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#5 Louisville escapes UVA, wins 32-25

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virginia footballA 29-yard TD pass from Lamar Jackson to Jaylen Smith with 13 seconds to go let #5 Louisville escape with a 32-25 win over UVA on Saturday.

The Cavs (2-6, 1-3 ACC) had taken a 25-24 lead with 1:57 to go, getting a 4-yard touchdown pass from Kurt Benkert to Doni Dowling, then a gutsy two-point conversion pass from Benkert to Albert Reid.

The Cardinals (7-1, 5-1 ACC), facing the end to their playoff hopes, faced a fourth-and-three at midfield before converting a pass for a first down.

Three plays later, Louisville got the winning score on the pass from Jackson, who accounted for 451 yards of total offense, to Smith.

Jackson, considered a Heisman Trophy favorite, completed 24 of his 41 pass attempts for 361 yards and four touchdowns, with one interception.

He also ran for 90 yards on 18 carries.

Louisville outgained UVA 508-322, but the ‘Hoos led for long stretches, going into the halftime break up 10-7, and extending that lead to 17-7 on a Benkert touchdown pass to Olamide Zaccheaus with 9:31 left in the third quarter.

A pair of Jackson-to-Reggie Bonnafon touchdown passes pushed Louisville into the lead on the second of the scoring plays a minute into the fourth quarter.

A 32-yard Blanton Creque field goal pushed the lead to 24-17 with 8:09 to go.

Benkert led Virginia on a 14-play, 76-yard drive that ate up 6:12 of clock, and included two fourth-down oonversions, the second a 30-yard pass play to Keeon Johnson on a fourth-and-seven from the Louisville 34.

Benkert finished with 238 yards passing, completing 25 of his 39 pass attempts, with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

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