University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Arkansas State
Cajuns Fall in Shootout with Arkansas State on Last Second Field Goal
10/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005
Statistical Recap
JONESBORO, Ark. - Louisiana's Ragin Cajuns lost another heartbreaker on Thursday night as Arkansas State kicked a last second field goal to lift the Indians to a 39-36 victory at Indian Stadium.
The loss marks the second time in as many weeks that the Cajuns have lost a game when leading after three quarters. UL lead Florida Atlantic 10-7 on Thursday, Oct. 6, before falling to the Owls 28-10. Against the Indians, the Cajuns took a 29-14 lead into the final quarter. The Cajuns were outscored in the fourth frame 25-7.
After losing the lead, 36-29, with 7:01 to play, the Cajuns fought back to tie the contest. UL drove down the field and capped an 18-play, 80-yard drive with a 3-yard scoring push by Josh Harrison with just 52 seconds left on the clock.
With under a minute to go in the game, ASU drove down the field to the Louisiana 19-yard line. ASU lined up for the game winning field goal with just four ticks on the clock. Eric Neilhouse's 35-yard kick split the uprights as time expired, giving the Indians the 39-36 win.
With the loss, the Cajuns fall to 1-5 on the season, and 0-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. The win lifts the Indians to an even 3-3 on the season, and 2-1 in conference play.
The Cajuns got off to a quick start as UL opened the game marching down the field 80 yards for a touchdown. Corey Fredrick took a reverse 17 yards into the endzone to put the Ragin' Cajuns on the board. The Cajuns attempted just one pass on the drive, a 10-yard completion to senior Bill Sampy. UL depended on running back Tyrell Fenroy for most of the yardage. Fenroy broke runs of 10 and 22 yards en route to 49 rushing yards on the drive. The Ragin' Cajuns converted all three of their third down attempts during the series.
On the Indians opening drive, ASU marched down the field, but a sack by Tony Hills slowed the host's momentum. Neilhouse's 44-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Louisiana's Joe Bradley.
The blocked kick in the first quarter was the fifth blocked kick this season for the Ragin' Cajuns and the first for Bradley. Under head coach Rickey Bustle, the Cajuns have blocked 21 kicks.
The Ragin' Cajuns added another score in the second quarter as Abdule Levier dove into the endzone from the two yard line. The touchdown was Levier's team-leading fifth touchdown. A bad snap on the ensuing PAT resulted in an unsuccessful conversion, leaving the score 13-0 in favor of the Cajuns. Like their first scoring drive, the Cajuns relied heavily on the run. All 10 plays on the scoring drive were rushes. The key play of the drive was a 41-yard scamper by quarterback Michael Desormeaux.
Desormeaux led the Cajuns ground attack with 174 yards, the 14th best rushing game in school history. UL pounded out 457 yards on the ground on the way to 554 yards of total offense.
The Cajuns added a field goal just before the half to up their lead to 16-0. Sean Comiskey converted the 29-yard attempt, his 39th career field goal. The drive started on the ASU 30-yard line after the Cajuns forced a bad punt by the Indians.
The Indians cut into the Cajuns lead just two seconds before halftime. ASU quarterback Nick Noce heaved a pass to wide receiver Levi Dejohnette. The ball was deflected forward into the hands of fellow receiver Joe Smith for a touchdown. UL went into the locker room leading 16-7 at the half.
The Cajuns first possession of the second half resulted in a 12-play, 79-yard scoring drive. Desormeaux scored the first touchdown of his career, a 14-yard jaunt at 8:01, giving the Cajuns a 22-7 edge. For the second time on the night, a bad snap on PAT resulted in an unsuccessful conversion.
The Indians took advantage of a Levier fumble. ASU recovered the fumble on their own 41-yard line and drove the ball 59-yards on four plays in just 1:39. Noce threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to running back Shermar Bracey to cut the UL lead to 22-14.
The Ragin' Cajuns increased their lead to 29-14 at the end of the third quarter. Harrison scored his first touchdown of the season with just three seconds remaining in the quarter to increase the Cajuns' lead.
ASU started the fourth quarter with a 72-yard scoring drive, with a little help from the Cajuns defense. UL successfully defended an Indians fourth-and-six from the Louisiana 39-yard line, but a roughing the passer flag at the end of the play gave ASU new life. Bracey plunged into the endzone three plays later.
ASU tied the game in one quick strike. Noce hit Dejohnette in stride for a 55-yard touchdown pass. Noce found a wide open Manuel Burton in the back of the endzone for the two-point conversion, knotting the score at 29-29.
On the first play of the ensuing Cajuns possession, Desormeaux fumbled the ball at the end of a 25-yard scramble. ASU took over on the UL 45-yardline. Six rushing plays later, Noce took the ball up the middle for a 15-yard touchdown run to give the Indians a 36-29 lead.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
