TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Louisville got three touchdown passes from freshman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to defeat South Florida 34-24 Friday and clinch a share of the Big East championship.
Louisville (7-5, 5-2), which rallied from a two-touchdown deficit in the first half, took the lead for good on Bridgewater’s 10-yard pass to DeVante Parker with 9:38 remaining.
The Cardinals can capture the Big East’s berth in a Bowl Championship Series game if Cincinnati loses once more and Friday night’s Pittsburgh-West Virginia winner loses next week.
South Florida (5-6, 1-5), which needs a victory in Thursday’s regular-season finale against West Virginia to qualify for its seventh consecutive bowl appearance, played the entire game with sophomore quarterback Bobby Eveld, a former walk-on, because of a shoulder injury to starter B.J. Daniels.
The Bulls took a 24-20 lead on a 37-yard halfback option pass from Demetris Murray to Deonte Welch, following Lindsey Lamar’s 62-yard kickoff return.