What started as a tightly contested in-state rivalry turned into a commanding second-half performance as the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns defeated the UL-Monroe Warhawks 42-21 on Thursday night at FMOL Health | St. Francis Stadium. After entering halftime tied at 14, Louisiana capitalized on multiple Warhawk turnovers and relied on its rushing attack to pull away in the nationally televised matchup on ESPN2. The victory improves Louisiana to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in Sun Belt Conference play, while UL-Monroe falls to 2-8 overall and 2-4 in conference play. The Cajuns have now won four consecutive meetings against the Warhawks and 16 of the last 19 matchups between the in-state rivals. A Competitive First Half UL-Monroe opened the contest with an impressive 15-play, 73-yard touchdown drive that consumed over eight minutes of game clock. Quarterback Austin Carlisle started for the Warhawks and capped the possession with a one-yard rushing touchdown, giving UL-Monroe an early 7-0 lead. Louisiana responded on its opening possession, marching 57 yards in six plays before quarterback Lunch Winfield connected with wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. for a 13-yard touchdown to even the score. The Warhawks regained the lead early in the second quarter when Carlisle found Jaiden Tucker for a five-yard touchdown pass, putting UL-Monroe back in front 14-7. Louisiana struggled to find offensive consistency throughout much of the quarter, while the Warhawks continued to establish their rushing attack and control the clock. A frightening moment occurred midway through the second quarter when Cajuns linebacker Ashley Williams suffered an apparent head/neck injury after colliding with a teammate while attempting to make a tackle. Williams remained down on the field as medical personnel attended to him, eventually being placed on a stretcher with a neck brace and transported to a nearby hospital. In an encouraging moment, Williams raised the "UL" hand sign while being carted off the field. Team officials did report that Williams regained consciousness and was talking and moving before leaving the stadium. Shortly after the incident, Louisiana put together a crucial scoring drive late in the first half, marching 80 yards in eight plays before KeDarius Wade punched the ball into the end zone on an eight-yard run with just 40 seconds remaining. UL-Monroe attempted to respond before halftime, but Kody Jackson intercepted Carlisle to end the threat and send both teams into the locker room tied at 14. The Turning Point The momentum shifted dramatically in Louisiana’s favor early in the third quarter, and it wasn’t because of anything the Cajuns’ offense did. After Louisiana’s opening possession of the second half resulted in a punt, UL-Monroe took over at its own 13-yard line. On the first play of the drive, safety Collin Jacob forced Carlisle to fumble, allowing linebacker Micah Johnson to recover the football and return it 18 yards for a touchdown. The defensive score gave Louisiana its first lead of the night, 21-14, with 12:27 remaining in the third quarter. The Cajuns’ defense came through again later in the quarter when Maurion Eleam forced a fumble by UL-Monroe’s LT Robinson, which was also recovered by Micah Johnson at the Warhawks’ 19-yard line. Louisiana immediately took advantage of the opportunity, as running back JJ Garner broke free for a 19-yard touchdown on the very next play to extend the lead to 28-14. Garner continued to punish the Warhawks’ defense early in the fourth quarter, scoring his second touchdown of the night on an 18-yard run to increase Louisiana’s advantage to 35-14. The score capped a stretch of 28 unanswered points by the Cajuns after trailing 14-7 early in the second quarter. UL-Monroe eventually ended Louisiana’s scoring run with a six-yard touchdown by Don Chaney, cutting the deficit to 35-21 with just under six minutes remaining. However, the Cajuns responded with a six-play, 50-yard touchdown drive, capped by a two-yard run from Steven Blanco, to seal the 42-21 victory. Louisiana’s Rushing Attack Takes Over Coming into Thursday’s matchup, Louisiana’s rushing attack was expected to have a favorable matchup against a UL-Monroe defense allowing more than 200 rushing yards per game. The Cajuns took full advantage of that weakness, finishing with 274 yards and four touchdowns on 33 rushing attempts, averaging an impressive 8.3 yards per carry. Blanco led Louisiana with a career-high 113 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 attempts, while Garner added 104 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries. The duo became the first pair of Louisiana