Isaac Guerendo rushed for a career-high 146 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday, lifting No. 13 Louisville to a 34-3 victory over visiting Virginia Tech.
Guerendo found the end zone from 39, 12 and 36 yards out. His rushing total eclipsed his previous career high of 114, set in Louisville’s 23-10 win over Maryland on Nov. 5, 2022.
Jawhar Jordan rushed for a touchdown and Jack Plummer found Jadon Thompson for a 37-yard score. Plummer completed 11 of 12 passes for 141 yards for the Cardinals (8-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who overcame the absence of star receiver Jamari Thrash (upper body) and limited the Hokies (4-5, 3-2) to just 140 total yards of offense.
With Saturday’s win, Louisville gained the inside track toward advancing to the conference title game on Dec. 2 in Charlotte, N.C.
The Cardinals have won 10 consecutive home games overall, with the last loss in front of their home fans against Florida State on Sept. 16, 2022.
Jordan jumped into the end zone from 1 yard out to open the scoring with 6:53 remaining in the first quarter. Jordan’s team-leading 11th rushing touchdown of the season and fifth in four games capped a nine-play, 49-yard drive.
Guerendo rushed up the middle and scampered 39 yards for a touchdown to stake Louisville to a 14-0 lead just eight seconds into the second quarter.
John Love put Virginia Tech on the scoreboard after drilling a 44-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter before the Cardinals seized control in the third.
Thompson reeled in a pass over the middle and found the end zone with 9:38 left in the third quarter after Hokies defenders Mansoor Delane and Jaylen Jones collided into each other. Thompson’s touchdown was his first since transferring from Cincinnati.
Guerendo scored just under three minutes later to extend Louisville’s lead to 27-3. He capped his career day by bolting up the middle for a 36-yard touchdown with 8:16 remaining in the fourth quarter.
–Field Level Media