No. 14 Louisville Rallies to Win, 56-49

Louisville and Memphis combined for 105 points, 1,202 yards of offense and 15 plays of more than 20 yards.

But it was the shortest of runs -- a one-yard touchdown by Eric Shelton with 37 seconds left -- that proved to be the difference Thursday night as the 14th-ranked Cardinals escaped with a 56-49 Conference USA victory at Memphis, Tenn.

“It was a good thing we had a lot of weapons,” Louisville Coach Bobby Petrino said. “It was exhausting. It was a full day’s work.”

The Cardinals (6-1, 4-0) entered with the nation’s top-ranked offense. They gained 599 yards, 91 yards more than their average but four fewer than the Tigers (5-3, 2-3), who nearly beat a ranked opponent for the first time since 1996.

Shelton ran for 136 yards and four touchdowns in 14 carries, including a 78-yard touchdown in the second quarter. But his three short touchdown runs in the second half were the key.

Louisville quarterback Stefan LeFors, the nation’s most efficient passer, wasn’t as sharp as his 76% season completion rate, but he completed 24 of 34 passes for 321 yards and three first-half touchdowns without a turnover.

It was a wild game that featured 10 lead changes, capped when Shelton scored from the one to put the Cardinals ahead, 54-49. LeFors ran in a two-point conversion, then Louisville’s Abe Brown intercepted a pass to secure the victory with 21 seconds left.

“It was a big night for us on the national stage. We earned the right to be here,” Memphis Coach Tommy West said. “When we had them on third down, we could not stop them. Tonight I think we just got whipped on defense.”

*

East Carolina quarterback James Pinkney and two teammates were injured in an automobile accident Wednesday night in Greenville, N.C., and are listed as questionable for Saturday’s game at Houston.

The others involved were center Hunter Wood and reserve guard Trey Magee, who was driving. Magee was cited for having an open alcoholic beverage container that was discovered during a search of the vehicle.

The school said Magee passed a road Breathalyzer test.

Pinkney had an unspecified leg injury. Wood (shoulder) and Magee (face) are part of an offensive line that has given up 23 sacks.

*

Ohio State’s Lydell Ross was cleared of allegations that he passed fake in-house currency at Pure Platinum, a Columbus strip club, hours after the Buckeyes’ 33-7 loss last month at Iowa. The running back had been named in a complaint filed by the club after he allegedly handed a dancer $50 worth of fake or stolen Pure Platinum bills to pay for a dance.

*

Suspended Brigham Young running back Marcus Whalen has pleaded guilty to reduced misdemeanor charges of assault and making a false statement in an alleged attack. Sentencing was set for Nov. 17. The counts to which Whalen pleaded guilty are punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.