running backs to each surpass 100 rushing yards in the same game since the 2023 season, when Dre’Lyn Washington and Jacob Kibodi accomplished the feat against Buffalo. The performance by both backs was particularly encouraging considering Louisiana’s recent injuries within the room. With Anthony Reagan Jr. and Darrell Smith both out for the season, the Cajuns have needed others to step up in the backfield. Blanco and Garner did exactly that, combining for 217 rushing yards and three touchdowns on Thursday. More impressively, JJ Garner has now rushed for 240 yards and three touchdowns on just 19 carries over the last two games. The passing game, meanwhile, played a relatively limited role in the victory. Winfield completed seven of his 13 passes for just 65 yards and one touchdown, while contributing another 37 yards on the ground. UL-Monroe didn’t have much to say for in the passing game either, with both Aidan Armenta and Austin Carlisle combining for just 112 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Despite finishing with only 339 yards of total offense, Louisiana scored six touchdowns, committed no turnovers and converted all five of its red-zone opportunities into touchdowns. Defense Makes the Difference, But Concerns Remain While Louisiana’s ground game played a major role in the victory, the Cajuns’ defense arguably made the biggest difference in determining the outcome. Louisiana forced three turnovers, including two fumble recoveries and an interception, with two of those takeaways directly resulting in touchdowns. Micah Johnson finished the game with nine tackles, two fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown, while Jake St. Andre led the team with 14 tackles. Collin Jacob also recorded nine tackles and a forced fumble, continuing to make an impact since returning from injury. However, despite winning by three touchdowns, Louisiana’s defense was far from perfect. UL-Monroe ended up outgaining the Cajuns in total offense, finishing with 372 yards compared to Louisiana’s 339, while also controlling possession for more than 35 minutes. The Warhawks found considerable success on the ground against a really good Cajuns defense, rushing for 260 yards on 49 attempts. Running back Bryson Roland led UL-Monroe with 111 rushing yards, while Carlisle added 102 yards and a touchdown of his own. The Cajuns also struggled to get off the field on third down, allowing the Warhawks to convert nine of their 17 opportunities, much better than the Cajuns on third down. This was a concern entering Thursday’s matchup, as Louisiana had previously surrendered significant rushing production to mobile quarterbacks throughout the season. Although the Cajuns ultimately limited UL-Monroe to 21 points, the rushing numbers suggest that defending the ground game, particularly against mobile quarterbacks, remains an area that needs improvement heading into the final stretch of the regular season. What This Win Means for Louisiana Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of Thursday’s victory was Louisiana’s ability to pull away from an opponent, while on the road, rather than find itself in another close finish. The Cajuns entered the matchup having lost three of their four road games this season, including narrow defeats to Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss. After trailing twice in the first half, Louisiana responded by taking advantage of turnovers and establishing its rushing attack to secure a convincing road victory. It was also a different result than I anticipated in my game preview, where I predicted a 24-17 Louisiana victory. While both offenses relied heavily on their rushing attacks as expected, I anticipated a hard-fought low-scoring contest unless either team managed to produce a special teams or defensive touchdown. Ironically, that’s exactly what happened with Micah Johnson’s fumble touchdown return. That defensive score, combined with Louisiana’s ability to capitalize on UL-Monroe’s mistakes, helped turn what appeared to be another close game into a three-touchdown victory. Still, the final score doesn’t necessarily tell the entire story. Louisiana allowed 260 rushing yards, surrendered nine third-down conversions and was outgained in total yardage despite winning comfortably. Those are areas that head coach Michael Desormeaux and his coaching staff will certainly want to address as they approach the final stretch of the season. Nevertheless, a win is a win, and Louisiana now sits at 7-3 with two regular-season games remaining. The Cajuns have secured their second road victory of the season, extended their winning streak over their in-state rivals and improved to 4-2 in Sun Belt play. What’s Next for