It wasn't the lack of funds. The state has always had enough funds.
It was because James Wharton at State had a divide & conquer mentality: his strategy was that LSBR gets everything, the rest of us drop to JC status.
It was bad for Louisiana, it was bad for UL & the other schools, and it was bad for LSBR. Without competition, there's no accountability.
And without cooperation, none of us get enough money.
Which is why State is academically the lowest-ranked large "flagship" in the country (some schools are academically lower, but they are all smaller than State).