Tag: Louisiana

Jo Silver stars as Delaware tops Louisiana at 68 Ventures Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Senior running back Jo Silver rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries to lead Delaware to a 20-13 victory over Louisiana on Wednesday at the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Louisiana (6-7) trailed by seven when it took possession on its own 7-yard line with 1:41 to play. The Rajin’ Cajuns moved the ball to the Delaware 7-yard line, but the game ended when Lunch Winfield’s third-down pass into the end zone was incomplete.

Delaware (7-6) quarterback Nick Minicucci was limited to 50 passing yards in the first half, but completed 19 of 30 passes for 176 yards and a TD. Sean Wilson led Blue Hens receivers with eight catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. Kyre Duplessis added five receptions for 69 yards.

Winfield completed 21 of 36 passes for 231 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for a team-high 40 yards on 14 carries as Louisiana’s four-game winning streak was snapped.

Delaware led 7-0 after one quarter, 10-3 at halftime and 20-6 entering the fourth.

The Blue Hens opened the scoring on Silver’s 61-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Louisiana made it 7-3 on Tony Sterner’s 22-yard field goal with 7:05 left in the second quarter, but Delaware regained a seven-point lead when Nate Reed kicked a 33-yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining in the first half.

Delaware was up 17-3 after Miniccucci tossed a 35-yard TD pass to Wilson and Reed added the point-after kick with 12:40 remaining in the third. Reed’s second field goal, a 27-yard kick, extended Delaware’s lead to 20-3 with 6:59 left in the third.

The Rajin’ Cajuns trimmed their deficit to 20-6 on Sterner’s 39-yard field goal with 2:31 to go in the third, and were within seven after Shelton Sampson Jr. caught an 8-yard TD pass from Winfield and Sterner made the PAT with 7:49 to play. The TD came after Louisiana blocked a field goal.

–Field Level Media

Delaware, Louisiana to showcase different offense styles in 68 Ventures Bowl

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Teams with opposite offensive philosophies will tangle Wednesday night when Delaware faces Louisiana in the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Delaware (6-6, 4-4 CUSA) has a pass-first offense directed by quarterback Nick Minicucci. The Blue Hens averaged 302.2 passing yards per game, which was the best in Conference USA and ranked sixth nationally. Delaware also tied for the lead in Conference USA in points per game (29.8).

Minicucci’s top targets in the passing game are wide receivers Sean Wilson and Kyre Duplessis. Wilson finished the regular season ranked fourth among Conference USA receivers in catches (60) and third in receiving yards (796). Duplessis was tied for fifth in receptions (55) and fifth in receiving yards (755).

“They’re a little unique in that they’re going to throw it a little more — a lot more — than what we’ve seen this year,” Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux said. “We’re going to need a big day from our defensive line and the edge players in the pass rush. In the back end, we have to play with really good eye discipline.”

Minicucci also rushed for 10 touchdowns this season.

Louisiana (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt) is a ground-and-pound team that has the 29th-ranked rushing offense in the nation, averaging 189.8 yards per game. Running backs Bill Davis and Zylan Perry give the Rajin’ Cajuns a one-two punch in the backfield and have accounted for 1,407 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns this season.

Delaware, a perennial contender at the NCAA I-AA/FCS level over four decades including the 2003 national championship, joined the FBS this season and was technically ineligible for the postseason due to restrictions regarding teams transitioning from the FCS level. However, due to a lack of qualifying teams, Delaware was awarded a bowl berth after it completed the regular season on Nov. 29 with a 61-31 victory over Texas-El Paso to reach six wins.

“It’s very exciting,” Delaware coach Ryan Carty said. “I grew up a coach’s son. My brothers and I — we loved the bowl season. … I can sit and remember years and years literally watching every bowl game, just edge of my seat in those games. To be part of it is pretty special.

“We loved our FCS playoffs. We enjoyed being part of that as well. And so this has been really exciting, I think, mainly because it’s novel. It’s something new for us and I know our student-athletes are really excited about it and as a program and a department there’s a feeling around here that’s palpable.”

