In a game where Spencer Rattler might have had his best performance as a Saint, his weapons failed him.
The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team have now fallen to 2-4 on the season and 1-1 in conference play after losing 24-14 to the James Madison Dukes in Harrisonburg, VA. This was the first-ever meeting between the Cajuns and the Dukes. Coming into this game, the Cajuns were 18.5-point underdogs against a James Madison team that was 4-1 on the season and ranked 4th nationally in total defense. QB Lunch Winfield made his debut collegiate start in this game after leading an impressive second-half comeback against Marshall a couple weeks ago when he replaced then-starter Daniel Beale. But while sportsbooks had JMU winning this game in blowout fashion, the Cajuns kept the game close, as neither team led by more than seven points at any point up until the final three minutes. FINAL TAKEAWAYS 1. Lunch Winfield brought the passing game to some sort of life. Prior to this game, UL averaged 122 yards per game through the air and only had three passing touchdowns through five games. Today, Lunch aired it out for 243 yards and two passing touchdowns on just 14 completions, coming out to a nice 17.4 yards per completion. While he did finish with a 50% completion rate (14/28), it is still an impressive stat line given that JMU came into this game ranked 8th nationally in passing yards allowed (137.4 ypg). Not to mention, this was the most yards allowed through the air by the Dukes this season (the most prior to this game was last week at Georgia State who put up 212 yards passing). JMU did not fare well today in pass defense, leaving receivers open multiple times, and Lunch took advantage of those mistakes. That being said, there were some questionable "toss-up" throws he made that could have went either way (similar to what Jameis Winston did in NOLA), but nonetheless, there is an improvement in the passing game compared to where this team was at the start of the season. And it is not necessarily a bad thing, as Lunch appears to have faith in his receivers, and so do the coaching staff. As long as the Cajuns continue to work their craft through the air, they should be just fine for the rest of the season, assuming everyone stays healthy and this offensive line, which is banged up (and potentially lost another body for some time after starting LG Kaden Moreau left with an injury), can get some bodies back. But they are still far from perfect. 2. Tackling continues to be an issue for the Cajuns. While this was not as big of an issue for defense as it was for special teams (particularly punt team) today, this is something the Cajuns have struggled with all season long. Not including those that may have went over my mind, there were two notable Cajuns punts today where the JMU returner broke 3+ tackles each time and gained significant yardage. We all hoped the team would use the bye week to improve wrapping-up players and tackling better, but the issues still persisted today. There was improvement, as the Cajuns defense did better with tackling and not allowing big plays after contact, per say. But overall, it has been a concerning spot all season for the Cajuns, and there were some glimpses of that yet again today. 3. Cajuns defense slowly showing improvement but still needs lots of work. UL's defense has been on a decline all season, and as a whole came in today as statistically one of the worst in the country. Though there are some positives to take from today's game. Prior to playing Marshall a couple weeks ago, this secondary allowed an average of only 160 yards per game through the air, which was top 25 nationally. Ever since, they have been exposed twice in a row, with big games allowed against Marshall's QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (258 yards) and now JMU's QB Alonza Barnett III (290 yards). However, despite the numbers saying otherwise, it looked worse against Marshall than it did today against JMU. The difference between the two is that against Marshall, receivers were consistently being left open, whereas against JMU, there was better awareness and coverage. Not to mention a big chunk of Barnett's 290 yards came from a flea flicker trick play on the opening play of the second half for a 62-yard touchdown. Still, this isn't to mention, however, that JMU was a run-heavy team coming into this game, not a passing team by any means. 63% of their total offensive yards prior to today came from their strong running attack. The Cajuns need to figure something out defensively to slow down passing games, and it undoubtedly became more concerning after allowing a run-heavy team to pass very well today. So far through two conference games, they are on pace to being one of the worst passing defenses in the country. As far as the run game, the Cajuns showed improvement, allowing 187 rushing yards. Now, by no means is that a stat to highlight on a defense's resume. But UL came into this game ranked 6th worst in the country in rushing defense (allowing 221.6 ypg), while JMU was 10th best in rushing offense (averaging 241.6 ypg). If anything, the indications pointed towards a huge running attack for the Dukes going up against a really poor Cajuns defensive front. Prior to this game, the only time JMU ran for less than 210 yards was against a really good Louisville defense when the Dukes were limited to just 126 yards on a whopping 47 attempts. Today, even though they ran pretty well, the Dukes had to rely a lot on the passing game to move the ball, which as mentioned above, is completely opposite of what their norm is (60% of their yards today came through the air). 