LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) _ Dave Ragone threw three touchdown passes and Arnold Jackson became the NCAA Division I-A career receptions leader in Louisville's 38-17 victory over Army on Saturday.

Jackson needed seven catches to pass the mark of 298 set by Nevada's Trevor Insley in 1999. The senior set the record on a 6-yard reception from Ragone with 7:50 left in the game.

The Cardinals (8-2, 5-1 Conference USA) blew open another close game in the third quarter.

Louisville led 14-10 at halftime but held the Black Knights (1-8, 1-5) to minus-11 yards on their first two possessions of the second half.

Ragone hit Zek Parker with a short pass over the middle with 5:25 left in the third quarter and Parker broke two tackles and ran 33 yards down the sideline for a touchdown.

The decisive score came two minutes later. After an Army punt to midfield, Ragone found Deion Branch wide open in the end zone for an eventual 28-10 lead.

The Cardinals have outscored their opponents 100-37 in third quarters this season.

Redshirt freshman Nate Smith kicked his first career field goal, a 27-yarder with 11:40 left in the game to give Louisville a 31-10 lead.

Alton McCallum had a 1-yard touchdown run with 7:59 left in the game and Parker caught his second touchdown pass of the game with 4:50 remaining.

Michael Wallace, Conference USA's leading rusher coming into the game, carried 21 times for 82 yards to lead Army. He was held under 100 yards on the ground for the first time in five games by the nation's fourth-best rushing defense (79 yards per game).

Jackson finished with seven catches for 55 yards and now has 299 career receptions. Ragone was 22-of-33 for 290 yards with one interception.

Ragone went 6-of-7 on Louisville's first possession, connecting with Jackson four times. Stallings gave the Cardinals the early lead on a 9-yard touchdown run with 7:13 left in the first quarter.

The Black Knights chewed up the next 10:32 with a 23-play, 66-yard drive. Army converted three fourth downs on the march and Brendan Mullen cut Louisville's lead to 7-3 on a 31-yard field goal with 11:45 left in the first half.

The teams traded brief possessions before Jackson returned a punt 55 yards to the Black Knights' 26. He made his fifth catch of the day _ and the 297th of his career _ before Stallings scored his second touchdown on a 5-yard run with 6:44 left in the first half.

Army answered with another long drive, going 56 yards in 13 plays, all on the ground. Quarterback Chad Jenkins scored on an 8-yard run with 1:33 left in the second quarter.