Cajuns run past Texas State

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Elijah McGuire rushed for a game-high 112 yards on 20 carries, while scoring a pair of touchdowns to become the school’s all-time leader in points scored, and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns erased an early deficit to record a convincing 27-3 win over Texas State in a Sun Belt Conference game on Saturday at Bobcat Stadium.

Anthony Jennings completed 18 of 22 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown as Louisiana (3-4, 2-2 SBC) snapped a three-game losing streak and did not allow a touchdown for the first time since a 16-3 win over Nevada in the 2014 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

McGuire, who became the fourth player in Louisiana history to record 40 rushing touchdowns, gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 10-3 lead in the second quarter when he scored on a 4-yard run with 8:53 remaining in the second quarter. The senior capped an eight-play, 56-yard drive in the third quarter when he scored on a 1-yard plunge, giving him 300 career points and passing Tyrell Fenroy (294) as the school’s all-time leader.

Stevie Artigue tied the game at 3-3 in the first quarter when he booted a 36-yard field goal and gave Louisiana a 13-3 lead at halftime when he drilled a 42-yard kick at the buzzer.

Jennings overcame an early interception on the Ragin’ Cajuns first drive to pick apart the Bobcat defense. His 18-yard scoring pass to Keenan Barnes with 8:17 remaining in the fourth quarter gave Louisiana a 27-3 lead, and the Ragin’ Cajuns would unload the bench the rest of the night.

Al Riles caught four passes to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns with Barnes and Gabe Fuselier catching three passes each. Simeon Thomas picked off a Tyler Jones pass in the third quarter to set up McGuire’s touchdown while Travis Crawford recovered a second-quarter fumble that set up Louisiana’s first touchdown.

Texas State (2-5, 0-3 SBC) took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter after a 29-yard field goal by Marcus Ripley capped a 12-play, 63-yard drive. Jones finished 20-for-28 for 142 yards for Texas State while Stedman Mayberry led the Bobcats with 54 yards rushing.

Tre’maine Lightfoot led Louisiana with eight tackles with Denarious Howard adding seven. Joe Dillon added a sack and four tackles for loss for the Ragin’ Cajuns who held Texas State to 221 yards of total offense, including 100 after the first quarter.

Louisiana will return to action on Nov. 5 when it hosts Idaho in the annual Homecoming Game at Cajun Field.