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Ragone Has Record-Breaking Day In Cardinals Win
Heisman candidate sets school record with 18 straight completions in 44-20 victory.
 
T.J. Patterson runs through an opening after taking a handoff from Dave Ragone.

T.J. Patterson runs through an opening after taking a handoff from Dave Ragone.

Oct 26, 2002

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Notes | Coach Smith Audio | Ragone Audio | Dorsey Audio | Thomas Audio |

By STEVE HERMAN
AP Sports Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Dave Ragone set a Louisville record with 18 straight completions and threw a career-high five touchdown passes as the Cardinals beat East Carolina 44-20 on Saturday.

Four of his TD passes came in the first half, when he missed only one attempt and put the Cardinals (5-3, 3-1 Conference USA) in control. East Carolina (2-5, 2-1) could not stop anyone on offense.

For the game, Ragone was 23-of-32 for 352 yards. Damien Dorsey caught nine passes for a career-high 158 yards and three touchdowns. Henry Miller became the first Louisville player to rush for more than 100 yards this season, finishing with a career-high 127 yards and one touchdown.

Ragone's only miss in the first two quarters was on Louisville's second possession.

But after that, Ragone passed 30 yards to J.R. Russell for the first touchdown, starting his streak of 18 straight completions that broke the former Louisville record of 17 set by Chris Redman against Tulane in 1998.

The NCAA record is 23 straight completions by Tennessee's Tee Martin against South Carolina in 1998.

Dave Ragone tries to elude an East Carolina defender.

 

 

The Pirates stopped Louisville only once more before halftime, although Ragone continued his string of completions until the Cardinals' third possession of the third quarter.

A 52-yard pass to Dorsey took Louisville to the Pirates' 6-yard line before he finally ended the streak with an incomplete pass, and the Cardinals settled for a 22-yard field goal by Nate Smith for a 38-20 lead.

East Carolina got two field goals by Kevin Miller and 1-yard touchdown runs by Marvin Townes and Art Brown.

The score by Townes gave the Pirates a 10-7 lead late in the first quarter, but Ragone's 10-yard TD pass to Dorsey put Louisville ahead to stay. Dorsey also had touchdown receptions of 18 and 4 yards.

Miller scored on an 8-yard run on the first series of the third quarter.

East Carolina's Paul Troth was 14-of-36 for 211 yards, while Brown was the top rusher with 14 carries for 56 yards.

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