4. Banged up offensive line situation just keeps getting worse. UL had three offensive linemen out for this game due to injury, and they lost another one halfway through the game as starting LG Kaden Moreau went down with an apparent leg injury. The exact diagnosis and his status for future games are still undetermined, but that now puts the Cajuns at two starting offensive linemen now potentially being out against Southern Miss (the other is RT George Jackson who was already ruled out for the game and likely to miss the rest of the season). The struggles were apparent in the game as not only were the Cajuns unable to run the ball well, only gaining 45 yards on 28 carries (QB Lunch Winfield was the leading rusher with 23 yards), but there was also lots of pressure on Lunch during pass attempts that increasingly got worse as the game progressed. Leading RB Zylan Perry was out with an injury, so he did not play. Overall The team is still continuing to show lots of inconsistency, and a lot of it has to do with injuries and poor execution. As mentioned earlier, this is a really good James Madison team, and this game was going to be a tough one to win in the first place. That being said, the fact that the Cajuns were able to keep the game close (only allowed 14 points through three quarters) is a huge positive and a step towards the right direction, but the team is still not where it needs to be. JMU today was flagged ten times for a whopping 102 yards, which played a big role in giving the Cajuns the great field position and scoring opportunities they had. The Ragin' Cajuns will now fly back home to prepare for a homecoming matchup next Saturday at 4pm versus the Southern Miss Eagles in what will be the TRUE rematch of the Sun Belt Conference Championship last season (if you know, you know). We'll see how the Cajuns play against Coach Huff and QB Braylon Braxton, both of whom were at Marshall last season when the Cajuns played them in the conference title game. The Cajuns are now needing to win four of these last six games to earn bowl eligibility. Please don't forget to follow my talk show, Cajun Sports Talk, on X (@CajunSportsTalk) and subscribe to our YouTube (@CajunSportsTalk2025), covering the hottest sports topics in Cajun country and beyond with my co-host and betting expert, Banyan Turner!
The New Orleans Saints have done it. They won their first game of the season. Now, can they create a win streak?
When: Saturday, October 11th, 2025, 6:45 PM Where: The Real Death Valley, Baton Rouge, LA TV: SECN Spread: LSU -8.5 O/U: 44.5 LSU and South Carolina will meet for the 24th time on Saturday. LSU leads the series 18-2-1. LSU had 2 wins vacated. South Carolina South Carolina comes into this game with a 3-2 record (1-2 SEC). LaNorris Sellers is the leader of this offense. He is a dual threat quarterback, who LSU fans are very familiar with. Rahsul Faison is the leader in the running back room. The leading pass catchers are Vandrevius Jacobs and Nyck Harbor. This offense ranks last in total yards in the SEC and rushing offense. Sellers has been sacked the 3rd most in the SEC (14). The Gamecock defense is led by Fred Johnson; the linebacker has 25 total tackles on the season. Dylan Stewart is a very good edge rusher. Stewart has 3.5 sacks this season. The leader in the defensive backfield is Gerald Kilgore. Kilgore is tied for 1st in the SEC with 2 interceptions. The Gamecock defense is tied for 3rd in the SEC with 6 interceptions. This defense ranks 116th in 3rd down defense. Hopefully the Tigers can expose this. LSU LSU enters this matchup with a 4-1 record (1-1 SEC). LSU is led by Garrett Nussmeier. Hopefully Nussmeier was able to get healthy during the bye week. Caden Durham will likely be back for this contest. Durham leads the Tigers with 52 carries for 213 yards and 2 TDs. Aaron Anderson will likely be back for this one as well. Anderson has 23 catches for 305 yards. Barion Brown has 25 catches for 239 yards and 1 TD. The Tiger defense ranks 2nd in the SEC with 7 interceptions. Linebacker West Weeks leads the Tigers with 31 total tackles. Jacobian Guillory II leads the defensive line with 6 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. DaShawn Spears leads the defensive backfield with 2 interceptions, which is tied for 1st in the SEC. KEYS TO THE GAME Can the Tigers expose the Gamecock 3rd down defense? Can the Tigers expose the weak Gamecock rush defense? Can the Tigers contain LaNorris Sellers? This will be a solid matchup on Saturday night! Fun Fact: The 1st time these teams played was 95 years ago to the day. Thank you for checking out my article. Follow me on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) @eazytro
After a long 300 day wait, the Saints are finally back in the win column.
For the first tme this season, the New Orleans Saints enter a game as the favorites. Will this 0-4 team be able to get the job done?
