Scores

Final

Memphis 37

(7-3, 4-2 C-USA)

Louisville 7

(7-3, 3-3 Big East)

3:00 PM ET, November 15, 2003

Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, LOUISVILLE, KY

1 2 3 4 T
MEM 14 6 17 037
LOU 7 0 0 07

Memphis 37, Louisville 7

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Danny Wimprine threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as Memphis shut down Louisville's potent offense in a 37-7 win on Saturday.

DeAngelo Williams rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown as the Tigers (7-3, 3-2 Conference USA) won in Louisville for the first time since 1983.

Memphis has won four straight games for the first time since 1994 and reached seven victories for the first time since 1976.

The Cardinals (7-3, 3-3) came into the game ranked fifth in the nation in total offense (482 yards per game). They gained only 216 yards and 12 first downs -- both season lows -- against Memphis and mustered their lowest point total since October 2001.

Louisville suffered its worst home loss since Kentucky's 68-34 win in the 1998 season opener -- the first game ever played at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

The Cardinals got off to a good start, taking a 7-0 lead.

Tiger Jones blocked a Memphis punt with 8:32 left in the opening quarter. Louisville quarterback Stefan LeFors threw a 26-yard pass to Joshua Tinch before Lionel Gates scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. Gates was starting in place of Louisville's leading rusher Eric Shelton, who's out for two weeks with a neck injury.

Later in the first quarter, LeFors had a pass deflected into the hands of Memphis defensive tackle Eric Taylor, who returned it 52 yards for the tying touchdown. The Tigers scored on an interception return for the third time in four games.

Williams, who leads the nation in all-purpose yardage, had a 17-yard touchdown run on the last play of the first quarter to give the Tigers their first lead.

Midway through the second quarter, Wimprine hit Maurice Avery for a 55-yard pass that gave the Tigers a first down at the Louisville 5. The drive stalled, though, and the Tigers settled for a 22-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski.

Memphis drove for another Gostkowski field goal and a 20-7 lead just before halftime.

The Cardinals had not trailed by more than 11 points in any game this season.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 80 yards in 11 plays. Wimprine went 4-for-5 on the drive and finished it with a 1-yard touchdown run.

A Memphis punt pinned Louisville at its own 1-yard line later in the third quarter. LeFors fumbled out of the back of the end zone for a safety and a 30-7 Memphis lead.

Wimprine threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Darron White two minutes later.

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Team Stat Comparison

 
MEM
LOU
1st Downs2412
Total Yards443216
Passing201159
Rushing24257
Penalties5-356-56
3rd Down Conversions7-173-13
4th Down Conversions1-20-2
Turnovers01
Possession37:2822:32

Passing Leaders

MemphisC/ATTYDSAVGTDINT
Wimprine17/292016.910
LouisvilleC/ATTYDSAVGTDINT
LeFors13/311595.101

Rushing Leaders

MemphisCARYDSAVGTDLG
Williams271545.7127
Parquet7344.9021
LouisvilleCARYDSAVGTDLG
Gates14483.4112
Bush3113.705

Receiving Leaders

MemphisRECYDSAVGTDLG
White35518.3129
Kelley3299.7016
LouisvilleRECYDSAVGTDLG
Russell4369.0014
Tinch36923.0026

Scoring Summary

FIRST QUARTERMEMLOU
TD7:37LIONEL GATES 12 YD RUN (NATE SMITH KICK)
Drive info: 4 plays, 42 yards.
07
TD3:58ERIC TAYLOR 52 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI KICK)77
TD0:05DEANGELO WILLIAMS 17 YD RUN (STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI KICK)
Drive info: 6 plays, 60 yards.
147
SECOND QUARTERMEMLOU
FG6:24STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI 22 YD FG
Drive info: 8 plays, 71 yards.
177
FG0:08STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI 28 YD FG
Drive info: 8 plays, 47 yards.
207
THIRD QUARTERMEMLOU
TD9:40DANNY WIMPRINE 1 YD RUN (DANNY WIMPRINE 2PT PASS FROM DARRON WHITE)
Drive info: 11 plays, 80 yards.
287
S3:29TEAM SAFETY307
TD1:30DARRON WHITE 19 YD PASS FROM DANNY WIMPRINE (STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI KICK)
Drive info: 4 plays, 45 yards.
377