Louisiana? Louisiana will return home on Saturday, November 21, to host Coastal Carolina in its final home game of the 2026 regular season. The matchup will also serve as Senior Day, with kickoff scheduled for 2pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. The Cajuns will then travel to Atlanta to face Georgia State on November 28 to close out the regular season. With bowl eligibility already secured, Louisiana will look to finish the year strong and improve its postseason outlook. It’s Sun Belt title game hopes are one Louisiana Tech win away from being washed away, so barring a miracle these last few weeks, the Cajuns look to finish 9-3 on the season in the best way possible and earn a good bowl game for a chance to finish with 10 wins. Abdul Abusada of Cajun Sports Talk
Louisiana Tech hosts Southern Miss on Saturday Nov 14 @ 4:00 PM CST
Photo courtesy of LSU Athletics/LSU Baseball The Storylines: The final fall exhibition is now in the books for Jay Johnson’s squad. It all started 2 weeks ago when the Tigers traveled to Biloxi and took 3 out of 4 against Samford, including mashing their way offensively to 23 combined runs over 13 innings played on Saturday. Then, the Tigers hosted Troy last Sunday and took both 9 inning contests, with the first victory coming via a walkoff single hit by Notre Dame transfer Bino Watters. While a few intrasquad scrimmages remain, Friday night was the last time we would get to see LSU take on an opposing team until the season begins in February. The Southeastern Lions made the trip from Hammond to Baton Rouge to take on the Tigers on a chilly November Friday night in The Box. We got to see 12 innings of action Friday night, with the Tigers prevailing by a final score of 8-3. It was a good night overall for the LSU pitching staff, holding the Lions to only 3 runs over 12 innings without using some of their best arms like Casan Evans, William Schmidt, and Landon Hood. The Tiger offense did look a little bit sluggish and slow at times during the game, especially during the middle innings. There were some nice contributions made though, with the biggest swing of the night coming from Tulane transfer Jason Wachs, who hit a solo bomb in the bottom of the 8th. In the time we got to spend with Coach Johnson after the game, he mentioned how Wachs was going through a little bit of a swing adjustment recently that will take time to get used to, but the early returns show good signs. Now, let’s go a little bit deeper into everything we saw on Friday night. Pitching: Cooper Williams- The lefty got the start on the mound and threw 2 scoreless innings. 5 of the 6 outs he recorded came on ground balls, with 3 groundball outs in the 1st followed by a double play in the 2nd. Johnson said after the game that he was very pleased with the outing from Williams. Coming into 2026, most people expected Williams to be one of the top left-handed arms on the staff after a solid freshman campaign. While things didn’t work out the way he wanted, Johnson believes Williams can use that to his benefit in 2027. Jonah Aase- Aase was the pitcher of the night and looked very impressive in his 2 scoreless frames. 4 of his 6 outs came by way of strikeout, which included striking out the side in order in the 4th. Aase was very sharp and used a lot of offspeed during his outing. He didn’t pitch at all last year recovering from Tommy John, but he has looked really good in his action on the mound this Fall. Kolby Stringer- I saw Stringer pitch last Friday and he was spectacular. His performance this Friday wasn’t as good, as he gave up 2 runs in 1.2 innings. The night started shaky for Stringer, giving up a walk, a double, a 2 RBI double, and a hit by pitch to the first 4 he faced. He did a great job bouncing back by striking out the side in the 5th before giving up 2 more singles in the 6th and being taken out with 2 outs in the inning. Stringer shot up draft boards late in the High School season before coming to Baton Rouge. He was the #1 RHP in the state of Mississippi coming out of High School. Ethan Plog- Came in with 2 outs in the 6th and walked the first batter he faced before recording a big strikeout to get out of the inning, stranding the bases loaded. In the 7th, Plog would give up a double and walk 2 with 2 outs before getting a ground ball to strand the bases loaded for the 2nd inning in a row. Johnson said after the game that his relievers need to do a better job of retiring the first batter they face, but he was glad that Plog battled. Bradon Wisener- Wisener struck out the side in the 8th, working around 2 walks. The freshman righty from Huffman, Texas got up to 95 mph. Zion Theophilus- Theophilus pitched the 9th and the 10th. He would give up