University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Northwestern State
Cajuns' Offense Shines in Home Opener
9/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Tyrell Fenroy rushed for 163 yards on 15 carries and freshman wide receiver Derrick Smith scored three touchdowns
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005
Statistical Recap
LAFAYETTE - In a game where head coach Rickey Bustle guaranteed victory, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns came through by defeating Northwestern State 49-28.
Louisiana-Lafayette improved to 1-2, while NSU falls to 1-2.
True freshman running back Tyrell Fenroy had the second-best modern era rushing performance by any Cajuns true freshman running back with 163 yards on 15 carries.
The Cajuns built a quick 20-0 lead, but had to rally in the second half for the win.
The Cajuns struck on their opening drive. Jerry Babb directed a five-play, 84-yard push in 2:18. Fenroy had a pair of runs during the series, including a long run of 37. Babb started the drive with a nine-yard run, added a six-yard scramble and ended the series with a 14-yard touchdown run. The touchdown run, Babb's first rushing score of the season, marked the junior quarterback's tenth career rushing touchdown.
The Demons first drive resulted in a fumble, which was recovered by the Cajuns Travis Ferguson, his first career fumble recovery.
Louisiana capitalized on the mistake, needing six plays to travel 20 yards for their second touchdown. The Cajuns moved the ball to the Demons' four yard-line, but a 15-yard personal foul penalty sent UL backward. On third-and-goal from the 18 yard-line, Babb found Derrick Smith on a crossing pattern that Smith ran into the end zone.
The Demons second drive had the same result as their opening possession. A fumbled quarterback-center exchange found its way into the hands of Cajuns redshirt freshman Brent Burkhalter.
UL capitalized again.
An eight-play, 66-yard drive culminated in a 22-yard scoring strike from Babb to Kevin Robbins. Fenroy added a 26-yard run on the scoring drive, giving him 74 yards on six carries in the first quarter.
NSU came back with a six-play, 70-yard scoring drive that put them on the board via an 18-yard touchdown pass from Davon Vinson to Clayton Broyles. The score cut the Cajuns lead to 20-7.
Louisiana's next series began on their 26 yard-line. UL marched down to the NSU 35 yard-line before Fenroy broke another long run. Fenroy's eighth carry went for 22 yards, but he fumbled the ball away at the NSU 13. The run gave the true freshman 100 yards rushing at 9:14 of the second quarter.
A blocked punt at the Cajuns two yard-line and an interception by Babb at the UL 43 led way to a pair of Demons touchdowns. Vinson recorded a passing and rushing touchdown to put the visitors in front 21-20 at the break.
After trading turnovers with the Demons at the onset of the third quarter, UL capitalized on a Shelton Sampson fumble at the UL 47.
It took the Cajuns six plays to drive 57 yards to regain the lead. Babb connected with Smith for his second touchdown reception of the contest - a 25-yard strike - on third-and-eight. Josh Harrison broke through the NSU defensive front for the two-point conversion to put UL up 28-21.
Johnny Felders ended the Demons' attempt to tie the game on the ensuing drive when he intercepted a Vinson pass at the goal line at 6:58 of the third quarter.
The Cajuns marched 80 yards on 11 plays following the Felders interception to create a two-touchdown lead.
On the second play of the drive Babb found Bill Sampy for a 34-yard gain that put the hosts at the NSU 43. A series of rushes pushed UL to the NSU 20 and then Babb found Jason Chery on the left side for a gain of 13 yards to help the Cajuns reach the NSU 7.
On third down, Smith took an option pitch from Babb and scampered into the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown to increase the Cajuns lead to 35-21. The touchdown was Smith's third score of the evening.
Kyle Ward created another NSU turnover on the next drive when he forced a Vinson fumble at the NSU 15 that was collected by Lamar Morgan. It took the Cajuns three plays to up the lead to 42-21 with an Abdule Levier one-yard rush providing the score.
Levier struck again late in the fourth quarter. His 59-yard touchdown burst proved the final margin of victory.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
