G 10 Preview: Louisiana vs South Alabama
With a chance at clinching its fifth Sun Belt Conference West Division title in seven years in sight, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football team returns to action on Saturday when it hosts rival South Alabama in a "Black Out" game at Cajun Field.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp), Eric Mouton (color) and Ben Schafer (sideline) providing commentary. Fans can also listen to the game on the Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network with Jay Walker (pxp), Cody Junot (color) and Dawson Eiserloh (sideline) on the call.
Tickets for as low as $15 are available by purchasing on-line at RaginCajuns.com/Tickets.
The contest between Louisiana (8-1, 5-0 SBC) and South Alabama (4-5, 3-2 SBC) is designated as the annual "Louisiana Salutes" game with all fans encouraged to wear black.
All veterans and active duty military members will receive one free beer and popcorn courtesy of Sodexo and the Student Veterans Organization (SVO) at Grab-and-Geaux stands and main concourse concessions around Cajun Field.
Fans will be treated by the Team FASTRAX skydiving performance at halftime with the group flying with flags of all military branches and a Gold Star Families flag honoring those that have fallen.
A 4D Flight simulator – "Operation Shadow Strike" – will be available for all fans near the Student Tailgate area from 1-6 p.m., with the Pride of Acadiana Marching Band performing their "Salute to Service" special halftime show.
The re-dedication of the POW Chair in the North End Zone will take place during the game and the Louisiana Air National Guard will have on-field promotions.
Louisiana, ranked just outside the Top-25 by the Associated Press and US LBM Coaches' Polls, returned home last week after playing four of five games on the road and posted an impressive 55-19 victory over Arkansas State for its seventh straight win. The Ragin' Cajuns piled up a season-high 579 yards of total offense with Dre'lyn Washington recording a career-best 123 yards on the ground with a pair of touchdowns.
Kenneth Almendares became the school's all-time leading scorer after converting on a pair of field goals and seven extra points as Louisiana built a 31-6 lead.
Single-game tickets for Louisiana's six home games – which include remaining games against South Alabama (Nov. 16) and Troy (Nov. 23) – are currently on sale now. Tickets start as low as $15 and can be purchased through RaginCajuns.com and its social media platforms (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram).
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (@RaginCajunsFB) to stay up-to-date on Louisiana Football.
GAME 10 PREVIEW – Louisiana (8-1, 5-0 SBC) vs. South Alabama (4-5, 3-2 SBC)
Location: Cajun Field (25,000) | Lafayette, La.
Date | Time: Saturday, November 16 | 6 p.m.
Tickets:RaginCajuns.com/Tickets
TV/RADIO
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Dan McDonald (play-by-play), Eric Mouton (color), Ben Schafer (sideline)
Radio: Lafayette – Hot 107.9 FM; 103.3 The Goat, 1420 AM; New Orleans/Slidell – WGSO 990 AM; Worldwide – Varsity Network powered by Learfield
Talent: Jay Walker (play-by-play), Cody Junot (color), Dawson Eiserloh (sideline)
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Overall: Louisiana leads, 9-3
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 5-1
In Jonesboro: Louisiana leads, 4-2
Streak: Louisiana +1
First meeting: Louisiana, 52-30 – 11/24/2012 in Lafayette
Last Meeting: Louisiana, 33-20 – 10/28/2023 in Mobile
LOUISIANA HOSTS SOUTH ALABAMA WITH SBC WEST TITLE IN GRASP
• Louisiana continues its three-game homestand on Saturday when it plays host to South Alabama in a Sun Belt Conference West Division showdown at Cajun Field.
• With a win, Louisiana would clinch a share of the SBC West Division title and earn a spot in the SBC Championship Game on December 7.
• Louisiana has won six straight games since a 41-33 setback to Tulane on September 21 and is among a group of G5 schools looking to claim a spot in the College Football Playoffs.
• The meeting with South Alabama is the 13th between the schools with the Jaguars earning a 20-17 victory - its first-ever win in Lafayette - two years ago in Lafayette.
A LOUISIANA WIN WOULD ...
• Clinch a share of the SBC West Division title.
• Clinch a spot in the Sun Belt Championship Game for the fifth time in the seven-year history.
• Be its seventh straight victory.
• Give Louisiana its first seven-game win streak since 2021 when it reeled off 13 straight wins.
• Give the Ragin' Cajuns a 9-1 overall record and 6-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference play.
• Keep Louisiana as one of three non-P4 schools with one loss on the season joining nationally-ranked programs Boise State (8-1) and Army (9-0).
• Be head coach Michael Desormeaux's 22nd career win.
• Improve Desormeaux's record in SBC games to 13-9.
• Be Louisiana's 93rd overall win in Sun Belt Conference play.
UPCOMING LOUISIANA MILESTONES
• With 60 career field goals, kicker Kenneth Almendares is four fields shy of tying Blake Grupe (Arkansas State) and Chandler Staton (App State) for the most field goals in Sun Belt Conference history.
• His 147 career PATs are four shy of tying Artigue's school-record (151).
• Almendares is three games away from reaching the 60-games played mark.
• Redshirt freshman running back Bill Davis is 226 yards shy of reaching the 1,000-yard mark in his career.
• Ben Wooldridge is 62 yards shy of tying Chris Masson (4,975, 2008-11) for ninth place and 129 from tying Blaine Gautier (5,042, 2009-12) for eighth in total offense in school history.
• Wooldridge is 186 yards shy of tying Henry (4,656) for eighth place in total passing yards.