a double and an RBI single in the 9th before retiring the side in order in the 10th. Theophilus is a Sophomore who pitched 16.1 innings as a Freshman in 2026 with a 4.96 ERA. Kaden Smith- Smith pitched the 11th, striking out 2 and hitting a batter before recording a flyout to end the inning. Smith has good stuff, getting up to 95-96 mph with good offspeed offerings. He just needs to get better with command, which can be a struggle for him at times. Jordan Martinez- Martinez is a Freshman 2-way player and was very good in the 12th, striking out the side. Martinez was throwing up to 96 mph and Southeastern could seemingly never catch up to it. Hitting: There were times during the game where the offense didn’t do much, but they still put up 8 runs on the night, with some help from some Southeastern defensive miscues. Wachs had the biggest hit of the night, but he wasn’t the only contributor. Steven Milam drove in 2 with a single while Omar Serna drove in a run with a single of his own. Bino Watters had 2 singles with Eddie Yamin, Cade Kurland, Lucas Nawrocki, and John Pearson all finishing with hits as well. A few points of emphasis here. In 2026, the Tigers didn’t have much outfield depth behind Derek Curiel, Jake Brown, and Chris Stanfield, who all dealt with injuries at some point during the 2026 season. Depth should not be a concern in 2027. The top 2 guys in Fall Ball seem to be transfers in Bino Watters and Angel Laya, but Wachs is a talented transfer in his own right. He’s a solid hitter that plays good defense out in Center Field. It doesn’t just stop with the transfers though, as you have returners like William Patrick along with very talented freshmen like Nate Davis-Cleary, Malachi Washington, and Dominic Santarelli. This Fall has been all about competition for LSU and I expect that to continue into 2027 with an outfield that is much deeper than it was a year ago. Also, I know I keep saying it, but I really like what I see out of Jack Ruckert. Ruckert has been very consistent at the plate this Fall and in more at-bats tonight, he drove in 2 RBIs off of 1 base hit and then he hit another ball just shy of the warning track that came close to being another Homerun. 2026 was without a doubt extremely disappointing for the Tigers, but Jay Johnson has said before that one benefit of it is that it allowed younger guys like Ruckert to get valuable playing time in SEC play. With the way Ruckert is performing right now, that playing time along with the development that occurs from Year 1 to Year 2 could pay off in 2027. Lastly, Johnson said after the game that this offense is nowhere near playing to the standard that he desires for his Baseball team. The fact is that this offense has a lot more growing to do. The positive in that is that they have still put up a good amount of runs over these past couple of weeks. They put up 23 on one Saturday in Biloxi against Samford, followed that up with 19 runs over 18 innings against Troy, and then capped it off with 8 more Friday night. This offense hasn’t even scratched the surface of their full potential. That truth combined with what they’ve already done over these fall exhibitions should give Tiger fans hope for what the true potential of this team could be. Final Thoughts and What’s Next: It’s been great watching this team over the last few weeks finally get out there and compete a little bit. Yes, this team certainly still has work to do, especially offensively, but this has given Jay Johnson and his staff a good idea of where his team is at and what they need to work on before they take the field in February. The next intrasquad scrimmage will be Sunday at 12:30 in The Box. The scrimmage is open to the public. Follow Babin On The Bayou on X: https://x.com/BabinOnTheBayou
Tulane Green Wave @ Rice Owls 🚨Preview Part 1 of 4🚨 Saturday, November 14, 2026 | 3:30 p.m. CT First Community Stadium (Rice Homecoming) | ESPN+ Tulane enters 4-5 (2-3 American) after the 60-10 loss to Tulsa. Rice is 1-8 (0-5) and has lost eight straight. Rice leads the series 20-17-1, but the Wave have won the last two, including 24-10 in 2024. Rice is a 2.5-point favorite at most books. Sponsor: @RedshirtLtd Redshirtltd.com Code: RDW 10% Off Officially Licensed Tulane Lids #RollWave Part 1: Tulane and Rice Tulane Green Wave Year 1 under Will Hall, and the heat has never been higher. The 60-10 loss to Tulsa was the largest loss in program history in American play. Trace Johnson stays at the top of the two-deep at QB (818 yards, 2 TDs, 5 INTs), but he was sacked six times and threw for 69 yards against Tulsa. The backfield is still the strength, Johnnie Daniels (542 yards, 6.1 ypc, 6 TDs), Maurice Turner (366 yards, 7.2 ypc), and Jaylin Lucas (310 yards, 7.2 ypc). Destyn Hill leads the receivers (36 catches, 445 yards), with Anthony Brown-Stephens next (297). Kevin Adams III leads the nation in solo tackles per game (6.33) and Dickson Agu leads the American in tackles per game (9.6). But the run defense is giving up 215.3 yards per game, and opponents are converting 50% of their third downs. Rice Owls Scott Abell's second year (6-16 at Rice). The only win this season is 31-3 over Houston Christian in the opener. This is a run-first option offense: 270.3 rushing yards per game, 5.5 per carry, 20 rushing TDs, and only 118 pass attempts all year. Gael Ochoa has taken over at QB. Abell confirmed Tuesday that he's the starter. In his first start at FAU, he ran for 259 yards and 4 TDs. Jacurri Brown (686 rushing yards, 6 TDs) is back from an ankle injury and is still sharing snaps. Rice leads FBS with nine runs of 50+ yards. The problem is the other side, Rice allows 34.0 points per game, and has lost 10 fumbles. The Owls are coming off a 52-23 loss at North Texas, and Saturday is their Homecoming. Tulane needs two of the last three to get bowl eligible. Losing to a team on an eight-game skid would be a new low. Cont 👇🏻 #RollWave Part 2: Rice offense vs. Tulane defense Rice is going to run it. 443 carries in nine games, about 49 a game, against 118 pass attempts. Ochoa runs the option (325 rushing yards, 7.7 ypc, 5 TDs in limited work). Brown is still the most proven runner on the roster, and Tyvonn Byars (497 yards) and D'Andre Hardeman Jr. (330) give them depth at back. When they throw, it's off play-action and it's a shot. Ochoa hit a 71-yard TD pass at FAU and a 36-yard TD at North Texas. Jordan Clark is the top receiver (20 catches, 257 yards). Abell isn't scared to go for it either. Rice is 13 of 23 on fourth down. That puts Tulane's defense right in the fire. The Wave allow 215.3 rushing yards per game (4.9 ypc, 21 rushing TDs), and Tulsa just put up 562 yards, 224 on the ground, at Yulman. Assignment football matters more this week than any week this season. Everybody has to play their option responsibility. Ed Smith IV, PaLanding Drammeh, and the interior have to win at the point of attack so Agu and Makai Williams (7 TFL, 3 sacks) can run free. Adams and Tchienchou can't be the ones making tackles 15 yards downfield. The good news, Rice has put the ball on the ground 20 times and lost 10. Tulane leads the American in fourth down defense (33.3%) and has won 37 of its last 47 games when it forces a turnover. X Factor: Third down. Opponents are converting 50% against Tulane, and Rice is converting only 31.8% (128th nationally). If the Wave win that matchup, Rice has to punt or gamble on fourth. Cont 👇🏻#RollWave Part 3: Tulane offense vs. Rice defense On paper, this is the matchup that should favor the Wave. Rice allows 34.0 points and 395.9 yards per game, 177.6 on the ground, and opponents are completing 65.4% of their passes. Tulane has to get back to running the ball. Daniels, Turner, and Lucas all average 6+ a carry, but the Wave ran 40 times for 92 yards against Tulsa (2.3 per carry) and went 2 of 12 on third down. Russ Callaway needs early-down success to keep Johnson out of obvious passing downs. The line has allowed 24 sacks this year, six of them Saturday. It's a young group and it showed. Rice's defense makes its plays with effort. Safety AJ Brown leads the team with 66 tackles, linebacker Stone Combs has 57, and safety Koa Akui has 9 TFL. They had a season-best 11 TFL at FAU. Johnson has to take care of the football. He has 5 INTs to 2 TDs, and Tulane is 18-1 since 2022 when it plays turnover-free. Hill and Brown-Stephens should get chances outside. Hit a couple of shots early and Rice has to back up. Red zone is the other piece. Tulane has scored on 20 of 22 trips, but only 12 were touchdowns. Cooper Helmke (11 FGs, long of 58) is a weapon, but field goals won't win a game where Rice is trying to control the clock. X Factor: The offensive line. If they protect Johnson and open lanes for Daniels and Turner, Tulane should move the ball. If the Tulsa pressure carries over, this gets tight fast. Cont 👇🏻#RollWave Part 4: Overall and Three keys to victory for Tulane Rice is favored. Read that again. A 1-8 team on an eight-game losing streak is favored over Tulane. That's where this program is after Tulsa. This should be a game Tulane controls. Rice's only win came against an FCS team. But Rice runs it 49 times a game, and Tulane has struggled to stop the run all year. The Wave are 0-3 in day games and 1-3 on the road. Kickoff is 1 p.m. in Houston on Rice's Homecoming. One more number: Tulane is 4-0 when it scores 21 or more and 0-5 when it scores 20 or less. Three keys for Tulane: Win