A couple of minutes have passed after the University of Louisville football team survived an unbelievable letdown by his team and a remarkable comeback by North Carolina.
Fans filing out of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, experiencing an enormous sense of relief wondering what had happened in that second half. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, except on the final North Carolina play — Andrew Johnson’s miraculous pass deflection saving UofL from an ignominious defeat.
Yet there is defensive coordinator Vance Bedford at midfield leaping in the air, clicking his heels together, celebrating as only he can.
One happy coach even though his defensive unit appeared on the verge of collapse at times.
Bedford hasn’t said anything publicly about that second half yet. Doesn’t need to say anything. Everybody knows what had happened. The team relaxed after wreaking havoc against North Carolina in the first half.
While many UofL fans are thinking Heisman after Teddy Bridgewater’s mostly first-half performance, the final stats reveal that NC’s Bryn Renner was also having a banner day, throwing for 363 yards and five touchdowns compared to 279 yards and three touchdowns for Teddy. North Carolina gained only 49 yards rushing.
But it was a bungled kickoff return that almost spelled doom for UofL, backing Bedford’s charges into a corner on their own nine-yard line. They were there, stopping North Carolina not once, not twice, not three times but four times when it counted.
Bedford had reason to celebrate.