THE LOUISIANA-SOUTH ALABAMA SERIES
• Louisiana and South Alabama will meet for the 13th time in the all-time series with the Ragin' Cajuns holding a 9-3 lead.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 5-1 against the Jaguars at Cajun Field, winning the first five meetings before South Alabama's Diego Guajardo booted a 43-yard field goal at the buzzer for a 20-17 victory.
• The series began in 2012 with the home team claiming each of the first four contests before the Ragin' Cajuns earned a 19-14 win in Mobile in 2017.
• Louisiana claimed last year's contest at Hancock Whitney Stadium, 33-20, behind five forced turnovers and 3.5 sacks from Cameron Whitfield.
#KENNYTHEKICKER MOVING UP THE SCORING LIST
• Kenneth Almendares continues his assault on the Louisiana career scoring record as he enters Saturday's game with a school-record 327 points.
• Almendares passed 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Elijah McGuire (318, 2013-16) in becoming the school's all-time leader against Arkansas State and now sets his sights on moving up the Sun Belt Conference.
• Almendares passed both Brian Davis (Arkansas State) and Diego Guajardo (South Alabama) for third place on the SBC career list and is 27 points from tying Blake Grupe (Arkansas State) for second.
• The top five scorers in Ragin' Cajuns history are below:
1. Kenneth Almendares (2018-) – 327
2. Elijah McGuire (2013-16) – 318
3. Stevie Artigue (2015-19) – 310
4. Tyrell Fenroy (2005-08) – 294
5. Brian Mitchell (1986-89) – 286
• The top scorers in Sun Belt Conference history are:
1. Chandler Staton, App State (2017-21) – 464
2. Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (2018-21) – 354
3. Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (2018-) – 327
4. Brian Davis, Arkansas State, (2010-13) – 326
4. Diego Guajardo, South Alabama (2019-23) – 326
ALMENDARES APPROACHING SUN BELT IMMORTALITY
• With the school's career field goal record (60) in hand, Almendares now looks to break the Sun Belt Conference record (64) currently held by former Arkansas State and current New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe and App State's Chandler Staton.
• The top six players in SBC history are listed below:
1. 64, Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (2018-21)
64, Chandler Staton, App State (2017-21)
3. 60, Austin Rehkow, Idaho (2014-16)
60, Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (2018-)
4. 58, Josh Arauco, Arkansas State (2006-09)
58, Diego Guajardo, South Alabama (2019-23)
#BEN10 MOVING UP THE UL PASSING RECORDS
• Ben Wooldridge's 373 yards at Coastal Carolina increased his career total at Louisiana to 3,954 yards, passing current head coach Michael Desormeaux (3,893, 2005-08) for 10th-place in school history.
• The Pleasanton, Calif., native moved past Blaine Gautier (4,159, 2009-12) for ninth in school history after a 252-yard performance at Texas State.
• The top quarterbacks in school history are listed below:
PASSING YARDS
1. Jake Delhomme (1993-96) – 9,216
2. Levi Lewis (2017-21) – 9,191
3. Terrance Broadway (2012-14) – 7,556
4. Jerry Babb (2003-06) – 6,241
5. Brian Mitchell (1986-89) – 5,447
6. Jon Van Cleave (2000-02) – 5,267
7. Chris Masson (2008-11) – 4,757
8. Roy Henry (1975-77) – 4,656
9. Ben Wooldridge (2021-) – 4,470
10. Blaine Gautier (2009-12) – 4,159
11. Michael Desormeaux (2005-08) – 3,893
PASSING TOUCHDOWNS
1. Levi Lewis (2017-21) – 74
2. Jake Delhomme (1993-96) – 64
3. Terrance Broadway (2012-14) – 49
4. Roy Henry (1975-77) – 40
5. Ben Wooldridge (2021-) – 37
TEAM NOTES
• Louisiana is the lone FBS team nationally which has not lost a fumble this season.
• Louisiana has turned the ball over four times during the 2024 season to rank second behind Army (3) among FBS schools.
• The Ragin' Cajuns have 84 players on its roster from the state of Louisiana to lead all in-state FBS schools.
• The Ragin' Cajuns have allowed 173.0 yards through the air in their first nine games to rank second in the Sun Belt Conference and rank 17th nationally in passing yards allowed.
• Louisiana has controlled the clock during the 2024 season ranking 12th nationally in time of possession (32:29 per game).
• Louisiana enters the week second in the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 39th nationally among FBS schools in total defense allowing 335.4 yards per game.
• Louisiana ranks fifth among all FBS teams in tackles for loss allowed (3.0 per game).
• Louisiana's third-down conversion percentage (.505) leads the Sun Belt and is eighth in FBS.
• The Ragin' Cajuns lead the SBC and are 13th nationally in total offense (456.2).
• Seven players - King McGowen (OT), Kaden Moreau (OG), Quinton Williams (OT), Caden Jensen (TE), Zylan Perry (RB), Lorenzell Dubose (CB) and Carmycah Glass (LB) - have each earned their first career starts during the 2024 season.
• Thirteen players - Ben Wooldridge (QB), Lance LeGendre (WR), Terrance Carter (TE), Bill Davis (RB), Dre'lyn Washington (RB), Harvey Broussard (WR), Tavion Smith (WR), Landon Burton (C), Caleb Kibodi (LB), Chandler Fields (QB), Zylan Perry (RB) and Caden Jensen (TE) - have scored at least one touchdown this season for Louisiana.
• Louisiana's four interceptions against App State equaled its most in a game since October 30, 2010 at Ohio.
• Louisiana had a string of 18 consecutive quarters with a score snapped after going scoreless in the third quarter of its 34-24 win at Coastal Carolina.
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Re: Live Game Talk: Louisiana vs. South Alabama
Originally Posted by Turbine
Re: Live Game Talk: Louisiana vs. South Alabama
