LIBERTY BOWL : Brohm Leads Louisville to Victory

Jeff Brohm, the Louisville senior who broke his right index finger in five places on Thanksgiving Day, completed 19 of 29 passes for 197 yards and threw the go-ahead touchdown in leading the 25th-ranked Cardinals over Michigan State, 18-7, Tuesday night in the Liberty Bowl.

“Obviously it hurt,” Brohm said. “I told myself before we came into the game, win or lose, I was going to make no excuses about it.”

Brohm broke the index finger on his passing hand in Louisville’s 28-0 season-ending victory over Tulsa. Doctors repaired the finger with a steel plate and pins, and Brohm didn’t start throwing again until last week.

Michigan State (6-6) led, 7-3, for three quarters until Brohm rallied the Cardinals.

He capped a 59-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Ferguson for a 10-7 lead with 12:05 to play.

The Cardinals added a safety and another touchdown in clinching their first victory over a Big Ten Conference school. Louisville (9-3) entered the game with an 0-5-1 mark against Big Ten teams.