University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Idaho
Early Deficit Too Much to Overcome In Idaho
10/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Oct. 16, 2004
Statistical Recap
MOSCOW, Idaho –
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns football team spotted Idaho a
21-point lead it could not dig itself out of in a 38-25
loss here Saturday afternoon at the Kibbie Dome.
Idaho had a 21-0 lead just five seconds into the second quarter. The Cajuns defense, which surrendered 122 yards and seven first downs in the first quarter, made stop after stop from that point on as the team attempted to make a comeback.
The offense, which only had 30 yards in the opening frame, began churning up yardage as Louisiana-Lafayette slowly crept back in the game closing to 24-19 on a 39-yard pass from Jerry Babb to Kemmie Lewis with 12:34 remaining in the game.
Idaho then went to the ground game to grind out the victory. A 34-yard rushing touchdown by Rolly Lumbala and a 51-yard gallop by Jayson Bird pushed the margin to 38-19.
The Vandals gained just 40 yards on the ground in the first half, but piled up 210 yards in the second stanza. Included in those yards was 132 during the fourth quarter.
Luke Sniewski, subbing in for starting quarterback Jerry Babb, engineered a 3-play drive that distanced 91 yards in 43 seconds to close the gap to 38-25.
UL Lafayette recovered the onsides kick, but was stopped on downs.
With the loss the Cajuns drop to 3-4, and 1-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. The loss was the Cajuns second straight as the team wrapped up its three-game road swing with a 1-2 mark.
The Vandals got off to a quick start as Antwaun Sherman returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a quick 7-0 lead just 14 seconds into the contest.
The Cajuns offense got off to a slow start for the second straight weekend. UL Lafayette went scoreless on its first four drives and turned the ball over twice. The Cajuns had just 30 yards of offense through the first quarter.
Meanwhile, Idaho built a 14-0 lead.
The second turnover – a fumble by Dwight Lindon at the UI 48-yard line – set up the Vandals third score of the afternoon and put Louisiana-Lafayette in an early hole it eventually could not find a way out of.
Michael Harrington found Willie Sipoloa for a 38-yard pickup to end the first quarter. Harrington began the second quarter with a 16-yard touchdown strike to Luke Anderson-Smith to make it 21-0.
The Cajuns got on the board on the ensuing drive using a six-play, 50 yard drive to cut the deficit to 21-7. The drive was set up by an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Idaho for celebration after the touchdown. Michael Adams fielded the kickoff at the UL 20 and returned it to midfield.
Babb converted a third-and-long situation with an 18 yard run to the UI 34. Back-to-back rushes by Josh Harrison for a total of 10 yards and gave the Cajun another first down.
Travis Cones finished off the drive when he went around the left end and scampered 24 yards to paydirt.
The Cajuns defense settled in kept the Vandals in check by forcing punts on the next two drives.
UL Lafayette had a chance to pull within seven points after the first punt, but Babb was stopped on fourth down at the UI 18.
After the defense forced a second straight Idaho punt, Sean Comiskey converted a 43-yard field goal to pull the Cajuns within 21-10 at the break.
Louisiana-Lafayette continued to chip away at the lead on the initial drive of the third quarter. The Cajuns marched 65 yards in 14 plays and got a 22-yard field goal from Comiskey to cut the Idaho lead to 21-13.
The Cajuns defense forced another Idaho punt and a 24-yard punt return by Jerrell Carter had the Cajuns set up on the UL 40-yard line.
Babb started the drive with a 36-yard strike to Lawrence Johnson down to the Idaho 24-yard line. However, back-to-back incomplete passes put the Cajuns in a fourth-down situation once more.
UL Lafayette set up for an apparent Comiskey 39-yard field goal, but opted for the fake. Matt Lane's pass was intercepted and the Vandals dodged another potential Cajuns score.
Idaho went three-and-out on the possession after the takeover and the Cajuns had the Vandals pinned within the 5-yard line. The punt was fielded near midfield and set up the Cajuns with excellent field position at the Idaho 46-yard line.
Louisiana-Lafayette squandered an excellent chance to pull even as the Vandals forced a stop. Babb scrambled on third-and-13, but could only get 10 yards and the Cajuns were forced to punt.
Idaho took over at its own 19-yard line. Behind three straight carries from Jayson Bird that totaled 50 yards, the Vandals were in field goal range.
The Vandals cashed in with a 37-yard field goal from Mike Barrow to push the lead into double-digits.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
