University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Arkansas State
First-Half Outburst Springs Cajuns to Homecoming Victory
10/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004
Statistical Recap
LAFAYETTE -
Louisiana's Ragin'
Cajuns built a 27-7 lead, and then held on for a 27-24
homecoming victory over Arkansas State. Louisiana
improves to 4-4 (2-2), while ASU falls to 2-6 (2-2).
The victory gives the Cajuns six straight wins at home and a perfect 3-0 record at home this season.
After building a 24-7 halftime lead, the Cajuns offense faltered in the second half. ASU out gained the Cajuns 278-174 in the second stanza. UL gained 149 of their 174 second half yards in just two drives.
The Cajuns took 6:39 off the clock in the third quarter thanks to a 17-play, 88-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard field goal by Sean Comiskey. On the drive, quarterback Jerry Babb completed four passes for 46 yards and ran three times for 18 yards.
ASU answered the three points with a 24-yard kick from Eric Neihouse with 1:21 left in the third quarter.
A quick change of possession gave ASU back the ball with 26 seconds remaining in the quarter. On the Indians second play, and last of the quarter, Antonio Warren broke loose with an 80-yard touchdown run to close ASU to within 27-17.
The Cajuns offense quickly gave the ball back again and ASU marched 58 yards on nine plays to the UL one-yard line. The Indians turned the ball over on downs after a fourth-down pass fell incomplete in the endzone.
On the ensuing possession, the Cajuns went three-and-out again, but got the ball right back after Nick Noce's pass was intercepted by Torres Kingsby at the UL 4-yard line.
UL Lafayette was again unable to produce any yardage off the Indians turnover, going three-and-out and punting the ball back to ASU.
A short punt set-up ASU at the Cajuns 26-yard line. Noce ran for a 20-yard gain, then connected with Levi Dejohnette for a six-yard touchdown to trim the Cajuns' lead to 27-24 with 4:28 remaining in the game.
Luke Sniewski, in for an injured Babb, launched a 42-yard completion to Bill Sampy down to the ASU 35-yard line. Another completion to Sampy surged the Cajuns to the ASU 27. Six straight runs ate up more clock, but a failed attempt on fourth down gave the ball back to the visitors on their 16-yard line with 1:41 remaining.
ASU drove into UL territory until a big sack by Travis Bass pushed the Indians to midfield with less than 10 seconds remaining. Noce's final pass was complete to Chuck Walker, but he was tackled by a host of Cajuns at the 29-yard line.
UL gained 188 yards on the ground, but allowed 306. Dwight Lindon and Josh Harrison combined for 151 yards on 32 attempts, while Warren and Shermar Bracey totaled 221 yards on 27 carries.
The Cajuns failed to score on their first possession after two plays put UL into ASU territory. Babb completed a short four-yard pass to Sampy, before Harrison ripped off a career-long 40-yard run down to the Indians 26-yard line. Three plays with no gain resulted in a 43-yard field goal opportunity by Comiskey, but his attempt was short into a fierce wind.
ASU responded with a 13-play, 60-yard drive that culminated in a 31-yard field goal attempt by Neihouse.
The Cajuns took the lead on ASU's scoring attempt after Michael Adams notched his third career field goal block. Terryl Fenton collected the ball and raced 80-yards for a touchdown to put the hosts up 7-0.
UL upped its' lead to 10-0 on a 27-yard field goal by Comiskey.
The Cajuns drove 63 yards on 16 plays, but sputtered at the ASU nine-yard line. UL absorbed most of their yards on the ground, generating 46 yards from Babb, Harrison and Lindon, including a four-yard scramble by Babb on fourth-and-three.
The Cajuns extended their lead to 24-0 with Babb orchestrating an aerial assault.
Babb completed passes to Travis Smothers, Sampy and Kemmie Lewis for 7, 12 and 8 yards, respectively, before hitting Sampy over the middle with a 45-yard touchdown pass.
The next Cajuns drive saw Babb connect with B.J. Crist on two passes for 30 yards and then hand the ball off to Lindon five straight times for 27 yards, including a one-yard touchdown plunge.
The Indians found some success late in the second quarter. ASU traveled 62 yards on eight plays in 2:35, using all but 10 seconds remaining in the half to get on the scoreboard. ASU gathered 43 yards on the ground, including a 13-yard scoring run by Bracey.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
