Carl Pickens and a pair of freshmen backs stole the show Louisville wanted so badly to put on for the largest crowd ever to see a game in Cardinal Stadium.
Pickens scored touchdowns of 75 and 67 yards and James Stewart and Aaron Hayden each ran for more than 100 yards as the 11th-ranked Volunteers (1-0) ended the Cardinals' eight-game winning streak with a 28-11 victory Thursday night."We have been talking about this game as the biggest game in University of Louisville history, and it was," Louisville coach Howard Schnellenberger said. "Unfortunately we weren't up to it tonight."
Adding to Fiesta Bowl champion Louisville's woes was the fact that junior quarterback Jeff Brohm left the game in the fourth quarter with what was later diagnosed as a fracture in his right ankle. Brohm's leg will be in a cast for about six weeks, team officials said.
The game was seen by a record crowd of 40,457 and the first national television audience to see a Cardinal home game.
Pickens scored his 75-yard TD on Tennessee's third play from scrimmage. He caught a pass from Andy Kelly near the Louisville 30 and raced down the right sideline into the end zone.