UL – Two key fumble recoveries and an interception late in the fourth quarter sealed up a 42-28 victory for Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns over Middle Tennessee on Wednesday night in the 2008 regular season finale at Cajun Field.

The victory was Louisiana’s sixth moving the squad to bowl eligible status. The Ragin’ Cajuns are now 6-6 overall and 5-2 in Sun Belt Conference play. UL can still claim a share of the SBC title should Arkansas State defeat Troy on Saturday.

Holding on to a 35-28 lead, Gerren Blount recovered his third fumble of the season to get the Cajuns the ball with 9:21 remaining. The fumble, forced by Jezreel Washington, broke a string of both teams swapping scores and allowed Louisiana to open a two-score lead which ultimately held up.

Michael Desormeaux tossed his career-best fourth touchdown pass of the game, a 37-yard toss to Louis Lee, giving the Cajuns a 42-28 lead.

On MT’s first play from scrimmage on the next drive, Daylon McCoy intercepted a Joe Craddock pass.

The Cajuns defense made another key stand after MT had stopped the offense. The Blue Raiders moved deep into Cajuns’ territory when Craddock connected with Sancho McDonald for a 36-yard pickup to the UL 7. Two plays later, Washington recovered a fumble to stop the Blue Raiders.

From there Louisiana ran off the final 1:42 off the clock.

Desormeaux had 243 yards passing and 42 yards rushing to give him 1,035 rushing yards on the season. He becomes the eighth quarterback in NCAA history to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. He ended the game 18-of-25 passing with a career-best four touchdowns.

Kicker Drew Edmiston finished with six extra points, giving him 50 PAT kicks this season, eclipsing the Sun Belt single-season record of 48 set by Greg Whibbs of Troy last season. He also has the Cajuns career PAT record with 108.

The Blue Raiders tied the game at 21-21 just 6:21 into the second half. MT drove 82 yards in 13 plays, scoring on a 22-yard pass from Craddock to Eldred King. Craddock was 5-for-5 passing on the drive for 55 yards.

The Cajuns retook the lead thanks to a five-yard scoring pass from Desormeaux to Ladarius Green. Desormeaux was most of the offense on the drive, completing a 22-yard pass to Jason Chery and scrambling twice for 18 yards.

MT tied the game on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 15-yard strike from Craddock to McDonald on third-and-goal. MT moved 58 yards in 11 plays.

UL responded with a nine-play, 80-yard drive culminating with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Desormeaux to Chery. Desormeaux was 4-for-5 passing for 56 yards and added 19 yards on a pair of rushes. The touchdown put the Cajuns in the lead for good, 35-28.

That’s when the defense made the key plays to put the finishing touches on the victory.

Desormeaux led the Cajuns 80 yards for a score on the game’s opening drive. Desormeaux was 6-for-7 passing for 78 yards, throwing a four-yard touchdown strike to tight end Luke Aubrey. The Cajuns converted on third down three times during the drive, including a third-and-seven from the MT 21-yard line.

The Blue Raiders countered with an eight-play, 76-yard scoring drive in just over two minutes. MT picked-up a first down on each of their first four plays, traveling 56 yards to the Cajuns 20-yard line. After an incomplete pass, Phillip Tanner gained 17 yards down to the three-yard line. Two plays later, Tanner tied the game with a two-yard plunge.

Tyrell Fenroy tied Brian Mitchell for the most rushing touchdowns in UL history with a four-yard run that gave the Cajuns a 14-7 lead at the 2:16 mark of the first quarter. Fenroy also passed Mitchell for the most single-season rushing yards on the run. The key play on the Cajuns’ 47-yard scoring drive was a 16-yard pass to Richie Falgout down to the MT seven-yard line.

Fenroy cashed in for the second time in the game at the 11:20 mark of the second quarter. His three-yard scoring run tied him with Mitchell for the most single-season touchdowns in school history. The scored pushed the Cajuns lead to 21-7 following the 10-play, 61-yard drive. Fenroy had four carries on the drive for 24 yards and caught one pass for 12 yards. Desormeaux made the drive’s key play, gaining three yards on fourth-and-one from the MT five-yard line.

Tanner’s second touchdown capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive by the Blue Raiders. The TD cut the Cajuns lead to 21-14 with 6:18 left in the first half. Craddock was 6-for-6 passing on the drive for 54 yards.

Chery returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, but a penalty for illegal block wiped away the score and gave the Cajuns the ball at their 13-yard line. The Cajuns were unable to move the ball and were forced to punt.

MT moved into field goal range late in the quarter, but Alan Gendreau’s 46-yard attempt into the wind was short.

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