Louisiana is playing in a bowl game for the eighth consecutive season, and for the 13th time in 15 seasons. The Ragin’ Cajuns overcame a 2-6 start by winning their last four games, all by single digits.

Louisiana will be seeking its first bowl victory since 2021.

“Excited for our guys to earn this opportunity,” Desormeaux said. “(Losing in bowl games) is a taste we desperately want to get out of our mouths. We didn’t do all this work and come this far just to get here. We’re intent on going out there and finding a way to win this game. I expect them to play really well and pretty hard and get one more for the Cajuns.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 13, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) runs the ball as Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns safety Jalen Clark (2) defends during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Ahmad Hardy leads No. 25 Missouri past Louisiana

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Ahmad Hardy rushed for 250 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries Saturday as No. 25 Missouri hammered visiting Louisiana 52-10 in Columbia.

Hardy scored on runs of 7, 71 and 7 yards for the Tigers (3-0), while quarterback Beau Pribula threw for 174 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, two through the air. Backup running back Marquise Davis added 113 yards and a score on 20 carries as Missouri outgained the Ragin’ Cajuns 606-121.

Pribula completed 15 of 22 passes with an interception before leaving in the third quarter. Kevin Coleman was his favorite target, hauling in eight passes for 84 yards. The Tigers finished with 32 first downs, converting 9 of 13 third downs.

Most of Louisiana’s offense came on one play, an 84-yard touchdown run in the second quarter by Zylan Perry with 3:27 left. The Ragin’ Cajuns (1-2) used two quarterbacks and neither was effective. Starter Daniel Beale hit 1 of 8 passes for 5 yards and backup Lunch Winfield was 1 of 6 for minus 1 yard.

Hardy’s first 7-yard touchdown run initiated the scoring with 8:26 left in the first quarter, capping a 10-play drive that lasted more than five minutes. Pribula hit Marquis Johnson for an 11-yard scoring strike on the next possession.

Pribula hit paydirt on a 14-yard run 42 seconds into the second quarter, followed by his 39-yard touchdown pass to running back Jamal Roberts. After Tony Sterner got Louisiana on the board with a 34-yard field goal, Hardy made it 35-3 with 5:41 left in the half on his 71-yard scoring jaunt.

Following Perry’s touchdown run, Missouri mounted a late drive and Robert Meyer converted a 21-yard field goal with five seconds remaining for a 38-10 halftime lead.

Hardy tacked on his third score on a 7-yard run at with 10:02 left in the third quarter and Davis barged in on a 2-yard run with 7:02 left in the game.

The game was moved up three hours due to forecast high temperatures in the mid 90s. Temperature at the 12:02 p.m. kickoff was 89 degrees.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) throws a pass before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Josh Hoover passes TCU to rout of Louisiana in New Mexico Bowl

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Josh Hoover completed a record-setting season by passing for 252 yards and four touchdowns and TCU defeated Louisiana 34-3 in the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday in Albuquerque.

Hoover completed 20 of 32 passes and finished the season with 3,949 passing yards, 48 more than Trevone Boykin’s previous single-season school record. The Horned Frogs (9-4), who rolled to a 27-0 halftime lead and coasted, won their fourth straight game and for the sixth time in their last seven games.

Ben Wooldridge returned from a three-game absence due to a shoulder injury and completed 7 of 20 passes for 61 yards with an interception for the Ragin’ Cajuns (10-4), who lost their second consecutive game after a 31-3 defeat to Marshall in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game on Dec. 7 in Lafayette, La.

TCU outgained Louisiana 367 yards to 209 and finished with 257 passing yards compared to 95 for the Cajuns.

On the Frogs’ fourth offensive play of the third quarter, Hoover threw his fourth touchdown pass, a 20-yarder to Blake Nowell that expanded the lead to 34-0 at the end of the period.

Louisiana avoided a shutout when Kenneth Almendares kicked a 24-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

TCU received the opening kickoff and, 11 plays later, Hoover threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to DJ Rogers.

On the ensuing possession, Wooldridge drove the Cajuns to the Frogs 37, but Almendares’ 54-yard field-goal attempt hit the right upright and bounced away. It was just the third missed field goal in 30 attempts this season for the Lou Groza Award winner.

