University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Minnesota
Cajuns Unable to Overcome Minnesota's First-Half Outburst
9/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Sept. 20, 2003
Statistical Recap
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -
Louisiana's
Ragin' Cajuns fell in a hole early and could never find
their way out, falling 48-14 to the University of
Minnesota on Saturday night in Minneapolis at the Hubert
H. Humphrey Metrodome..
Minnesota needed just 1:46 on their opening possession to find the end zone. Asad Abdul-Khaliq hit Jared Ellerson with a 36-yard strike into Cajuns territory on third-and-eight. Marion Barber found the end zone a few plays later with a 15-yard jaunt to put the Golden Gophers up 7-0.
Jerry Babb was intercepted by Eli Ward on the Cajuns next series, giving Minnesota the ball on the Louisiana-Lafayette 40-yard line.
Abdul-Khaliq converted another third down with a 24-yard completion to Ben Utecht on third-and-one. Barber scored his second touchdown on a seven-yard plunge, giving the Golden Gophers 14 points in 3:36 of possession time.
Rhys Lloyd converted on a 54-yard field goal to put Minnesota up 17-0.
The Gophers continued to pile on the points. Abdul-Khaliq connected with Aaron Hosack on a 10-yard touchdown, giving the hosts a 24-0 edge.
A fumble by Travis Smothers led to Minnesota finding the end zone again in three plays. Back-up quarterback Benji Kamrath scored on a two-yard touchdown run to make the score 31-0.
Cajuns quarterback Eric Rekieta, who replaced Babb midway through the second quarter, drove the team 65 yards into the end zone. Rekieta completed passes of 20 yards to Fred Stamps and 21 yards to Eric Bartel to put the Cajuns inside Gophers territory. On third-and-15, Rekieta connected with Bill Sampy for 26 yards down to the three.
After
UL Lafayette lost a yard, Rekieta capped off the drive
with a four-yard touchdown pass to Travis Cones. With
the point-after by Sean Comiskey, the Cajuns brought the
score to 31-7.
Minnesota answered with ten points in the final 2:19. Lloyd split the uprights on a 30-yard field goal before Thomas Tapeh scored a touchdown with 22 ticks remaining in the first half.
Rekieta directed the Cajuns down to the Gophers five-yard line at the close of the third quarter. He completed four-of-six passes for 41 yards and had two rushes for 18 yards. Facing a first-and-goal, Louisiana-Lafayette was unsuccessful on four downs and the Cajuns turned the ball over.
The Cajuns took over deep in Minnesota territory following a muffed a punt. Rekieta threw his second touchdown of the game with a two-yard strike to Fred Stamps.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
