Malik Cunningham Says Clemson, Swinney Know Tigers 'Slipped Away' From Louisville in 2021

Louisville's quarterback isn't over last year's loss to Clemson and enters Death Valley this fall with a chip on his shoulder.

© Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Louisville lost seven games in 2021, including four in ACC play. 

Yet there's one in particular that stands out in the mind of Malik Cunningham. The Cardinals quarterback was asked about that at Wednesday's ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C.

"That Clemson game, there's not a day that goes by I don't think about that," Cunningham said. "They know it. They know they slipped away. You ask Coach Swinney right now, he'll tell you they were on the ropes for sure."

Louisville was knocking on the door of beating the vaunted Tigers last November for the first time in seven tries. The Cardinals took a 24-17 lead into the fourth quarter after Cunningham scored on a 51-yard run in the third. 

However, Cunningham got hurt. Clemson scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth and won 30-24 after a hobbled Cunningham was unable to run into the end zone on the final drive. 

Cunningham finished the game with 174 yards passing and 134 yards rushing with two scores on the ground. 

"We go in there this year with a chip on our shoulder," Cunningham said about Louisville's trip to Death Valley on Nov. 12. "That game sticks with me for sure."

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