University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Thursday, October 17
Jonesboro, Ark.
6:30 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Arkansas State
Louisiana Heads North for West Division Showdown with Arkansas State
10/15/2019 4:54:00 PM | Football
Ragin’ Cajuns seeking their first win in Jonesboro since 2009
LAFAYETTE – The top spot in the Sun Belt West Division standings will be up for grabs on Thursday evening when Louisiana travels to Jonesboro, Ark., for a crucial conference matchup with Arkansas State. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
In a series that has favored the home team in recent years, the Ragin' Cajuns will be looking for their third win in Jonesboro since the 1997 season and back-to-back victories over the Red Wolves since winning three straight from 2008-2010.
Louisiana has been successful on the road this year, boasting a 2-0 record overall and a 1-0 in league play. In those two games, the Ragin' Cajuns have outscored their two opponents, 82-49.
Who: Louisiana (4-2, 1-1 SBC) vs. Arkansas State (3-3, 1-1 SBC)
Where: Centennial Bank Stadium – Jonesboro, Ark.
When: Thursday, Oct. 17 – 6:30 p.m. (CST)
Watch: ESPNU
On the Call: Mark Neely (play-by-play), Cole Cubelic (color)
Listen: ESPN1420
On the Call: Jay Walker (play-by-play), Chris Lanaux (color), Cody Junot (sideline)
All-Time Series: Louisiana Leads, 24-21-1
Last Meeting: Oct. 27, 2018 (Louisiana Won, 47-43)
Game Notes:
Moving the Chains
• Louisiana's offense has had no issues moving the ball in chunks and is currently tied for 17th nationally in total first downs with 151.
• Of the 151 first downs, 79 have come on the ground, tied for eighth nationally.
• The ability to consistently move the chains has to do with the big plays created by the Louisiana offense. The Ragin' Cajuns are currently tied for fifth in the nation with 113 plays of 10+ yards.
Rushing Game on Top
• With Louisiana's 123 yards on the ground against Appalachian State on Wednesday, Oct. 9, the team has upped its season total to 1,693 yards, the fifth most in the country.
• Louisiana ranks second in the country in yards per attempt with 6.9 yards per carry, ranking just behind Oklahoma (7.7).
• Louisiana has scored 22 rushing touchdowns this season, the second most in the FBS. The Ragin' Cajuns are just one rushing touchdown behind Wisconsin for the top spot.
• The Ragin' Cajuns rank sixth in average yards per game, tallying 282.2 yards on the ground
Three-Headed Monster
• Louisiana's combination of Elijah Mitchell, Trey Ragas and Raymond Calais have been unstoppable this season.
• The trio has accounted for 1,362 of the 1,693 total rushing yards and 17 of the team's 22 rushing scores.
• Furthermore, at least two of the backs have scored a rushing touchdown in all but one game this season, while all three found the end zone on the ground against Texas Southern on Sept. 14.
Electric Elijah
• Elijah Mitchell had another solid game against Appalachian State on Wednesday, Oct. 9, rushing for 62 yards on 13 carries
• Mitchell has rushed for a touchdown in all but one game this season.
• Mitchell is currently tied for sixth in the country in total rushing touchdowns with nine.
• His two touchdowns mark against Georgia Southern is the seventh time in his career where he has rushed for multiple touchdowns and the third time he has rushed for two touchdowns in a single game.
Ragas is Rushin'
• Ragas ranks 26th in the country in rushing with 572 yards on the ground.
• At Georgia Southern, he rushed for 131 yards, a season high.
• Ragas has now gone over 100 yards in a single game 11 times in his career.
• Like Mitchell, Ragas has rushed for a touchdown in every game but one this season.
Ground Records
• Louisiana has produced 22 touchdowns on the ground this season, 12 rushing scores shy of the school record of 34, which was set during the 2005 campaign.
• Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas have both found the end zone at a high rate this season. Mitchell's nine rushing scores have him eyeing a spot in the program's top-5 for most rushing touchdowns by an individual in a single season.
Open the Record Books
• Louisiana broke multiple school records with the 77-6 victory over Texas Southern on Sept. 14.
• The Ragin' Cajuns scored the most points in school history (77), won by the largest margin in school history (71) and broke the record for the most touchdown's in a game with 11 scores.
• Louisiana also tied the record for the most rushing touchdowns in a single game with eight, the third time in school history the team has rushed for eight touchdowns in a single game. The previous two times were against Nicholls State in 2013 and Arkansas State in 2014.