first down against the run. Rice wants 2nd-and-short all day. Make them play behind the chains, force third-and-long, and let the pass rush eat. If Rice gets to 50 carries, Tulane is in trouble Win the turnover battle. Rice has lost 10 fumbles, so swarm the ball carrier and rip at the football. On offense, Johnson can't give it away. Short fields are a gift to an offense that wants to shorten the game. Score touchdowns, not field goals. Rice has given up 27 touchdowns on 40 red zone trips. Finish drives and get past 21. With the backs Tulane has, there's no reason this offense can't get back to 28-plus. Bowl eligibility is still on the table, but it starts here. Lose this one and the season conversation is over. Tackle, win the line of scrimmage, and get out of Houston with a win. #RollWave #RMFW
The LSU Tigers continued to stay hot and win the games they are expected to, taking down in-state competition McNeese by the final score of 96-40
Team Stats (Nets @ Pelicans) Final Score: 145-111 Rebounds: 42-28 Assists: 30-20 Blocks: 8-6 Steals: 8-10 Turnovers: 13-16 Stat Leaders (Nets/Pelicans) Scoring Leaders: Michael Porter Jr., Egor Demin, 22; Zion Williamson, 29 Rebound Leaders: Danny Wolf, 11; Zion Williamson, Karlo Matkovic, Jeremiah Fears, Jaron Pierre Jr., 4 Assist Leaders: Julius Randle, Day'Ron Sharpe, 5; Jeremiah Fears, 5 My Player of the Game: Zion Williamson Takeaways These aren't competitive losses anymore — they're complete collapses . The Pelicans have allowed at least 138 points in three consecutive games, which is simply not sustainable basketball.. Golden State beat New Orleans 138-87 — a franchise-record 51-point loss. Then Brooklyn came into New Orleans and won 145-111, leading by as many as 41 points. All of this is really awful. Zion Williamson has turned into a really great leader on this team, and he's a bright spot. Follow The Kneaux on X , and follow me there too @SportsChrissy.
It’s an early rivalry week in the Bayou State as the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns head north for a Thursday night showdown against the UL-Monroe Warhawks. Kickoff is set for 8pm from FMOL Health | St. Francis Stadium, and will be nationally televised on ESPN2. UL enter the matchup 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Sun Belt fresh off a thrilling 28-26 victory over South Alabama, securing bowl eligibility for the ninth consecutive season. Meanwhile, the 2-7 overall Warhawks are 2-3 in the Sun Belt and are coming off a 19-17 road victory over Arkansas State, their second win in three games following an 0-6 start. Louisiana leads the all-time series 35-26 and has won the last three meetings, including a narrow 30-27 overtime victory in Lafayette last season. With both teams in the Sun Belt West, the two clash every year, typically for the final regular season week, commonly known as rivalry week. This year, however, the matchup comes a bit earlier than usual. With both teams coming off emotional victories and having just five days between games, Thursday’s matchup presents an intriguing challenge for these in-state rivals. The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Head coach Michael Desormeaux and the Ragin’ Cajuns enter Thursday’s contest looking to build on their sixth victory of the season and continue improving their position in the Sun Belt West standings, which outside Louisiana Tech’s first place spot, is currently highly contested. Louisiana’s offense this season has leaned heavily on its rushing attack, averaging 203.6 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Lunch Winfield has been a major part of that success, leading the Cajuns with 567 rushing yards while also throwing for 1,599 yards and seven touchdowns. Redshirt freshman JJ Garner is the leader in the running back room with 441 rushing yards, averaging 7.2 per carry. UL is coming off their best rushing performance of the season, piling up 312 yards against South Alabama. JJ Garner provided the fireworks, rushing for 136 yards on just 10 carries, including a 65-yard touchdown. Garner also returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a score, finishing the afternoon with 239 all-purpose yards. Winfield added 97 rushing yards while completing 10 of his 14 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Louisiana has been relatively consistent throughout the season, allowing 21.8 points and 323 yards per game. The unit delivered when it mattered most against South Alabama, with Jake St. Andre recording a crucial sack before Micah Johnson intercepted a pass to seal the victory. Safety Collin Jacob made his return from injury in that game, providing the defense with a spark. However, one area Louisiana will look to