Cunningham propels Louisville past Duke, 62-22

Published Nov. 18, 2021 10:59 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Malik Cunningham accounted for seven touchdowns in Louisville’s 62-42 romp past Duke, helping the Cardinals clinch bowl eligibility Thursday night.

Cunningham threw for five touchdowns – each to a different teammate -- and ran for two more scores. He racked up 303 passing yards and 224 rushing yards.

He’s the second Football Bowl Subdivision player with at least 300 passing and 200 rushing yards in a game. He sat out the final 12 minutes after 11 carries and 18-for-25 passing.

Louisville (6-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won consecutive ACC games for the first time since November 2019.

Cunningham’s second-quarter rushing touchdowns went for 44 and 72 yards.

By the time it was 28-6, Cunningham had 163 rushing yards and 156 passing yards. Duke had 133 yards total.

Duke (3-7, 0-7) has lost seven consecutive games, all except one by at least 25 points.

Quarterback Gunnar Holmberg, who missed the previous 1-½ games with an upper-body ailment suffered in the first half Nov. 6 against Pittsburgh, threw for 176 yards before exiting after one third-quarter series.

Duke’s Charlie Ham kicked first-half field goals of 22, 28 and 26 yards. The Blue Devils failed to score a first-half touchdown for the fourth time in their last five games.

THE TAKEAWAY

Louisville: The Cardinals are clicking down the stretch, setting new season-high point totals in each of their last two games. They drubbed Syracuse 41-3 on Saturday. Until winning twice in this six-day stretch, the Cardinals had been 3-9 in their previous dozen games in November.

Duke: The Blue Devils have yielded at least 45 points in each of their last five games. They’re assured of a last-place finish in the ACC's Coastal Division.

UP NEXT

Louisville: Home Nov. 27 vs. Kentucky.

Duke: Ends the season Nov. 27 at home vs. Miami.

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