Spreading the Wealth
• On Sept. 14 against Texas Southern, six different Ragin' Cajun running backs scored a touchdown. The six were: Raymond Calais, Trey Ragas, Elijah Mitchell, Ashton Johnson, Michael Orphey, Jr. and Chris Smith. Johnson, Orphey, Jr. and Smiths all registered as their first career scores in that contest.
Bradley Continues to Dominate
• Ja'Marcus Bradley caught one pass for 15 yards against Appalachian State on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
• Bradley now has 367 receiving yards on the year, ranking him sixth in the Sun Belt Conference.
• Bradley currently owns a 33 game reception streak on the year.
Ja'Marcus Record Watch
• Ja'Marcus Bradley has hauled in four touchdowns this season, bringing his career total to 17. The senior wideout is now two touchdowns of breaking into the school's top 5 for career touchdowns.
#2 Nice Wit It
• Bradley had one of the best receiving seasons in school history in 2018. The Ackerman, Miss. native, caught a team-high 10 touchdowns and added 608 yards.
• Bradley's 10 touchdowns were the most by a receiver since the 1996 season. He also had a tremendous performance against South Alabama catching three touchdowns. Not only did that tie the most single game touchdowns among wide receivers in school history, it was also the most TD's caught in a single game since Jason Cherry nabbed a three-piece against North Texas in 2008.
Saved by the Jamal Bell
• Jamal Bell currently ranks second on the team with 22 receptions for 252 yards. He has recorded a reception in every game this season and at least two receptions in five out of the Ragin' Cajuns' six contests this year.
• Bell broke out onto the scene in the opener against Mississippi State. Bell caught a career-high eight balls for career high 113 yards.
• Not only is he just one of three players to eclipse the century mark in receiving yards in the last two years, he also owns the most receptions in the first game of the season since Gary Haynes on September 5, 2015 against Kentucky and the most receiving yards in an opener since Fred Stamps hauled in 115 yards against Southern on August 31, 2002.
• Bell also recorded the second most receiving yards in the conference during week one of play.
Old Reliable
• Kevin Dotson earned his 44th start on the offensive line against Appalachian State on Oct. 9.
• His 44 starts are tied for the most by any offensive lineman in the country along with Ethan Reed from Louisiana Tech.
Welcome to the Show
• O'Cyrus Torrence earned his first career start at left guard during the Sept. 7 game against Liberty.
• He became the first true freshman to start a game on the offensive line since Jesse Newman against ULM on Nov. 20, 2004.
• The newcomer has started in every game since.
Tossing the Ball Around the Yard
• Levi Lewis has been the rock of Louisiana's offense all season long.
• Lewis opened the 2019 season throwing for a career-high 267 yards with 24 completions on 39 attempts.
• Lewis' 267 passing yards is the most against a Power 5 school since Blaine Gautier threw for 315 yards against Arizona on Nov. 26, 2011.
• Furthermore, Lewis' 267 passing yards is the most in an opener since Chris Mason opened the season throwing for 283 yards against Southern on Sept. 5, 2009.
Inspector Jacques Boudreaux
• Jacques Boudreaux has picked up where he left off last season, currently leading the team with 43 tackles on the year.
• In his last two games, he has recorded double digit stops, posting 12 against Georgia Southern (Sept. 28) and 10 against Appalachian State (Oct. 9).
• Following his career performance against Georgia Southern, he garnered Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors, the first Ragin' Cajun to do so since Christian Ringo in 2014.
• Boudreaux had an incredible season in 2018, recording 93 total tackles, ranking fifth in the conference.
• Boudreaux also paced the team in average tackles per game with 6.6 which was tied for the 11th best in the conference.
Welcome Back Joe Dillon
• After missing all of last season with an injury, Joe Dillon is back on the gridiron making an impact.
• Dillon is tied for fifth on the team with 18 tackles on the year and tied for first with three sacks.
• The redshirt junior recorded his first sack of the season against Liberty on Sept. 9, his first since Oct. 12, 2017 against Texas State.
Manac Attack
• In five games played this season, Chauncey Manac has recorded 13 tackles and 2.0 sacks.
• Chauncey Manac wreaked havoc on the Liberty offensive line on Sept. 7, finishing the game with 3.0 tackles and 2.0 sacks.
• Manac became the first Ragin' Cajun defensive player to have more than 1.0 sacks in a game since Kevon Perry posted 2.0 against New Mexico State on Nov. 18, 2017.