improve is its performance away from Lafayette. The Cajuns are a perfect 5-0 at home this season, but just 1-3 on the road, with close losses to Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss. Their lone road win came against a current 1-8 Charlotte 49ers team who held UL to under 300 total yards back in late September. Thursday presents another opportunity to prove they can carry their success away from Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. Maybe UL-Monroe’s stadium name now having a similar connection to Louisiana’s stadium might be the key for them this time. Kneaux the Opponent: The UL-Monroe Warhawks UL-Monroe started the season 0-6 and averaging only 20 points per game in what appeared to be yet another lost season for Bryant Vincent. Then they went on to win two of the last three games to put them at 2-7. But a word of caution—don’t let that 2-7 record fool you. After dropping their first six games, the Warhawks earned its first victory of the season with a 21-14 road win over Troy. Then following a loss to Southern Miss, UL-Monroe bounced back with a 19-17 victory at Arkansas State last Saturday. And while they still averaged 20 points per game over the last three games, their defense has cut down on the yards they’ve allowed per game by roughly 186 yards. The Warhawks offense through the season has averaged 338.4 yards per game, which as opposed to the Cajuns, much of their production has come through the passing game. Senior quarterback Aidan Armenta has thrown for 1,413 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. Sophomore quarterback Austin Carlisle has also played a role for the Warhawks from time to time. Carlisle’s usage has been interesting in the sense that he has provided another dimension to the UL-Monroe offense with his mobility. He leads the team with 363 rushing yards and was particularly effective against Arkansas State, rushing for 111 yards on 19 carries. The Warhawks finished that game with a season-high 268 rushing yards. Through the air, wide receiver Marcellus Jackson leads the team with 35 receptions for 370 yards, while Nic Trujillo has recorded three receiving touchdowns. Parker Fulghum and LT Robinson have also been a big part of the Warhawks passing game this season. Defensively, UL-Monroe has struggled throughout the season, surrendering 34.8 points and 421.2 yards per game. The Warhawks have been particularly vulnerable against the run, allowing an average of 211.1 rushing yards per contest. Linebacker Noah Flemmings has been one of the few bright spots on that defense, leading the team with 84 total tackles. But other than that, it has been an underperforming defense that has only forced nine turnovers all season. Although the Warhawks can no longer reach the traditional six-win threshold for bowl eligibility, the Warhawks still have plenty to play for. Defeating their in-state rival on national television would undoubtedly be one of the highlights of an otherwise disappointing season. What to Watch For A Potentially Run-Heavy Matchup Both teams are coming off impressive rushing performances, with Louisiana running for 312 yards against South Alabama and UL-Monroe totaling 268 against Arkansas State. The Cajuns should have a significant opportunity to establish their ground game against a Warhawks defense that’s allowing more than 200 rushing yards per contest. On the other side, Louisiana must prepare for UL-Monroe’s quarterback-driven rushing attack, particularly with Carlisle’s ability to extend plays and create opportunities with his legs. The Cajuns have been fairly solid against the run overall, but mobile quarterbacks have occasionally exposed the defense, particularly when they break containment. Louisiana’s Offensive Execution Despite accumulating 459 yards of total offense, including 312 rushing yards, against South Alabama last Saturday, the Cajuns narrowly escaped with a 28-26 victory. Louisiana scored three offensive touchdowns, while JJ Garner added a 100-yard kickoff return for a score. However, a costly interception by quarterback Lunch Winfield was returned 72 yards for a touchdown by South Alabama’s Jaylen Moson, helping the Jaguars stay within striking distance. Although Louisiana moved the football effectively, the Cajuns were held scoreless in the fourth quarter. Against a struggling UL-Monroe defense, Louisiana must capitalize on scoring opportunities, protect the football and avoid allowing costly mistakes to keep the Warhawks in the game. The Cajuns have had their fair share of mistakes on the road when it comes to obvious passing situations. The Home and Away Factor One of the more interesting storylines entering Thursday is the contrast between each team’s