Cajuns Hope To Regroup
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
Perhaps the most important game of the season for the Louisiana football program follows a significant loss from Saturday night.
At least that’s the assessment from Cajuns’ head football coach Mike Desormeaux as he attempts to redirect the focus away from a 32-31 loss at Louisiana Tech and prepare for a home contest with Troy this Saturday at Our Lady Of Lourdes Stadium.
The Cajuns (4-2, 1-1) surrendered 19 fourth quarter points at Origin Bank Stadium in Ruston as Tech defeated Louisiana for a ninth straight time.
Louisiana led 31-19 early during the final period, but the Bulldogs sustained two long touchdown drives of a combined 128 yards and 16 plays, while outscoring Louisiana 14-0 during the final two minutes and 58 seconds.
Following the two Tech TD’s, the Cajuns ended an attempted comeback with quarterback Lunch Winfield throwing an interception with 35 seconds remaining.
Louisiana ran only three offensive plays during the final three minutes.
“We didn’t get first downs and we should have finished. We should have won, but we didn’t execute a couple of runs with the option.
“Now we have a whole year to live with this. We let one get away and now we can’t afford to lose another if we hope to win a championship. Right now our backs are against the wall,” said Desormeaux.
Troy is 3-2 and 1-0 in the Sun Belt Conference. Tech is 3-2 and 1-0 with a game scheduled this Saturday at ULM.
Tech head coach Sonny Crumbie praised the way his players handled the final half of the fourth quarter.
“I was really proud of the way we got a quick three and out (in the fourth quarter). We scored and got another stop and went down and scored (the game winning TD) and then got the interception,” Crumbie added.
Tech outgained the Cajuns in total offense (485-389). Louisiana allowed 338 passing yards, while the Cajuns completed throws for 239.
The Bulldogs controlled the game clock, using 33 minutes and 18 seconds of a 60-minute contest.
Louisiana tied the game at 7 in the second period on a 7-yard Winfield run. The Cajuns led 10-7 on a Tony Sterner 10-yard field goal.
Tech moved in front 13-10 by halftime as quarterback Blake Baker completed a 14-yard pass to wide receiver Jalen Mickens.
Louisiana bolted back in front (24-13) with consecutive TD drives that ended with touchdown runs of 20 and 25 yards from running backs J.J. Garner and Trenton Chaney.
In the fourth quarter Mickens cut the Cajuns’ lead to 24-19 on a 3-yard run.
The Cajuns sustained the two-score advantage when Winfield connected with KeDarius Wade on a 45-yard scoring pass that ended a three-play, 70-yard drive and put Louisiana in front 31-19.
