Louisville goal line stand wins Sun Bowl over Washington, 35-34

Harrison Bailey threw for three touchdowns and Caullin Lacy scored twice as Louisville hung on to beat Washington in a 35-34 nail-biter in the Sun Bowl on Tuesday.

Lacy caught a 9-yard TD pass from Bailey, the game’s MVP, in the first quarter and rushed for a score on an 8-yard end around in the fourth that gave Louisville a two-score lead that looked secure after three quarters.

But Washington rallied with scores on its final two possessions in the fourth, including a 1-yard fade from Demond Williams Jr. to Giles Jackson with nine seconds remaining.

Instead of kicking the extra point to tie it, the Huskies went for the win on a 2-point conversion try that failed when Williams’ pass was knocked down in the end zone by linebacker Antonio Watts.

“We played to the very end,” said Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm, whose team was without 22 players due to opt-outs and the transfer portal. “It was back and forth. At the end, we made one more play than they did.

Bailey, who had only played in four games this year for the Cardinals and completed just eight passes for 63 yards, got his first start in place of senior standout Tyler Shough, who opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL Draft.

Bailey made the most of it, completing 16 of 25 passes for 164 yards for Louisville (9-4). He threw touchdown passes of 28, 21 and nine yards.

The Cardinals were without 22 players, 18 of whom entered the transfer portal along with four opt outs. Starters who went to the portal were defensive lineman Jared Dawson, tight end Jamari Johnson and safety Devin Neal. They joined opt outs Shough, leading receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, defensive end Ashton Gillotte and quarterback Brady Allen. Shough threw for 3,195 yards and 23 TDs this year, while Brooks had 61 catches for 1,013 yards and 9 TDs.