Louisiana Hosts ULM in Regular-Season Finale
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Having already locked up a spot in the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game following a dominant win over Troy, Louisiana will play its final regular-season game on Saturday, Nov. 30, when it welcomes in-state foe ULM to Cajun Field for a nationally-televised broadcast.
In the 53-3 victory over the Trojans, the Ragin' Cajuns secured their fourth nine-win season in program history and their first since the 1976 campaign. A win on Saturday would be a historic one as Louisiana has the opportunity to clinch its 10th win of the season, solidifying the first 10-win season in school history.
Who: Louisiana (9-2, 6-1 SBC) vs. ULM (5-6, 4-3 SBC)
Where: Cajun Field – Lafayette, La.
When: Saturday, Nov. 30 – 6:30 p.m. (CST)
Watch: ESPNU
On the Call: Mike Corey (play-by-play), Rene Ingoglia (color)
Listen: ESPN1420
On the Call: Jay Walker (play-by-play), Chris Lanaux (color), Cody Junot (sideline)
All-Time Series: Louisiana Leads, 27-24-0
Last Meeting: Nov. 24, 2018 (Louisiana Won, 31-28)
Game Notes:
How the West Was Won
• For the second-straight season, the Ragin' Cajuns claimed the title of Sun Belt West Division Champions after putting together a complete team performance in a 53-3 rout of Troy at Cajun Field on Saturday, Nov. 23.
• It was all Louisiana from start to finish after it compiled 598 yards of total offense and scored 53 points, the second-highest point total of the season and the most against a conference opponent since scoring 55 against Arkansas State on Oct. 21, 2014.
• Louisiana will face Appalachian State in the Sun Belt Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 11 a.m. on ESPN. Home field advantage for the game will come down to App State's result at Troy and Louisiana's result against ULM.
Win, Win, Win, Win
• With its victory over Troy (Nov. 23), the team clinched its first nine win season since 1976 and its fourth overall in program history.
• A victory over ULM on Nov. 30 would give the Ragin' Cajuns their first 10-win season in program history and secure seven Sun Belt victories in 2019, the most in program history.
Geauxing Bowling
• With Louisiana's 31-3 victory over Texas State on Nov. 2, the Ragin' Cajuns clinched bowl eligibility for the secon-straight season.
• If the Ragin' Cajuns are selected for a bowl game, it will be the ninth bowl appearance in program history.
Explosive Offense
• Through 11 games in 2019, Louisiana ranks ninth in country in total offense (498.4) and 10th in the nation in scoring offense (39.5). The team also leads the Sun Belt in both categories.
• The ability to consistently move the chains has to do with the big plays created by the Louisiana offense. The Ragin' Cajuns are currently eighth in the nation with 201 plays of 10+ yards.
• Louisiana is also tied for 18th with 65 plays of 20 or more yards.
• Of those big plays, Louisiana is third nationally in rushing plays for 10+ yards (97), fifth in rushing plays of 20+ yards (32), and tied for seventh in rushing plays of 30+ yards (15).
• The team is also one of eight schools with at least three rushes of 70+ yards and one of five schools with two rushes of 80 or more yards.
Moving the Chains
• Louisiana's offense has had no issues moving the ball in chunks and is currently seventh nationally in total first downs with 282.
• Of the 282 first downs, 148 have come on the ground, good for sixth nationally. The school record for most rushing first downs in a single season is 162, set by the 2014 team.
• On the year, Louisiana is averaging 25.6 first downs per contest, tying them for sixth in the nation with Hawaii.
Lighting Up the Scoreboard
• Louisiana has scored 435 points through 11 games this season, averaging 39.5 points per contest.
• As it stands, the Ragin' Cajuns are 26 points shy of the topping the school record for the most points scored a single season, which currently sits at 261 compiled by the 2012 team.
• In the 2012, the team averaged 35.4 points per contest.
Rushing Game on Top
• With Louisiana's 254 yards on the ground against Troy on Saturday, Nov. 23, the team has upped its season total to 3,038 yards, the fifth most in the country.
• Louisiana ranks second in the country in yards per attempt with 6.60 yards per carry, ranking behind Clemson (6.65).
• Louisiana has scored 39 rushing touchdowns this season, the third most in the country behind Army (40) and Navy (40).
• The Ragin' Cajuns rank fifth in average yards per game, tallying 276.2 yards on the ground.
• The Ragin's Cajuns have rushed for over 300 yards in three games this season.
• Louisiana has had four, 100-yard rushers this year, seven teams in country to have at least four.
Running Into the Record Books
• Louisiana has 39 touchdowns on the ground this season, shattering the record of the most rushing touchdowns in a single season.
• The previous record of 34 was set during the 2005 season.
• Through 11 games this season, six different Ragin' Cajuns have been responsible for at least one touchdown, with Elijah Mitchell leading the way with 14.
• Of those six players, the running backs alone have accounted for 36 touchdowns. Quarterback Levi Lewis was responsible for the other three scores.
Three-Headed Monster
• Louisiana's combination of Elijah Mitchell, Trey Ragas and Raymond Calais have been unstoppable this season.
• The trio has accounted for 2,364 of the 3,038 rushing yards and 30 of the team's 39 rushing scores.
• More impressively, the trio has only combined for 36 yards lost.
• The trio all scored a rushing touchdown in the game against Troy on Nov. 23, the third time this season the backs have recorded a rushing touchdown in a single game and the fourth time in their careers.
Lewis Tossing the Ball Around the Yard
• Levi Lewis has continued to impress during his juinor season, having throw for 2,180 yards with a 65.4 completion percentage (185-for-283) and has notched 17 touchdowns to just three interceptions.
• Lewis has gone 120 attempts without an interception since the Arkansas State game on Oct. 17, the fourth-longest active streak in the country.
• The junior etched his name in the Louisiana record books during the team's game against South Alabama, becoming just the sixth player in program history to throw for at least 15 touchdowns in a single season after tossing two against the Jaguars.
• Lewis had a career night against Coastal Carolina on Nov. 7, setting career bests in passing yards (296), completitions (26) and touchdowns (3).
• Lewis finished the game against the Chanticleers 26-of-30 through the air for a completion percentage of 86.7 percent, setting a new school record for a single game.
• Lewis opened the 2019 season throwing 267 yards with 24 completions on 39 attempts against Mississippi State on Saturday, Aug. 31.
• Lewis' 267 passing yards is the most against a Power 5 school since Blaine Gautier threw for 315 yards against Arizona on Nov. 26, 2011.
• Furthermore, Lewis' 267 passing yards is the most in an opener since Chris Mason opened the season throwing for 283 yards against Southern on Sept. 5, 2009.
Lockdown Defense
• Louisiana has been superb on defense this season, holding opponents to just 18.1 points per contest in 2019. That 18.1 points allowed ranks 11th in FBS and first in the Sun Belt Conference.
• The Ragin' Cajuns have held their last nine opponents to less than 30 points and have held three of those opponents to less than 10 points.