performances based on location. Louisiana has struggled on the road, winning just one of its four contests away from Lafayette. However, UL-Monroe has experienced even greater difficulties at home, entering Thursday winless in four home games this season. Something will have to give when the Cajuns and Warhawks meet under the lights in Monroe. Louisiana’s Shrunken Backfield On Monday, Coach Desormeaux announced to the media that running back Anthony Reagan Jr. has been ruled out for the season following a knee injury against South Alabama last week. This comes just weeks after running back Darrell Smith was also ruled out for the season with a knee injury, which he suffered against Arkansas State. UL is now down to three healthy running backs on the roster in JJ Garner, Steven Blanco, and Ke’Rynn Smith. Smith, a true freshman, has not seen the field much, but is now expected to play a role in the Cajuns’ running back rotation. As he is young and relatively new to the team, we shouldn’t expect to see him much of him just yet, but it is important to note that this is a thin running back room. Keys to the Game 1. Establish the Running Game Early It’s the number one key every game. Louisiana’s offensive identity has clearly revolved around its ground attack, and Thursday’s matchup presents another favorable opportunity against vulnerable run defense. With the Warhawks allowing 211.1 rushing yards per game, the Cajuns should look to establish Winfield, Garner and the rest of their rushing attack early. Winning the battle at the line of scrimmage would allow Louisiana to control possession and dictate the pace of the game. 2. Contain UL-Monroe’s Mobile Quarterbacks Carlisle and Armenta combined for 144 rushing yards against Arkansas State, demonstrating their ability to create problems for opposing defenses. Louisiana’s defensive front must remain disciplined, maintain gap integrity and prevent UL-Monroe’s quarterbacks from extending drives with their legs. Forcing the Warhawks into predictable passing situations could also create opportunities for a defense that has recorded seven interceptions this season. 3. Finish Drives and Protect the Football Louisiana has been one of the more efficient teams in the country at putting points on the board once inside the red zone, scoring on 30 of its 31 trips this season. Against a vulnerable UL-Monroe defense, the Cajuns must capitalize on scoring opportunities rather than allow the Warhawks to hang around. Avoiding costly turnovers will be equally important, especially against a rival who has gained confidence from two recent road victories. 4. Play a Complete Four Quarters on the Road The Cajuns have already experienced several close finishes this season, including their one-point loss to Louisiana Tech, four-point loss to Southern Miss and two-point victory over South Alabama. Unfortunately those two losses have more than likely cost them the opportunity to contend for the Sun Belt title game, and both were on the road. With a short turnaround and a hostile rivalry environment, UL cannot afford an inconsistent performance. Not that we should expect many fans in Monroe to be there and make it a hostile environment, but I digress. Establishing an early lead, maintaining defensive discipline and executing late in the game will be essential to securing another road victory. Final Score Prediction: LOUISIANA 24, UL-Monroe 17 Despite the disparity in records, I expect this game to be a physical, hard-fought close game, especially with both teams coming off victories on a short week. I also don’t see this being anything more than a low-scoring game unless someone comes out with a kick return or defensive score, which obviously is not something someone just predicts. Louisiana’s rushing attack should find success against a struggling Warhawks defense, while UL-Monroe’s mobile quarterbacks could present challenges for the Cajuns. That said, I expect both teams to mainly keep this a ground attack, but would not be surprised if one tries to expose the other by passing the ball. Ultimately, I believe Louisiana’s advantage in the trenches and ability to control the running game will be enough to secure a 24-17 victory, improving to 7-3 on the season and extending its winning streak over the Warhawks to four games. This game will likely come down to who can control the ball better and limit mistakes. The Cajuns have struggled on the road, but I think they pull this one off against a struggling UL-Monroe team. Coach Desormeaux, after experiencing tough losses on the road this year, has definitely preached to his team the importance of starting this game strong. I think they will show that in this game. Abdul Abusada of Cajun Sports Talk
