University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Troy
UL Tops Troy to Extend Win Streak to Five
10/9/2011 3:32:00 AM | Football
As the 2011 season reached the midpoint, UL (5-1, 3-0 Sun Belt) is now one win shy of becoming bowl eligible in head coach Mark Hudspeth's inaugural season.
The Cajuns tied the 2001 Middle Tennessee squad for the best start by a team in Sun Belt Conference history.
Louisiana took the opening kick and marched 80 yards on 10 plays to take an early 7-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown pass by Chris Masson to Larry Pettis and never looked back in halting a five-game losing streak to Troy (2-3, 1-1 Sun Belt).
In the second quarter Louisiana scored 17 unanswered points to build a comfortable 21-point advantage by halftime.
Troy pulled within 14 points at the 10:17 mark in the fourth quarter on a 27-yard touchdown strike from Corey Robinson to Eric Thomas. UL wouldn't allow the Trojans to get any closer, though, stopping the visitors on fourth down with 5:35 remaining.
Masson threw for 211 yards on 21-of-29 passing. Javone Lawson posted a team-high eight receptions for 131 yards. Alonzo Harris gained 81 of the Cajuns' 117 yards rushing.
The Cajuns defense limited the Trojans to 77 yards rushing. Troy entered the contest averaging 138.2 rushing yards per game.
After UL failed to capitalize on a converted on-side kick following the game's opening score, the Trojans cut their deficit to 7-3 on a 36-yard field goal by Michael Taylor.
At the start of the second quarter, with Troy on the UL 2, Chris Tucker forced a Robinson fumble that was recovered by Bernard Smith preserving the lead.
Masson posted his second TD strike of the first half when he found a streaking Javone Lawson for a 26-yard completion in the corner of the endzone at the 6:36 mark in the second quarter. Lawson made an exceptional catch managing to get one foot in bounds for his third touchdown of the season.
With 1:05 left in the first half, Brett Baer increased the Louisiana advantage to 17-3 as his 24-yard field goal split the uprights.
Melvin White gave the Cajuns a 21-point lead with three seconds left on the clock as he stepped in front of a Robinson pass and returned it 89-yards for a touchdown. The "pick six" was the fifth of the year for UL and the first of the season for White. It was also the longest interception returned for a touchdown by a Cajuns player at Cajun Field.
On the first drive of the second half, Troy cut the Cajuns advantage to 24-10 after a five-yard TD pass from Robinson to Jaquon Robinson on third-and-four at the UL 5.
Alonzo Harris made it three straight games with a rushing touchdown after his two-yard touchdown plunge at the 1:50 mark in the third quarter gave the Cajuns a 31-10 edge.
Louisiana concludes its current three-game homestand next Saturday as North Texas visits Cajun Field. The game serves as the University's 66th Homecoming contest. Kickoff is set for 4:08 p.m., in a live broadcast on the Ragin' Cajuns Television Network.
With a win over North Texas not only would the Cajuns set the new record for best start to a season in Sun Belt history, but they will also become bowl eligible.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
