Seedy K’s GameCap: Clemson – Card Chronicle

U of L Coach Jeff Brohm displayed an interesting trait above others as his solid but not especially great career matured when he was roaming the sidelines in NW Indiana.

His usually undermanned Purdue Boilermakers would go out of the blue fashion an upset against a top-ranked team when it was unexpected. Several times.

In his final season at Purdue he did it twice, vaulting his underdogs to the conference title game. Minnesota was Top 25 and went down to the Boilermakers. Such was Illinois.

In the ’21 season, that Brohm trait was even more prevalent. Purdue beat Michigan State 40-29 when Sparty was #5 in the land. More impressive was the 24-7 beatdown of Iowa in Iowa City when the Hawkeyes were ranked 2d in the country.

So, maybe it shouldn’t have been such the surprise when the meandering Louisville Cardinals captured their first victory ever in Clemson, SC Saturday night.

Still the 11th ranked Tigers had won 22 straight night games in Death Valley, and were rollin’.

But, “Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. . .”

Ye should fear no evil and all that.

And Brohm and the Cardinals and Ron English and his defensive units and Brock Travelstead and rumblin’ ramblin’ QB Tyler Shough and the fella who should be Mr. 502Circle Isaac Brown and a ramshackle scotch-taped but up to the task OL did not.

Fear the evil, that is.

The Cardinals are on longer Offer Clemson.

The Curse of James Quick has been vanquished.

Louisville 33, Clemson 21.

Only a late orange garbage score pulled them that close.

There are way too many wonderful moments to mention them all.

Too many key stats that enumerate the depth of the beatdown.

If my readers have favorites I don’t mention, put ’em the Comment section. (As if you all need my permission. Ha.)

* * * * *

My favorite plays of the game:

Guess you gotta start with the sealer, Isaac Brown’s 45 yard streak to paydirt on 1st down with 5:50 left, just 10 seconds after the losers thought they were back in it.

All the juice was squeezed out of the orange at that moment. The crowd thinned out.

But, how can you not love Shough’s 3d down scramblin’ somersaulting score to put U of L up for good 10-7 with 5:42 left in the 2d?

That drive was kept alive by a swell inside screen for 31 yards to Duke Watson.

Ready to win, Louisville did not relinquish the lead.

Frankly almost as much, I loved a play call that didn’t work on U of L’s next possession. After a couple chunk rushes, I Brown for 12 yards, I Brown for 23 yards, Brohm called a play action, faking to Brown. The pass missed but was quickly released, and the perfect call at that juncture.

(I mean we criticize the guy for the play calls we don’t like, let’s give credit when it’s due, even if it doesn’t work.)

* * * * *

The much better than average announcing duo of Bob Wichusen and Louis Riddick kept talking about how the Card D staff had simplified the game plan, even calling alignments the old fashioned way with signals from the sideline.

Whatever it was, kudos to the object of Cardinal fans’ ire Ron English and his cohorts.

Nine pass breakups. Nine. I’ll repeat, nine.

Plus a couple hurries, a couple sacks, and a handful of TFLS.

Special Teams: Two blocked FGs. Two. I’ll repeat, two.

Tip of the helmet to Brock Travelstead. Missed his first FG. Then hit his last four, from 21, 42, 40 and 49 yards away. All were key.

* * * * *

Clemson had more total yards than the Cardinals, more passing yards, more rushing yards.

But the victors were more efficient.

6.2 yards per play vs. 4.5. Better numbers for Louisville both passing and rushing.

Plus Clemson’s came late when the game was essentially over.

The win was oh so solid.

Oh so sweet.

That final score again from Death Valley: Louisville 33, Clemson 21.

— cd kaplan