University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
North Texas
UL Now Tied for Second Place in the Sun Belt Standings
11/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005
Statistical Recap
DENTON, Texas - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns won their third straight game with another dramatic comeback victory, this time taking down four-time defending Sun Belt Conference Champion North Texas by a final score of 31-28 here Saturday evening at Fouts Field.
The Cajuns let a 14-point halftime lead turn into a four-point fourth quarter deficit only to score with 1:10 remaining in the game to move into a tie for second place in the Sun Belt Conference standings.
UL moves to 4-5 overall, but more importantly the squad's Sun Belt record improves to 3-2.
The Cajuns are now tied with Arkansas State (lost at Middle Tennessee) and Troy (defeated Florida Atlantic) for second in the SBC race. The Cajuns now trail UL Monroe (3-1 in Sun Belt) by only one-half game for the conference lead.
Tyrell Fenroy scored his third touchdown of the game with a one-yard plunge to cap a 15-play, 88-yard drive that consumed 8:46 of the fourth quarter. His score with 1:10 left to play gave the Cajuns a 31-28 lead and secured the squad's third straight victory ? the longest win streak by a UL team since the 1995 season.
After building a 21-7 halftime lead, the Cajuns allowed North Texas' Patrick Cobbs to take over the game.
NT needed only two plays and 45 seconds to score in the beginning of the third quarter. Cobbs broke a 59-yard run to pull the hosts to within seven, 21-14.
UL tried to counter, but Sean Comiskey missed a 37-yard field goal attempt.
The momentum continued to go in favor of the hosts. NT broke a pair of runs en route to a game-tying eight-yard touchdown run by Cobbs. The Mean Green's 80-yard scoring drive consisted of six rushes.
The resilient Cajuns fought back on their next series to regain the lead.
A 12-play, 80-yard drive ended with a 23-yard field goal from Comiskey. The drive's key play came on a 44-yard pass from Jerry Babb to Bill Sampy. Fenroy had three carries on the drive for 20 yards and Booker Jenkins added back-to-back rushes for a total of 17 yards. Jenkins second carry brought UL down to the NT six yard-line. The Cajuns faced a first-and goal from the six, but had to settle for Comiskey's triple.
The hosts responded with a 10-play 58-yard scoring drive. Cobbs scored his third touchdown of the second half to give NT their first lead of the game, 28-24, with 9:44 remaining.
Cobbs finished with 197 yards on 23 carries.
The Cajuns had a pair of 100-yard rushers for the first time since 1998. Babb led the Cajuns with 133 yards, while Fenroy finished with 102 yards. It was Fenroy's third 100-yard rushing game of the season and marked the second straight week that the true freshman eclipsed 100 yards (had 156 last Saturday against Troy).
Babb added 109 yards passing to post the 15th 100-yard rushing & passing game in school history. Only four players have posted 100 yards rushing and passing in the same game (Brian Mitchell, 11 times, Jerry Babb twice and George Roussel and Richard Pannell one each).
UL took their opening drive into the end zone for the fifth time in the last seven games. Babb completed his only pass attempt, a 15-yard toss to Sampy. The ground game did the rest, as Babb added 43 yards on three carries and Fenroy had 15 yards on three carries. Fenroy posted his team-leading sixth touchdown via a six-yard run.
Louisiana went up 14-0 thanks to a four-yard run by Babb. The 14-play, 77-yard drive came with another dose of the ground game. Babb carried four times for 37 yards, including a pair of successful third down conversions. Fenroy added four carries for 24 yards. All of the drive's yards came on the ground, but the key play came after one of Babb's two incompletions. Facing a fourth-and-four from their own 29 yard-line, the Cajuns were in punt formation, but an offside penalty on North Texas gave UL a first down and extended the drive.
North Texas responded with a potent running game to set-up their first touchdown. A nine-play, 89-yard drive finished with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Meager to Johhny Quinn. The touchdown pass was set-up by six consecutive rushing attempts by the Mean Green.
NT attempted an onside-kick on the ensuing kickoff, but the ball was recovered by Ray Givens at the Cajuns 44 yard-line. UL was unable to capitalize on the excellent field position after Babb was victimized by his third interception of the season.
The NT offense went backward thanks to a 15-yard personal foul penalty following an unsuccessful third down rush. The ensuing punt was nearly blocked and the Cajuns took control from the Mean Green 44 yard-line.
Fenroy scored his second touchdown of the game, a seven-yard run, to give UL a 21-7 lead with 1:22 remaining in the first half. The Cajuns drive consisted of five rushing attempts. Dwight Lindon had two runs for 10 yards, Babb had one attempt for 18 yards and Fenroy had a pair of runs for 26 yards.
The Mean Green came back with a quick 46-yard drive, but Nick Bazaldua missed the 42-yard attempt wide right as time expired in the second quarter. Tyler Norman partially blocked the kick, forcing the missed kick.
Louisiana-Lafayette returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 12, in the 2005 season home finale at Cajun Field. The Ragin' Cajuns will host Florida International in a game that will begin at 6 p.m., and that will be aired live on Comcast Sports Southeast.
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