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Shelton’s last-minute TD run saves No. 14 Louisville

Louisville's J.R. Russell beats Memphis defender Tristan Thomas for a first-quarter touchdown during a wild opening half. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press
Louisville's J.R. Russell beats Memphis defender Tristan Thomas for a first-quarter touchdown during a wild opening half. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Eric Shelton scored his fourth touchdown from 1 yard out with 37 seconds left, and No. 14 Louisville held off Memphis 56-49 on Thursday night.

The Cardinals (6-1, 4-0 Conference USA) and their high-powered offense did just enough to keep the Tigers (5-3, 2-3) from beating a ranked opponent for the first time since 1996.

Shelton ran for 136 yards on 14 carries, including a 78-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He scored on three short runs in the second half, and Stefan LeFors finished with three first-half touchdown passes.

LeFors, the nation’s most efficient passer, wasn’t as sharp as his 76 percent season completion rate, but still hit on 24 of 34 attempts for 321 yards without a turnover.

It was a wild game that featured 10 lead changes, capped when Shelton scored to put Louisville ahead 54-49. LeFors ran in a two-point conversion, then the Cardinals intercepted a pass to seal it.

Louisville took a 48-40 lead after consecutive touchdown runs by Shelton, the second with 11:54 remaining.

Memphis answered when Danny Wimprine, who threw for four touchdowns and 361 yards, ran in from the 1 to make it 48-46. The Tigers failed on a two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game.

But the Memphis defense got a key turnover when Shelton fumbled a handoff with 7:36 left, and Wimprine went back to work on the Tigers 39.

He led his team to the Louisville 9, but after a penalty, two incomplete passes and a 2-yard run by DeAngelo Williams, Memphis settled for Stephen Gostkowski’s 29-yard field goal and a 49-48 lead with 6:20 left.

That was plenty of time for LeFors, who found J.R. Russell for a 28-yard completion to the Memphis 27. The Cardinals ran the clock inside a minute, and Memphis couldn’t stop Shelton from scoring the winning touchdown.

The second half was downright slow after a frantic first half that featured a combined 68 points and 703 yards of total offense.

The teams scored on five consecutive drives and there were only two punts, on the Cardinals’ first and last possessions of the half.

Louisville came in with the nation’s 11th-ranked defense, but the Cardinals gave up 17 first-quarter points after allowing one touchdown in their first six games.

The Tigers led 24-14 after a 31-yard scoring run by Williams, who finished with 200 yards on 26 carries.