Hoover threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Eric McAlister on fourth down to increase the lead to 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. McAlister was Hoover’s most frequent target, finishing with eight receptions for 87 yards.

Kyle Lemmermann kicked field goals from 45 and 22 yards and Hoover threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to JP Richardson on fourth-and-2 to expand the lead to 27-0 at halftime.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) throws a pass before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Louisiana hopes to slow TCU’s Josh Hoover in New Mexico Bowl

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TCU played its best football during the second half of the regular season.

Louisiana played its worst game of the season in its most recent contest.

The Horned Frogs (8-4) will try to keep rolling and the Ragin’ Cajuns (10-3) will try to bounce back when they meet in the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday afternoon in Albuquerque.

TCU won five of its past six games, including the last three.

“We were 3-3 and it didn’t look very good,” Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes said. “We didn’t play well and we had three games where we turned the ball over 12 times, which is almost unprecedented in the history of football. But we managed to get through it and survive it.”

TCU had lost three of four when it entered an open date in early October. Dykes and his staff used the time to get the players focused on how they could turn the season around. In the next game, the Horned Frogs won 13-7 at Utah, and their only loss the rest of the way came on a last-second tiebreaking field goal at Baylor.

“The players jumped on board and did everything we asked them to do,” Dykes said. “I think that showed a lot of character.”

The Horned Frogs eliminated the rash of turnovers and were plus-3 in turnover margin over their final six regular-season games.

Sophomore quarterback Josh Hoover ranks seventh nationally in passing yards (3,697). He is 1 yard behind Max Duggan for the second-highest single-season total in school history and needs 205 to break Trevone Boykin’s record of 3,901.

He has a 1,000-yard receiver in Jack Bech, an LSU transfer who is a native of Lafayette, La., where the Ragin’ Cajuns are located.

Louisiana’s only losses were to bowl-eligible teams. The Ragin’ Cajuns lost by eight points to Tulane in September and by two to South Alabama in November before being routed by Marshall 31-3 in the Sun Belt Conference championship game in Lafayette on Dec. 7.

“You always look forward to the next opportunity,” Cajuns coach Michael Desormeaux said.

Desormeaux said the opportunity to face a team from a power conference should enable his team to forget the disappointment of the Marshall loss.

“It’s always a big deal for us,” he said. “If you can finish this season with a win against a team like TCU and finish with 11 wins, that puts you in a better starting spot next year.”

Desormeaux said starting quarterback Ben Wooldridge has a chance to play in the bowl game after missing the last three games because of a shoulder injury. His replacement, Chandler Fields, has completed 72.4 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and one interception.

No matter who is under center, Desormeaux knows he has “a real weapon” in kicker Kenneth Almendares, who won the Lou Groza Award. He made all but two of his 29 field-goal attempts, and the misses came from 53 and 60 yards. Almendares is 46-for-47 on extra points.

“Kenny has been phenomenal,” Desormeaux said. “Any time you get across (midfield), you know you’re not far away from getting some points on the board.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns head coach Michael Desormeaux reacts to a targeting call during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Report: Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux gets new deal

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Louisiana agreed to terms on a new five-year deal with Ragin’ Cajuns football coach Michael Desormeaux, ESPN reported Monday.

The contract keeps Desormeaux, 39, in Lafayette through the 2029 season. Financial terms were not reported.

Desormeaux was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year this season and guided the Ragin’ Cajuns (10-3, 7-1) to the conference title game.

Louisiana will face TCU (8-4) in the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday in Albuquerque.

Desormeaux is 23-17 as the head coach at his alma mater since taking over as the interim coach for the New Orleans Bowl to conclude the 2021 season. He replaced Billy Napier, who left Louisiana to take over as head coach at Florida.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns quarterback Ben Wooldridge (10) throws a touchdown pass under pressure by Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive lineman Jasheen Davis (30) during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Louisiana edges Wake Forest on Kenneth Almendares’ FG

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Kenneth Almendares delivered the go-ahead 31-yard field goal with 52 seconds left to lift Louisiana over Wake Forest 41-38 in a non-conference game Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Ben Wooldridge completed 20 of 29 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns without an interception for Louisiana. Two of his touchdowns went to Lance Legendre, who finished with six catches for 123 yards for the Ragin’ Cajuns (3-1).

Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier tallied for 254 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 30-of-36 passing. Tate Carney had three 1-yard rushing touchdowns for the Demon Deacons (1-3), who never led in the game.

Carney’s third touchdown tied the score with 1:55 remaining, but Zylan Perry returned the ensuing kickoff 57 yards to the Wake Forest 43, leading to the winning kick.

Bachmeier drove the Demon Deacons to the Louisiana 24, but Matthew Dennis’ 42-yard field goal hit the left upright and fell into the end zone as time expired.

Louisiana received the second-half kickoff and drove to Almendares’ 50-yard field goal that increased the Cajuns’ lead to 24-17.

On the ensuing possession, Demond Claiborne, who left the game in the first half because of a knee injury, ran 60 yards for a touchdown to tie the score.

Louisiana answered with Wooldridge’s 48-yard touchdown pass to Legendre to take a 31-24 lead.

Carney’s second touchdown run tied the score at the end of the third quarter.

Tyree Skipper intercepted Bachmeier for the game’s only takeaway and returned it to the Wake Forest 38 early in the fourth quarter. Louisiana capitalized on Bill Davis’s 2-yard run to pull ahead 38-31 with 8:07 left.

On the Cajuns’ first possession of the game, Wooldridge completed all eight of his passes for 57 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown throw to Tavion Smith for a 7-0 lead.

The Deacons drove to Dennis’ 39-yard field goal before Davis’ 60-yard run set up Wooldridge’s 1-yard plunge that gave Louisiana a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Carney’s first touchdown trimmed the lead to 14-10 before Wooldridge threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Legendre.

Bachmeier answered with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Deuce Alexander, leaving Louisiana with a 21-17 halftime lead.

–Field Level Media

Cajuns quarterback Chandler Fields 18 throws a pass as Louisiana s Ragin Cajuns take on the Jaksonville State Gacmecocks in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in the Caesars Superdome. New Orleans, La. Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023.

Jacksonville St. rallies to tie, defeats Louisiana in OT

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Garrison Rippa kicked a 27-yard field goal in overtime as Jacksonville State rallied late to defeat Louisiana 34-31 in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday in the Superdome.

The Gamecocks finished 9-4 after winning their first bowl game in their second season as an FBS program.

Zion Webb threw a tying touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to help JSU overcome three defensive touchdowns by the Ragin’ Cajuns (6-7).

Louisiana’s Kenneth Almendares was wide left on a 43-yard field-goal attempt on the first possession of overtime, setting the stage for the game-winner.

Jalen Clark had fumble and interception returns for first-half touchdowns and Tyree Skipper added a tie-breaking interception return for a touchdown for Louisiana, which got 155 passing yards from Chandler Fields.

Webb passed for 156 yards with two interceptions and Ron Wiggins rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown.

Webb’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Perry Carter on fourth-and-3 tied the score with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Rippa kicked a 22-yard field goal on the Gamecocks’ first possession of the third quarter to give them a 17-14 lead.

The Cajuns answered with a 1-yard touchdown run by Fields on the ensuing possession to take a 21-17 lead.

Logan Smothers’ 10-yard touchdown run put JSU back on top, 24-21, at the end of the third quarter.

Almendares kicked a 33-yard field goal on the fourth play of the fourth quarter to tie the score.

Skipper intercepted Smothers and returned it 43 yards for a 31-24 lead with 5:32 remaining.

On the game’s first possession, Clark picked up Carter’s fumble and returned 46 yards for a touchdown.

JSU drove to Cole Fuller’s 1-yard touchdown run that tied the score at the end of the first quarter.

Clark intercepted Webb and returned 16 yards for a touchdown that gave the Cajuns a 14-7 lead.

Wiggins ran 7 yards for a touchdown with 23 seconds left, tying the score at 14 at halftime.

