The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns return to action on Saturday when it plays host to I-10 rival McNeese for Hall of Fame Weekend at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with coverage on ESPN+ featuring Dan McDonald (play-by-play), Eric Mouton (analyst) and Ben Schafer (sideline). Fans can also tune in on the Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network, with veteran play-by-play announcer Jay Walker joined by Cody Junot (analyst) and Dawson Eiserloh (sideline).

Louisiana (0-1) will recognize its 2025 Athletics Hall of Fame Class – Dr. Ed Dugas, Corey Coles, Richard Ainley, Haley Hayden, Kevin Brooks and Brett Baer – at the end of the quarter while welcoming back members of the 2005 team, which claimed a share of the Sun Belt Conference title.

The Ragin' Cajuns will look to get back on track after dropping a disappointing 14-12 contest against Rice last weekend in the season opener. Louisiana limited Rice to 71 yards of total offense in the second half but could not overcome a pair of turnovers and key penalties in the contest.

The game against McNeese (1-0), just the third meeting since 1986, will be the 39th all-time meeting between the schools in a series that dates back to 1951. Louisiana claimed a 30-22 in the previous contest at Cajun Field in 2016 as Anthony Jennings accounted for three touchdowns (1 passing, 2 rushing).

McNeese, in its second stint under head coach Matt Viator, opened its season with a 54-9 win over Louisiana Christian last weekend. The Cowboys piled up over 650 yards of total offense, including 305 on the ground.

Single-game tickets are available for as low as $25 and can be purchased through RaginCajuns.com and its social media platforms (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram).

Season tickets for the 2025 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football season are available now at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).

New this season, fans can park on the athletic footprint on a single-game basis for just $20 per game by clicking here. Fans will also be able to purchase single-game tailgate spots beginning at $100 by clicking here.


GAME 2 PREVIEW – Louisiana (0-1) vs. McNeese (1-0)
Location: Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium (30,932); Lafayette, La.
Date/Time: Saturday, September 6 at 7 p.m.
Tickets: Available at RaginCajuns.com/Tickets

TV/RADIO
TV: ESPN+
Talent:Dan McDonald (play-by-play), Eric Mouton (analyst), 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 (analyst), Dawson Eiserloh (sideline)

SERIES RECORD
Overall: McNeese leads, 20-16-2
In Lafayette: McNeese leads, 11-7-1
In Lake Charles: Tied 9-9-1
First Meeting: Louisiana, 35-14 (September 22, 1951 in Lake Charles)
Last Meeting: Louisiana, 30-22 (September 10, 2016 in Lafayette)

KICKING OFF
• Louisiana renews an in-state rivalry on Saturday when FCS member McNeese makes the one-hour trip east on Interstate 10. The meeting will be the 39th all-time between the schools dating back to 1951, making McNeese the eighth most-common opponent in Ragin' Cajuns history.

LOUISIANA STORYLINES
• The game between Louisiana and its I-10 counterpart will be the third between the schools since the turn of the century with all three taking place in Lafayette.
• The schools last met on the gridiron during the 2016 season with Louisiana earning a 30-22 victory.
• Louisiana is coming off its fourth 10-plus win season in the past six years and its seventh straight bowl appearance.
• Before his return to Lake Charles, McNeese head coach Matt Viator served as Senior Offensive Analyst at Louisiana from 2021-23.
• Ragin' Cajuns offensive coordinator Tim Leger earned his degree from McNeese and was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator under Viator from 2007-15.
• McNeese defensive line coach Chris Gistorb played at UL from 2000-02 and was on the staff in 2022 as a defensive staff assistant.
• Cowboy assistant coach Jaden Sawyer was a member of the Louisiana coaching staff from 2022-24.
• Louisiana assistant Scott Stoker spent eight seasons (1994-2001) on the McNeese staff and served as both offensive and defensive coordinator during his tenure in Lake Charles.
• The Ragin' Cajuns made their fifth appearance in the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game in the seven-year history of the event.
• Since the beginning of the 2020 season, the Ragin' Cajuns are 22-9 overall on its home turf.
• Ten players, including a pair of starters, made their debut in a Louisiana uniform against Rice.
• Three current Ragin' Cajuns players - Curley Reed III (Lake Charles College Prep), Bryant Williams (Grand Lake) and Jeramiah Holts (Vinton) - hail from the Lake Charles Metro area.

THE CAJUNS ARE BUILT IN THE BOOT
• Louisiana has always prided itself on taking an "inside-out" approach in recruiting in-state products.
• When the 2025 season officially kicks off against Rice, the Ragin' Cajuns will again lead all in-state FBS programs in the total number (59) and percentage (55.1) of in-state players on the roster.
• LSU (56/50.5), Louisiana Tech (44/41.1), Tulane (34/29.6) and ULM (20/20.0) round out the in-state FBS programs in recruiting Bayou State players.

KA-CHOW!
• After replacing departed Lou Groza Award winner Kenny Almendares, redshirt junior Tony Sterner converted on first-half field goals of 47 and 51 yards in the season-opener against Rice.
Sterner, who wears No. 95 in honor of the fictional character Lightning McQueen in the Disney/Pixar "Cars" franchise, had two career field goal attempts heading into the game.
• For his efforts, Sterner was tabbed as the Sun Belt Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.


"AND THE KICK IS ... GOOD!"
• Brett Baer joins a list of former Ragin' Cajuns football players entering the UL Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend.
• Baer delivered one of the most iconic moments in school history when he drilled a 50-yard field goal at the buzzer to lead Louisiana to a 32-30 win over San Diego State in the 2011 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
• A four-time All-Sun Belt Conference performer, Baer converted on 45 of 50 field goals (90 percent) and remains the most accurate kicker in NCAA history.

WELCOME BACK 2005 CAJUNS
• Members of the 2005 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football teams returns to Lafayette this weekend in part of Alumni Weekend festivities.
• The 2005 Ragin' Cajuns, coached by Ricky Bustle and included a freshman quarterback in Michael Desormeaux, opened the season 1-5 before rattling off five straight wins to share the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title with Arkansas State.

"SHOW ME MY OPPONENT ..."
• McNeese opened its second stint under head coach Matt Viator with a 54-9 win over NAIA Louisiana Christian last Saturday at Navarre Stadium (formerly Cowboy Stadium).
• The Cowboys rackled up 664 yards of total offense against LCU, with 305 coming on the ground.
• Jake Strong completed 22 of 28 passes for 329 yards and three TDs for McNeese while a stingy defense limited the Wildcats to 141 yards of total offense.

THE LOUISIANA-MCNEESE SERIES
• Saturday's matchup between Louisiana and McNeese will be only the fifth in the 39-game series to be played on the month of September.
• The former conference rivals in both the Gulf States Conference and Southland Conference will meet for just the third time since 1986.
• The schools met annually from 1951-86 with all but two games being played in the month of November.
• Louisiana claimed a 30-22 win over the Cowboys in the last meeting between the schools during the 2016 season at Cajun Field.

LIGHTNING AND THE #BILLDOZER
• The tandem of Zylan Perry and Bill Davis has etched their name among the top running back duos in Ragin' Cajuns history.
• The duo has combined to rush for 2,059 yards, 18 touchdowns and five 100-yard rushing games on the ground.
• Perry has rushed for 1,016 yards with six rushing TDs in his career for Louisiana.
• Davis has rushed for 1,043 yards and 12 TDs in his career for the Ragin' Cajuns with three 100-yard rushing games to his credit.