Welcome to the national championship hunt, Louisville.
Brian Brohm threw for 354 yards and a touchdown, and the fifth-ranked Cardinals took advantage of key mistakes by No. 3 West Virginia for an impressive 44-34 victory at home last night that could give them an inside track to the Bowl Championship Series title game.
The win will likely lift Louisville (8-0, 3-0 Big East) to at least fourth in next week's BCS poll – it was fifth this week – and could be the springboard the Cardinals need to propel them into the national championship game.
But first, they must get past another undefeated conference foe. Louisville plays at No. 15 Rutgers (8-0, 3-0) next Thursday night.
The Cardinals avenged last year's triple-overtime loss to West Virginia (7-1, 2-1) by returning a fumble and a punt for touchdowns during a pivotal three-minute stretch in the third quarter.
West Virginia quarterback Pat White ran for 125 yards and four touchdowns and added 222 yards through the air. But he couldn't overcome three WVU turnovers and a relentless Louisville offense that racked up 468 total yards.
Elsewhere
Injured Tennessee QB Erik Ainge practiced more yesterday, but coach Phillip Fulmer was vague about how much his starter would be able to play against No. 13 LSU tomorrow.
Western Kentucky University's board of regents approved a move from NCAA Division I-AA to I-A football.
