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MURFREESBORO, TN - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns had a 17-14 halftime lead, but couldn't hold off Middle Tennessee, falling by a final score of 34-17.
It is just the sixth time, in eight seasons under head coach Rickey Bustle, that the team lost when leading at the half.
UL falls to 5-5 (3-3), while MT improves to 7-3 (5-1).
The hosts regained the lead with the opening possession of the second half and never looked back. Starting from their 40-yard line, Dwight Dasher ripped off a 46-yard rush to the Cajuns 14-yard line. After a false start penalty, Dasher connected with Garrett Andrews on a 19-yard touchdown.
Another long play by Dasher led to more points for the Blue Raiders. Facing third-and-seven, Dasher hit Shane Blissard with a 40-yard pass on the left side, propelling MT inside the Cajuns red zone. The Cajuns defense tightened, but Alan Gendreau connected on a 30-yard field goal to increase MT's lead to 24-17 with 1:29 remaining in the third quarter.
A five-play, 71-yard drive pushed the Blue Raiders lead to 31-17. D.D. Kyles broke a 53-yard run down the right side to set-up a seven-yard scoring run by Desmond Gee.
Dasher hit Andrews with a 46-yard pass on third-and-26 to set-up another score. Gendreau tacked on another 30-yard field goal to seal the win for the Blue Raiders.
After allowing only four sacks all season, the Cajuns fell victim to five sacks by the Blue Raiders.
Chris Masson finished 25-of-43 for 220 yards and one touchdown, but the Cajuns couldn't get the ground game going, finishing with only 73 yards on 32 carries.
Dasher was 16-of-25 passing for 219 yards and added 89 yards rushing. Kyles ended his night with 177 yards rushing as MT rolled to 506 yards of total offense - 335 in the second half.
The Cajuns took the opening kickoff and drove 79 yards in 14 plays to grab an early 7-0 lead. UL converted three times on third down, twice on passes by Masson and the third on a Masson three-yard touchdown run.
The score marked the fourth time this season the Cajuns took their opening possession of the game in for a touchdown.
It took Middle Tennessee less than two minutes to answer with a touchdown. A 41-yard kickoff return by Desmond Gee spotted the ball at midfield. Six plays later, Dasher hit Patrick Honeycutt with a 17-yard touchdown pass to tie the game.
Louis Lee responded with a 40-yard kickoff return to give the Cajuns excellent field position. Seven plays later, Masson was sacked inside Blue Raiders territory, losing a fumble that was recovered by Jamari Lattimore.
UL took a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter on a 24-yard field goal by Tyler Albrecht. Pinned at their 10-yard line, the Cajuns marched 83 yards in nine plays to set-up the score. Masson was 3-of-4 on the drive for 40 yards, with the key play coming on a 29-yard completion to Luke Aubrey at midfield. The Cajuns were also helped by two big 15-yard penalties on the Blue Raiders.
Middle Tennessee tried to tie the game with a 35-yard field goal attempt by Gendreau, but LaQuincy Williams blocked the kick. The momentum went to the Cajuns only briefly, as Lattimore stepped in front of Masson's next pass attempt and returned the ball 20 yards for a touchdown. MT had their first lead 14-10, with 6:24 remaining in the first half.
The blocked kick was the sixth by the Cajuns this season and 41st under Bustle dating back to the 2002 season.
The Cajuns re-took the lead with nine seconds remaining in the second quarter on a seven-yard pass from Masson to Vernon Wolfe. The score capped a nine-play, 72-yard drive that lasted just 1:03.
Facing a third-and-10 at their 39-yard line, Masson hit Louis Lee for 13 yards to jump start the drive. Masson rattled off five consecutive completions, ending with his strike to Wolfe.
The Cajuns have now scored six times in the final 90 seconds of a half this season.
<center> UL SI
