College football: Louisville beats Miami 31-13 in ACC debut

Dominique Brown’s 15-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Gerald Christian’s 10-yard scoring catch late in the fourth backed Louisville’s big defensive performance Monday night as the Cardinals defeated Miami, 31-13, at Louisville, Ky.

The victory provided a successful Atlantic Coast Conference debut for the Cardinals and Coach Bobby Petrino, beginning is second coaching stint at the school.

The Cardinals outgained the Hurricanes, 336 yards to 244, in a ragged game offensively for both teams. Louisville’s new 3-4 defense proved to be the difference with three takeaways, including one that followed a fumble by Cardinals quarterback Will Gardner inside his 15.

It was a spotty debut for Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya, a true freshman from West Hills Chamiade High. Kaaya completed 17 of 29 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown but had two passes intercepted.

Brown finished with career bests of 33 carries for 143 yards. Gardner completed 20 of 28 passes for 206 yards with two touchdowns.

Ash out this week

Texas quarterback David Ash, who missed most of last season with concussion symptoms, will not play this week against Brigham Young after getting headaches and feeling dizzy in the hours following the Longhorns’ season-opening win over North Texas. Ash took several hard hits to the head during the 38-7 win, but head Coach Charlie Strong said Monday that Ash showed no symptoms during the game. The Longhorns play UCLA on Sept. 13.

Petty injured

Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty has two cracked small bones in his back, an MRI test revealed. Petty took a hard hit to his back early in the 10th-ranked Bears’ season-opening 45-0 win over SMU on Sunday and sat out the second half. The diagnosis was two cracked transverse processes, small bones that stick out from each side of a vertebra. Coach Art Briles said Petty was day to day.

Tide loses two

Alabama Coach Nick Saban said wide receiver DeAndrew White probably is out two weeks because of a right shoulder injury, and safety Jarrick Williams could miss at least four weeks with a fractured bone in his foot. Saban also said the Crimson Tide’s quarterback competition remained open, even though Blake Sims took most of the snaps Saturday in the season-opening 33-23 win over West Virginia. Jake Coker is expected to get his first significant action this Saturday against Florida Atlantic.

Etc.

Greyson Lambert, who had two passes intercepted and returned for touchdowns in a 28-20 season-opening loss to UCLA, may have lost his status as starting quarterback and face of Virginia football. Coach Mike London said he’ll will make a game-time decision between Lambert and Matt Johns before the Cavaliers play Richmond at home Saturday. Johns replaced Lambert in the second half against the Bruins. . . . Top-ranked Florida State will get sophomore receiver Jesus “Bobo” Wilson back from a one-game suspension this week, but starting linebacker Chris Casher’s status remained unclear after he was pulled from the lineup due to an “academic-related matter” shortly before Saturday’s 37-31 victory over Oklahoma State. Wilson pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors after being arrested for stealing a motor scooter on campus this summer.