LSU drops one against Ole Miss. It is time to talk about this LSU offense. The teams trade punts to open the game. Ole Miss goes 3 and out. LSU goes on a 5 play 67 yard drive that was capped off by a Nic Anderson 7 yard receiving TD. LSU 7-0. Ole Miss answers with an 18 play 83 yard drive that was capped off by a Lucas Carneiro 25 yard field goal. LSU 7-3. Garrett Nussmeier throws an interception on LSU's next drive. The teams trade punts. Ole Miss fumbles the ball away on the following drive. LSU goes 3 and out. Ole Miss goes on a 5 play 70 yard drive that was capped off by a Kewan Lacy 15 yard rushing TD. Ole Miss 10-7. LSU punts on the next drive. Ole Miss goes on a strong 9 play 69 yard drive that was capped off by a Cayden Lee 2 yard receiving TD. Ole Miss 17-7. LSU kneels out the half. The teams trade punts to open the 2nd half. LSU goes on an 8 play 33 yard drive that was capped off by a Damian Ramos 39 yard field goal. Ole Miss 17-10. Trinidad Chambliss throws an intercept on Ole Miss' next drive. LSU takes advantage by going on a 6 play 16 yard drive that was capped off by a Damian Ramos 48 yard field goal. Ole Miss 17-13. Ole Miss responds by going on an 11 play 75 yard drive that was capped off by a Logan Diggs 6 yard rushing TD. Ole Miss 24-13. LSU punches back by going on a 15 play 80 yard drive that was capped off by a Harlem Berry 6 yard rushing TD. Ole Miss 24-19. Ole Miss runs out the clock on the Tigers. Ole Miss wins. Takeaways - On opening drives, LSU has run 19 plays for 62 yards and has thrown 1 interception. Something needs to change here. - No, Brian Kelly, LSU fans are not spoiled. This offense is yet again near the bottom of the SEC in rushing offense. - Brian Kelly's comments about practicing are getting old quick. You make too much money to not take accountability. Awards - Offensive MVP - Harlem Berry - Harlem was able to score a TD for the Tigers in a big game. His future is bright! - Defensive MVP - A.J. Haulcy - What more can you say about this guy?! A true leader on the field who FLIES to the football. The Tigers will look to heal up during the bye week. Thank you for checking out my article. Follow me on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) @eazytro
New Orleans Saints 19 - 31 Buffalo Bills The Saints were never supposed to or expected to win the game today against the Bills, who are one of, if not the best team in the NFL. That being said, I wanted to see the team clean up the penalties and show some fight against a really good opponent, which they did. The team is in the rebuilding process, something we all knew going into the season, so what is most important for this team is showing that they have key building pieces in the building. Multiple young players showed up for the Saints today in key moments, with the most notable being Kendre Miller and Jonas Sanker. Kendre Miller has shown flashes in previous games, and today when the Saints relied on the run game, he took 11 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown. These numbers aren’t jaw dropping by any means, but it shows that he is potentially ready to take the reins as RB1 whenever Alvin Kamara leaves the team. On the other side of the ball, Jonas Sanker was the best player on the field, with 5 tackles, 3 PBUs, and the first interception of the Saints’ season. When Julian Blackmon went out, Jonas Sanker was called upon earlier than expected, and he’s showing key flashes in his young career. The defense is one that visibly lacks talent, yet they had a solid performance overall against one of the most dangerous offenses in the league led by the MVP Josh Allen. Although they let up two touchdowns to start the game, the Saints’ defense held the Bills scoreless in the second quarter, providing a perfect opportunity for the offense to take control of the game, which they failed to do. Like I said above, Jonas Sanker gave the defense their first turnover, and the defense had 3 sacks in big moments (Cam Jordan, Carl Granderson, Bryan Bresee). This being said, the Saints are in need of talent on defense, with their defensive line lacking the necessary speed/agility to succeed in the 3-4 scheme. They can rush the passer and get some pressure, but dropping into coverage is an issue, one that showed up when Dalton Kincaid scored the final touchdown of the game with just over 7 minutes left. Kellen Moore clearly had a gameplan focused on running the ball against the Ed Oliver-less Bills’ defense, and it worked well until the Saints were forced to turn to the pass game. Quick sidenote, I of course took the Spencer Rattler over at 200.5 yards, which he had hit the previous 3 games. It was Rattler’s first game of the season with less than 200 yards and 30 passing attempts, and with the way the Saints run game was working, that could become a new norm. The Saints also ran much more plays from under-center than they had in prior games this season, as Moore decided this would be a key in helping reduce pre-snap penalties. The biggest focus for both Kellen Moore and this offense, in my eyes, after the first 3 games was getting the pre-snap and offensive penalties under control. I expected them to do slightly better in Buffalo with another loud crowd, but they had 0 penalties on the offensive line, and the only offensive penalty was an intentional grounding. The offense did have a couple missteps in this game, with Moore calling a Philly special in an unnecessary situation, and Rattler having yet another bad open miss in the endzone. Kellen Moore dialed up the Philly special right before the half on 3rd and goal from the 5, even though the run game had been working, and Chris Olave ended up throwing an interception. I don’t mind the aggressiveness this showed, but it prevented the Saints from being able to kick a field goal to cut the lead to 1 before the half (if they got stopped on another type of play). As you can see below, Rattler mainly focused on short and outside passes, and the one long incompletion down the middle was due to yet another inaccurate redzone pass. Redzone misses have been a recurring theme for Rattler since week 1, something I hope he can clean up, and if he does he truly can be a good quarterback for this team. Here is Rattler’s throwing chart for the game:
