Highlights, Photos and Notes: Louisville 35, Washington 34

The highlights, photo gallery and team & player notes from the Cardinals' Sun Bowl win over the Huskies.

Louisville celebrates a touchdown during the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game against Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EL PASO, Tex. - For the first time under head coach Jeff Brohm, the Louisville football program is victorious in the postseason, out-lasting Washington with a thrilling 35-34 win in the Sun Bowl.

The Atlantic Coast Conference put together a highlight tape of the matchup, which you can see here:

Team Notes:

• Louisville improves to 13-13-1 in bowl games.
• Louisville wins its first matchup vs. Washington.
• Louisville gets its first three-game winning streak vs. Big Ten opponents, beating Purdue in 2017, Indiana last year, and Washington today.
• Louisville ends the season with a three-game winning streak for the first time since 2013.
• Louisville completes its season with a 9-4 mark, securing its second straight season and 16th season overall with at least 9 wins.
• Louisville is 15-4 under Jeff Brohm when it scores first.
• Louisville is 10-1 under Brohm when rushing for at least 200 yards.
• Brohm improves to 19-8 at Louisville and 85-52 overall.

Player Notes:

• QB Harrison Bailey was 16 of 25 passing for 164 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions to go with 2 carries for 17 yards, completing passes to 7 different receivers. Bailey was named Offensive Player of the Game.
• RB Isaac Brown led all rushers with 18 carries for 99 yards. Brown extends his true freshman rushing record to 1,173 yards. Brown ranks 7th on Louisville's single-season list for yards per carry with a 7.11-yard average.
• RB Duke Watson had 10 carries for 83 yards to go with a 1-yard reception. Watson finishes the season with an FBS-leading 8.91 yards per carry. Watson ranks 2nd on Louisville's single-season list for yards per carry, trailing Lenny Lyles.
• WR Chris Bell led Louisville receivers with 6 receptions for 60 yards.
• WR Caullin Lacy had 3 receptions for 17 yards and a TD, 2 carries for 10 yards and a TD, and 3 punt returns for 32 yards. Lacy's 8-yard TD run was the first rushing TD of his college career.
• WR Antonio Meeks scored his first TD as a Cardinal on a 28-yard yard catch, his third reception of the season.
• TE Nate Kurisky had 3 receptions for 30 yards, including a 21-yard catch for his third TD of the season.
• DE Ramon Puryear played in his 67th game to extend his program record for games played. Puryear made his eighth straight start and the 22nd of his career. Puryear logged 2 tackles, including 1 solo tackle, 1 sack, and 1.5 tackle for loss. Puryear finishes his career with 9 sacks, including 2.5 this year.
• DB Tahveon Nicholson had 2 solo tackles to go with a 21-yard interception return TD, his second interception at Louisville and the third of his college career, before leaving the game with an injury in the first quarter. Nicholson has an interception in back-to-back games.
• DB Tamarion McDonald shared the Louisville lead with 6 tackles, including 4 solo stops, to go with his first pass breakup at Louisville.
• DT Jordan Guerad shared the Louisville lead with 6 tackles, including 3 solo tackles, 1 sack, and 2 TFLs. Guerad was Defensive Player of the Game. Guerad finishes his solo season at Louisville with 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 3.5 TFLs.
• LB Stanquan Clark had 4 tackles, including 1 solo stop, 0.5 sack, 2 TFLs, and a PBU. Clark registers the first sack of his career. Clark takes his sophomore season totals to 76 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, and 2 PBUs.
• DT Rene Konga had 2 solo tackles, 1 sack, and 1 TFL. Konga finishes his solo season at Louisville with 20 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 3 TFLs.
• NT Thor Griffith had 1 solo tackle, including 1 sack and 1 TFL, playing only the second half. Griffith finishes his solo season at Louisville with 21 tackles, 3 sacks, and 5.5 TFLs.
• P Carter Schwartz punted 6 times for a 43.7-yard average, including a career-best 54-yard punt and two punts inside the 5-yard line. Schwartz was named Special Teams Player of the Game.
• K Brock Travelstead made 5 of 5 extra points. Travelstead is perfect on 58 extra point attempts this season, tied for the 4th most extra points made in a season and 3rd most in a season without a miss. Travelstead moves into a tie for 10th most points scored in a season and a tie for 3rd most points by kicking in a season.

Gallery:

Louisville’s Dylan Merman (87) celebrates their win against Washington in the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisville stops Washington's quarterback Demond Williams Jr. during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game on Dec. 31, 2024. Louisville won the game 35-34. / Omar Ornelas / USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Louisville mascot looks at his reflection on a giant spoon during the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game against Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington's Jeremiah Hunter (6) runs for yardage against Louisville during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game on Dec. 31, 2024. Louisville won the game 35-34. / Omar Ornelas / USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington's defense clamps down on a run by Louisville in the first quarter of the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game on Dec. 31, 2024. / Omar Ornelas / USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jeff Brohm, head Louisville football coach yells at the referee during the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game against Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. (2) runs the ball during the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game against Louisville on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisville’s Collin Lacy and Harrison Bailey (15) celebrate during the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game against Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisville Caulin Lacy's (5) touchdown is celebrated during the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game against Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tony the Tiger tosses corn flakes on Jeff Brohm, head Louisville football coach, after their win against Washington in the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington player Jonah Coleman (1) runs for yardage against Louisville during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game on Dec. 31, 2024. / Omar Ornelas / USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisville quarterback Harrison Bailey (15) hands off to Isaac Brown (25) against Washington at the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Dec. 31, 2024. / Omar Ornelas / USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Washington Demond Williams Jr. (2) jumps as he runs the ball during the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl against Louisville on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisville's Chris Bell (0) and Stanquan Clark (6) lift the Sun Bowl trophy celebrating their win against Washington in the 91st Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. / GABY VELASQUEZ/ USA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NOTE: Photos courtesy of Gaby Velasquez and Omar Ornelas.

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