LOUISIANA La. -- Their first appearance at Cajun Field will be a moment that at least two University of Louisiana at Lafayette freshmen will probably always remember.

UL freshman running back Tyrell Fenroy rushed 15 times for 163 yards, while wide receiver Derrick Smith scored three touchdowns in his third college game as the Cajuns defeated Northwestern State, 49-28, before a 2005 home opening crowd of 17,341.

Smith, a freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., caught two touchdown passes and then ran for another on an end around as ULL won its first game of the season.

Fenroy, a 2005 signee from St. Charles High in LaPlace, didn't score a TD, but he added several long runs that set up scores in the first and second halves.

The victory was ULL's second straight over Northwestern in as many seasons. ULL and Northwestern State are each 1-2.

Although the score appeared lopsided, the Cajuns had to recover from a second quarter in which Northwestern State scored three unanswered touchdowns to grab a 21-20 halftime lead.

Each of the Cajuns' third quarter touchdowns came off Northwestern turnovers, while another provided ULL with a second quarter TD.

ULL gained 544 total yards, with quarterback Jerry Babb throwing for 222. Smith finished with five receptions for 64 yards.

Fenroy's performance was the second-best ever for ULL running back during the modern era.

Cajuns' receiver Bill Sampy caught five for 90, with most of those in the second half.

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By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate