NEW ORLEANS — Terell Floyd returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown on the first play and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw two touchdown passes as the Louisville Cardinals surprised the heavily favored Florida Gators 33-23 in college football's Sugar Bowl Wednesday. Shaking off an early hit that knocked off his helmet, Bridgewater was 20 of 32 passing for 266 yards. Among his throws was a pinpoint, 15-yard toss in the third quarter that DeVante Parker grabbed as he touched one foot down in the corner of the end zone for a score. Bridgewater's other touchdown pass was a 19-yarder to Damian Copeland in the fourth quarter, one play after a surprise onside kick by the Gators backfired badly. By the end, the chant, “Charlie, Charlie!” echoed from sections of the Superdome occupied by red-clad Cardinals fans. It their way of serenading third-year Louisville coach Charlie Strong, the former defensive coordinator for the Gators, who has elevated Cardinals football to new heights and recently turned down a chance to leave behind what he's built for the top job at Tennessee. “They kind of thought we were going to come in and lay down and give them the game,” Floyd said. “But Coach Strong always preaches that we're better than any team in the nation if we come out and play hard.” Florida never trailed by more than 10 points this season and had lost only once going into the game. Louisville and Florida each finished the season at 11-2. “We got outcoached and outplayed,” Florida coach Will Muschamp said. “That's what I told the football team. That's the bottom line.” Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel, who had thrown only three interceptions all season, turned the ball over three times on two interceptions — both tipped passes — and a fumble. He finished 16 of 29 for 175 yards. Louisville jumped out to an early lead on the first play of the game. Driskel was looking for seldom-targeted Andre Debose, who'd had only two catches all season. His throw was a bit behind Debose, however, and the receiver tipped it, making for an easy catch and score for Floyd only 15 seconds into the game. Jeremy Wright then followed with a short touchdown run later in the first quarter to give the underdogs from the Big East Conference a 14-0 lead from which the Gators never recovered. — Agencies
