragone to Parker set up a 44-yard field goal by Smith.
Ragone threw his second 19-yard touchdown pass to Branch with 8:24 left in the third quarter. Branch finished with nine catches for 147 yards.
Jeff Patterson kicked a 37-yard field goal with 6:18 left in the game.
Robertson went 16-for-30 for 157 yards in his first action since Houston's 28-14 loss to Army on Oct. 6.
Louisville has outscored its last three opponents 114-30 and has allowed just one second-half touchdown in its last five games.
