Cajuns rally past USA

LAFAYETTE – The offense came alive in the second half, fueled by 168 yards rushing from Elijah McGuire and 135 yards receiving by Al Riles, as the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football team topped South Alabama 28-23 Saturday evening at Cajun Field in the squad’s 2016 Sun Belt Conference opener.

Riles was on the receiving end of a 71-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Jennings at 10:39 of the third quarter as Louisiana (2-1, 1-0 Sun Belt) began to extend its lead over South Alabama (1-2, 0-2 Sun Belt), opening a 15-7 lead.

On the team’s next possession, Jennings found Keenan Barnes on a 38-yard hookup for a score that stretched the lead to 22-7 with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter.

Just as he sealed the win over the Jaguars in the 2014 meeting at Cajun Field with a touchdown run in the fourth quarter, McGuire came through again. The senior running back broke through the USA defensive line for a 68-yard score with 7:05 remaining to end a string of 10 unanswered points by the Jaguars and increase the lead to 28-17.

After Dallas Davis connected with Gerald Everett for a touchdown with 3:17 left to play, Riles and McGuire made the plays which allowed the Ragin’ Cajuns to run out the clock. Riles gained 22 yards on a reception that brought Louisiana near midfield, then McGuire provided another first down with a 24 yard scamper down to the Jaguars 28 yard line.

McGuire ended the night with a season-high 223 yards rushing, his second-highest career total and the14th 100-plus effort of his career.

Riles’ final tally of 139 yards receiving marked a career-high amount for the senior receiver whose previous best was 103 yards at Georgia State on Nov. 7, 2015.

Jennings completed 18-of-26 passes for his season-best total of 256 yards. He tossed three touchdown passes tying his career-high set vs. Sam Houston State at LSU in 2014.

The Ragin’ Cajuns outgained the Jaguars 512-338 with an even split of 256 yards between rushing and passing. Louisiana exploded for 378 yards in the decisive second half.

“Really proud of our football team, I thought they came out tonight with a lot of emotion and played awfully hard,” Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Football head coach Mark Hudspeth said. “I thought we continued to see improvement defensively.

“Overall, the kids played hard, played with a purpose, played with a passion, and I’m proud of their efforts tonight.”

After stopping the Jaguars on a fourth-down conversion on the game’s opening drive, Louisiana drove 75 yards over 11 plays capped by a 13-yard Jennings touchdown pass to Michael Jacquet at 4:22 of the first quarter for an early 6-0 lead.

USA gained the lead at the onset of the second quarter, completing a 9 play, 77-yard drive with a Tyreis Thomas touchdown run at 14:13. The visitors remained ahead until a 31-yard field goal by Stevie Artigue with 37 seconds remaining before intermission gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 9-7 advantage.

Saturday’s contest completed a season-opening, three-game homestand for Louisiana. Mark Hudspeth’s squad travels for the first time next week when they meet Tulane at Yulman Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 24.