New Orleans, LA

Sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater tossed two touchdown passes and rusher Jeremy Wright ran for another to lift No. 21 Louisville to a 33-23 upset victory over No. 3 Florida in the Sugar Bowl at Superdome.

Bridgewater, who was named the bowl's MVP, completed 20 of 32 passes for 266 yards and threw two touchdown heaves for the 10th time this season as the Cardinals improved to 8-8-1 all-time in bowl games.

The quarterback finished the year with 3,718 yards and 27 touchdown passes. For his career, Bridgewater has 5,847 yards passing, which is sixth all-time in school history.

Wright tallied 84 yards on 25 carries for the Cardinals, who captured their second bowl win in three straight appearances, the second longest in school history.

Last year, the Cardinals lost to North Carolina State, 31-24, in the Belk Bowl, after beating the University of Southern Mississippi, 31-20, in the 2010 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl.

Sophomore wide receiver Eli Rogers tallied 62 yards on four catches while DeVante Parker and Damian Copeland were the recipients of Bridgewater's two touchdown throws.

Second-year cornerback Terell Floyd intercepted Jake Driskel's first pass of the game and returned it 38 yards in the first quarter to help dictate the tempo of the game.

The victory ended the Cardinals' season at 11-2, 5-2 in the Big East Conference. The 11 wins marked the most wins for the Cardinals since 2006 when they went 12-1 and a career-high for head coach Charlie Strong, who also captured his first BCS win.

Driskel hit 16-of-29 passes for 175 and a touchdown but had two interceptions for the Gators, who also finished their season with an 11-2 mark.

After Floyd scored the game's first touchdown, Wright added a one-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 for the Cardinals.

In the second quarter, Caleb Sturgis buried a 33-yard field goal to put the Gators on the board but the Cardinals responded with 10 straight points from a 27-yard field goal by John Wallace and a touchdown pass by Bridgewater to Parker.

Matt Jones then delivered a short touchdown run for the Gators to trim the Cardinals' lead to 24-10 at the break.

In the second half, Bridgewater issued his second touchdown pass of the game to Copeland and Wallace booted in a 30-yarder to make it 33-10.

The Gators made a last-ditch comeback with Andre Debose scoring on a 100-yard kickoff touchdown return and Driskel connecting with Kent Taylor for a five-yard scoring strike but time was not on their side.

 

Head Coach Charlie Strong talks about Louisville's Sugar Bowl win

 

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