Published: September 06, 2007 11:31 pm            

1,284 yards in Louisville’s 58-42 win

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Brian Brohm threw for a career-high 401 yards and five touchdowns and Anthony Allen added a school-record 275 yards rushing and two scores as No. 8 Louisville avoided a major upset by surviving Middle Tennessee 58-42 Thursday night at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Mario Urrutia, Gary Barnidge and Harry Douglas all topped 100 yards receiving as the Cardinals (2-0) extended the nation’s second-longest home winning streak to 20 games.

It wasn’t easy. the Blue Raiders (0-2) never led, but the Sun Belt Conference champions never let the Cardinals get comfortable.

Despite Brohm being at his efficient best the Blue Raiders — who managed all of 217 yards in a season-opening loss to Florida Atlantic — nearly matched the high-powered Cardinals in a game that featured 1,284 yards from scrimmage, 13 touchdowns and little defense on either side.

Middle Tennessee quarterback Joe Craddock threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns and Phillip Tanner added 144 yards rushing and three touchdowns for the Blue Raiders.

DeMarco McNair ran for 72 yards and a score and caught three passes for 92 yards and a touchdown for Middle Tennessee, which never backed down against a Louisville defense trying to replace seven starters.

When Louisville opened the game with an 81-yard touchdown pass from Brohm to Barnidge on the first play from scrimmage, it took the Blue Raiders all of three plays to tie the game as Craddock hit McNair for a 78-yard score. It was the opening salvos in a dizzying first five minutes that had five touchdowns.

Things never really slowed down. Louisville scored on its first six possessions, but led only 38-35 at the break as the Blue Raiders baffled a Louisville defense that seemed out of position most of the time and unable to get its hands on the slippery Tanner.

        

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