Linell Bonner hits Chance Allen on 50-yard touchdown bomb (Video)
By John Buhler
The Houston Cougars execute the double pass from Greg Ward, Jr. to Linell Bonner to Chance Allen for a spectacular 50-yard touchdown versus Louisville.
The Houston Cougars are flat out dismantling the No. 5 Louisville Cardinals in the first half of their Thursday night game at TDECU Stadium. Houston was already leading the College Football Playoff hopeful Cardinals, 24-0.
Then, Houston head coach Tom Herman decided to execute the double pass to eviscerate the Louisville secondary. Here is Greg Ward, Jr. to Linell Bonner to Chance Allen’s outstanding 50-yard touchdown pass to further stun Louisville, 31-0.
This drubbing of Louisville by Houston officially has the Cardinals’ 2017 College Football Playoff hopes rapidly fading away. Unless 2016 Heisman Trophy front-runner Lamar Jackson can pull off a huge come-from-behind victory, Louisville is not going to make the Playoff.
Houston did beat the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 1, but lost twice in conference play. The Cougars were for a while the best Group of 5 team in the country. They have since vacated that designation to P.J. Fleck’s undefeated Western Michigan Broncos of the MAC.
Herman may not be in Houston for very long, as he will certainly command a lucrative Power 5 gig in the 2017 college football season. With Houston not getting a Big 12 invitation, that essentially meant Herman will not be coaching the Cougars next season.
He is making the most of his biggest opportunity remaining in the 2016 college football season. By shocking Louisville at home, it can get Herman top dollar wherever he decides to coach next year.
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To see Louisville play this horribly might mean an easier time for the Selection Committee to pick its four teams for the third annual College Football Playoff in a few weeks. Louisville could have been the first at-large team to make the Playoff, but a certain loss to Houston on Thursday night removes all hope of the Cardinals’ Playoff chances.