LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Lamar Jackson provided a cushion with a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:32 remaining and No. 7 Louisville held off Duke 24-14 on Friday night.
The Cardinals caught a break after Evan O’Hara’s 46-yard field goal missed wide left as Duke’s Breon Borders was called for roughing the kicker. The penalty moved the ball to the 14 and Jackson did the rest with a 12-yard run followed by the short score that Louisville (5-1, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) sorely needed.
Jackson accounted for 325 yards of offense and two touchdowns, hitting Jaylen Smith with a 5-yard scoring pass on the opening drive. Jeremy Smith added an 80-yard TD run in the third quarter, and O’Hara kicked a 22-yard field goal as the Cardinals came off the bye and earned the program’s 500th victory.
Duke (3-4, 0-3) remained winless in ACC play but gave Louisville more than it expected.
The Cardinals had sought a big bounce back after losing at Clemson, especially with a week off. The Cardinals’ offense certainly looked refreshed from the break as they drove 80 yards in 10 plays with Jackson TD pass capping the drive.