Louisville Football: 3 takeaways from shutout win over Syracuse

1. Louisville’s offense completely out-gassed the Orange

From the beginning, it was clear that the Cardinals’ offense was far superior to Syracuse’s. The Cardinals came in as 19.5-point favorites over the Orange due to their more efficient offense. It took time for the Cardinals to get it rolling.

The Cardinals were highly efficient in the second quarter as they accounted for 150 total yards and nine first downs. They were able to get into three scoring drives worth 17 points just before halftime. Dual-threat Malik Cunningham led the offense to multiple drives that not only put points on the scoreboard but also gassed out the Syracuse defense. Cunningham threw for 137 yards on 11 completions (out of 15 passing attempts) as he spread the ball throughout the field to extend the ball down the field.

After halftime, the Cardinals looked to be more aggressive on the ground to control the clock and Syracuse’s defense. In the third quarter, they rushed for 71 yards on 15 carries for an average of 4.7 yards per carry. They held the ball for 11:51.

Running backs Maurice Burkley and Jalen Mitchell combined for 102 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries for an average of 4.9 yards per carry. The Orange couldn’t find an answer for consistently stopping the Cardinals from extending drives and taking time off the clock.

The Cardinals were also 5-for-6 in the red zone.