–Field Level Media

Sep 30, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Bryce Williams (21) is tackled against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns defense during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota’s running game too strong for Louisiana

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Athan Kaliakmanis passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score as Minnesota defeated Louisiana 35-24 in a non-conference game Saturday in Minneapolis.

Kaliakmanis completed 12 of 14 for just 146 yards and rushed for just 17 yards, but he threw touchdown passes of 10 and 37 yards to Daniel Jackson, and Zach Evans and Bryce Williams each added a touchdown run for the Golden Gophers (3-2).

Minnesota played without freshman running back Darius Taylor, who averaged 176 rushing yards in the past three games but suffered an undisclosed injury late in a 37-34 overtime loss to Northwestern last week.

Redshirt freshman Zeon Chriss, making his second career start in place of injured Ben Wooldridge, passed for 172 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions for the Ragin’ Cajuns (3-2).

Chriss was Louisiana’s leading rusher, finishing with 74 yards on 10 attempts.

Minnesota drove 80 yards on the first possession of the third quarter and Evans, who finished with a game-high 85 rushing yards, completed the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run that gave the Gophers a 21-17 lead.

Tyler Nabin intercepted Chriss at the Louisiana 42 late in the third quarter, and on the third play of the fourth quarter, Williams ran 2 yards for a touchdown and a 28-17 lead.

On the ensuing possession, Jack Henderson intercepted Chriss at the Minnesota 44, and on fourth and 2, Kaliakmanis and Jackson teamed for their 37-yard score.

Jacob Kibodi ran 52 yards for a touchdown to trim the lead to 35-24 with 3:01 remaining.

On the first possession of the game Chriss threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Peter LeBlanc.

Kaliakmanis threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jackson that tied the score at the end of the first quarter.

On the third play of the second quarter, Kenneth Almendares kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Cajuns a 10-7 lead.

Kaliakmanis answered with a 2-yard touchdown run that gave the Gophers a 14-10 lead midway through the second quarter.

Chriss’ 6-yard touchdown pass to Robert Williams gave Louisiana a 17-14 halftime lead.

–Field Level Media

Sep 23, 2023; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) leaps over Northwestern Wildcats linebacker Kenny Soares Jr. (35) during the second half at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota, Louisiana try to brush off last week’s shaky endings

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Louisiana and Minnesota both saw big leads shrink in the fourth quarter last week.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (3-1), who were able to hold on for a victory, and the Golden Gophers (2-2), who fell in overtime, will meet in a nonconference game on Saturday in Minneapolis.

Minnesota had a 31-10 lead in the fourth quarter last week at Northwestern yet wound up losing 37-34 in OT.

Golden Gophers coach P.J. Fleck called the finish “a catastrophic 15 minutes.”

“We weren’t able to make enough plays on the offense, defense or special teams, and it cost us,” Fleck said. “It’s 100 percent on my shoulders. I’m the head football coach. Everything runs through me.”

Adding injury to insult was the fact that freshman running back Darius Taylor, who had 198 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Northwestern, was lost to an undisclosed injury late in the game. Fleck said he wouldn’t announce the status of Taylor, who has averaged 176.3 rushing yards over the past three games, for Saturday until “two hours before game time.”

Minnesota will try to shake off the effects of last week’s missed opportunity and avoid looking ahead to next week’s home game against No. 2 Michigan as it plays a Louisiana team that led visiting Buffalo 45-24 midway through the fourth quarter last week.

The Cajuns allowed back-to-back touchdowns that trimmed the gap to seven points with two minutes remaining. After a three-and-out by the Louisiana offense, Tyree Skipper made an interception that sealed the victory with 17 seconds left.

Redshirt freshman Zeon Chriss, making his first career start in place of injured Ben Wooldridge, completed 22 of 29 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions.

“I didn’t even want him to throw it that many times, to be honest with you,” Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux said. “I didn’t want him to have to feel like he’s got to do it all.”

Chriss, who appears to be the starter for the foreseeable future, added 70 yards and two touchdowns on 11 rushes.

–Field Level Media