CajunsWin Louisiana 31, South Alabama 22

[Joe Porter]

My team Louisiana Ragin Cajuns this season is not over

[RaginScotsman]

Does Louisiana list their bowl game appearances anywhere at Cajun Field?

They made the signs but they were stolen and buried with Yvette Girouard’s plaque.

[shof]

Needed a couple extra glasses of bourbon to survive this one!!

[RaginScotsman]

Lunch had a nice game. Sampson too.

Defense was good too. That goal line stop was beautiful. SOAL had one thing and its offense. I saw them in Atlanta last Thursday and them scoring at will in the first half was a concern.

Make no mistake. The Jags are not a good team. We are not good team either. But they have some talent.

The play calling and game management was good. My fear was you’d pull Lunch at some point, but they didn’t do it outside of an injury.

Nice job all around.

[NewsCopy]

Lunch Winfield turned in one of the most efficient passing performances in Louisiana football history, and the Ragin' Cajuns rode a dominant first half to a 31-22 Sun Belt Conference victory over South Alabama on Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Winfield completed 14 of 15 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns, opening 13-for-13 and setting a single-game school record with a 93-percent completion rate. The previous mark of 90 percent (18-for-20) was held by Chandler Fields against ULM during the 2023 season.

Behind Winfield's offensive effort, Louisiana (3-6, 2-3 SBC) built a 24-7 halftime lead and held off a late rally to defeat the Jaguars (2-7, 1-4 SBC) for the third straight time on the road.

Shelton Sampson Jr. was Winfield's top target, hauling in six passes for a career-high 138 yards and two touchdown receptions. Zylan Perry added 56 yards rushing and an 18-yard rushing score, while Winfield contributed another touchdown on the ground.

Louisiana struck first midway through the opening quarter when Winfield found Sampson for a 25-yard touchdown to cap a nine-play, 75-yard opening drive. Tony Sterner followed with a 32-yard field goal late in the period to make it 10-0.

South Alabama briefly cut the deficit to 10-7 on a 15-yard scoring run from Keenan Phillips early in the second quarter, but the Cajuns answered quickly. Perry's touchdown run capped a 75-yard march, which took over seven minutes off the clock, and Winfield connected again with Sampson from 17 yards out to give Louisiana firm control at the break.

Winfield's 1-yard sneak on the opening drive in the third quarter stretched the lead to 31-7 after another 75-yard drive. South Alabama responded with touchdowns from quarterback Bishop Davenport, a 5-yard run in the third and a 64-yard strike to Jeremy Scott in the fourth.

But the Cajuns' defense stiffened in the closing minutes, highlighted by a goal-line stand from inside UL 1 and Jaden Dugger's interception with just over a minute remaining to seal the win.

Louisiana finished with 393 yards of total offense, including 161 on the ground. Bill Davis added 56 rushing yards, while Perry and Winfield combined for 101 on the ground.

Dugger led the Cajuns with 11 total tackles. Tyree Skipper had nine tackles and recorded the team's lone sack, and Brent Gordon Jr. added two pass breakups.

Davenport completed 20 of 33 passes for 203 yards for South Alabama with Scott catching six passes for 102 yards. Kentrel Bullock, the leading rusher for South Alabama entering the game, was limited to 48 yards on 16 carries.

Louisiana will return home to face Texas State on Saturday in the annual "Louisiana Salutes" game – honoring our nation's military – at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m., with the game being televised on ESPN+.

Louisiana Athletics
RaginCajuns.com
PRESS RELEASE

[Turbine]

Lunch Winfield's weight room induced muscle memory loss is history.

Same for Sampson.

[Geaux4it]

It always amazes me when records are set in any sport. As long as they have ben playing

[NewsCopy]

The way things have gone for the UL Ragin’ Cajuns this season, perhaps it was a little too much to ask for coach Michael Desormeaux’s club to enjoy a pleasure cruise.

It certainly appeared to be heading in that direction after the Cajuns built a 31-7 lead three minutes into the third quarter of Saturday’s 31-22 road win over South Alabama at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Of course, the game not playing out as a blowout created the opportunity for some heroic performances to emerge.

SUBSCRIPTION
Advocate
Foote

[zephyr]

You're 2-6 and need 1/2 yard. Just do a qb sneak and end the game.

No, you play the clock and the chances of victory. The call to punt to me was right and obvious

[MarlinMan3]

Fields had a 226 rating that day. Says ncaa record is murray with 4 incompletes and 6 TDs at 348, but also says a minimum of 20 attempts is needed, lunch stats line not updated