LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Michael Bush sat up on the stretcher and waved to the Papa John's Stadium crowd.

He didn't anticipate having to say goodbye so soon.

The Louisville running back broke his right leg in the third quarter of the 13th-ranked Cardinals' 59-28 victory over Kentucky yesterday and will be out for the season.

"It was devastating to lose a player like him," said Louisville coach Bobby Petrino. "It hurts a lot because of what Michael has done for this program."

Bush had already run for 124 yards and three touchdowns in the first half when he took the pitch from quarterback Brian Brohm on Louisville's second play of the second half. His right leg was pinned awkwardly underneath him while being tackled by Kentucky's Wesley Woodyard.

"I didn't even realize he was hurt," Woodyard said. "I didn't hear anything. I just heard the crowd and I heard a big pop."

Bush lay on the ground for several minutes before being placed on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital. He will have surgery today. He finished with 128 yards on 17 carries.

"Losing a guy like Michael Bush, he's irreplaceable," Brohm said. "You can't replace him with one guy."

Though reserves George Stripling (nine carries, 90 yards, two touchdowns) and Kolby Smith (12 carries, 66 yards) filled in ably for Bush, much of Louisville's hopes for its first Big East title were on Bush.

He led the nation in scoring last season, averaging 14.4 points per game while scoring a school-record 23 rushing touchdowns. He returned for his senior year to help the Cardinals make their first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game.

ELSEWHERE

No. 22 TCU 17, Baylor 7: Freshman Marcus Jackson threw two touchdown passes in the second half after replacing TCU's undefeated and woozy starter, and the No. 22 Horned Frogs beat the Bears at Waco, Texas, in the opener for both teams.

TCU stretched its winning streak to 11 games — the second-longest in Division I-A behind the 21 in a row of defending national champion Texas.

Jackson replaced Jeff Ballard after halftime, and finally put the Horned Frogs ahead with an 84-yard TD pass to tailback Aaron Brown after another Baylor turnover in the third quarter. He threw a 4-yard score to Quinton Cunigan in the fourth quarter.

Mississippi 28, Memphis 25: BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns to help the Rebels beat the Tigers in the season opener for both at Oxford, Miss.

NOTES

Clemson: Linebacker Anthony Waters will miss the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his left knee. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament late in the third quarter of Clemson's 54-6 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday.

Wake Forest: Quarterback Ben Mauk may not return this season after breaking his right arm and dislocating his right shoulder in Wake Forest's 20-10 win over Syracuse on Saturday.