Mike Sackquet III
• After flipping from playing offense to defense last season, Mike Jacquet III recorded his first career sack and forced fumble against Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens.
• The last defensive player to record a "strip sack" was Chaiziere Malbrue against New Mexico State last season and the last defensive back to record a "strip sack" in a game was Savion Brown against ULM on Dec. 3, 2016.
• Through six games, Jacquet is tied for fifth on the team with 18 tackles.
Byrns-ing the Competition
• Rhys Byrns had a career game against Appalachian State on Oct. 9, recording four, 50+-yard punts. He also put four punts inside the 20-yard line, another career high.
• Byrns set a career high for his longest punt in Louisiana's victory over Ohio on Sept. 21 by booting the ball 70 yards.
• His success has come despite limited action. The sophomore has had two games this season where he punted just once and was not utilized in Louisiana's dominant victory over Texas Southern on Sept. 14.
• Byrns is averaging 46.8 yards per punt this year, which has him on pace to set the school record. The current school record is 42.9, set by Daniel Cadona during the 2014 campaign.
Kenneth, We Have A Kickoff
• First-year kicker Kenneth Almendares has been successful on kickoff duty this season, recording touchbacks on 20 of his 37 attempts.
• The redshirt freshman had his name called 12 times against Texas Southern, notching seven touchbacks and totaling 722 yards.
P-Ar-Tigue
• In Sept. 14's victory over Texas Southern, Stevie Artigue nailed 11 extra points, the most in a single game in school history.
• The previous record was set during the 2013 when Stephen Brauchle converted 10 PATs against Nicholls State.
Artigue Watch
• Stevie Artigue has been a member of the Louisiana Football program since the 2015 season, and has racked up 232 total points in his career. After entering the season ranked ninth in program history for scoring, Artigue now ranks seventh all-time.
• Artigue is now three points shy of the sixth spot, which is held by Chrisitan "Keener" Cagle.
Groovin' and Cruisin' on a Saturday Afternoon
• The Louisiana offense has produced 12 drives that have been for 75-yards or more this season.
• Of the 12 drives, 11 have been for touchdowns.
• Louisiana's long drive of 99 yards, which came on Aug. 31 against Mississippi State, was the team's first 99-yard drive since Nov. 26, 2016 against Arkansas State.
• Additionally, the 99-yard touchdown drive is just the sixth 90+ yard touchdown drive in the last five years.
In a series that has favored the home team in recent years, the Ragin' Cajuns will be looking for their third win in Jonesboro since the 1997 season and back-to-back victories over the Red Wolves since winning three straight from 2008-2010.
Louisiana has been successful on the road this year, boasting a 2-0 record overall and a 1-0 in league play. In those two games, the Ragin' Cajuns have outscored their two opponents, 82-49.
Who: Louisiana (4-2, 1-1 SBC) vs. Arkansas State (3-3, 1-1 SBC)
Where: Centennial Bank Stadium – Jonesboro, Ark.
When: Thursday, Oct. 17 – 6:30 p.m. (CST)
Watch: ESPNU
On the Call: Mark Neely (play-by-play), Cole Cubelic (color)
Listen: ESPN1420
On the Call: Jay Walker (play-by-play), Chris Lanaux (color), Cody Junot (sideline)
All-Time Series: Louisiana Leads, 24-21-1
Last Meeting: Oct. 27, 2018 (Louisiana Won, 47-43)
Game Notes:
Moving the Chains
• Louisiana's offense has had no issues moving the ball in chunks and is currently tied for 17th nationally in total first downs with 151.
• Of the 151 first downs, 79 have come on the ground, tied for eighth nationally.
• The ability to consistently move the chains has to do with the big plays created by the Louisiana offense. The Ragin' Cajuns are currently tied for fifth in the nation with 113 plays of 10+ yards.
Rushing Game on Top
• With Louisiana's 123 yards on the ground against Appalachian State on Wednesday, Oct. 9, the team has upped its season total to 1,693 yards, the fifth most in the country.
• Louisiana ranks second in the country in yards per attempt with 6.9 yards per carry, ranking just behind Oklahoma (7.7).
• Louisiana has scored 22 rushing touchdowns this season, the second most in the FBS. The Ragin' Cajuns are just one rushing touchdown behind Wisconsin for the top spot.
• The Ragin' Cajuns rank sixth in average yards per game, tallying 282.2 yards on the ground
Three-Headed Monster
• Louisiana's combination of Elijah Mitchell, Trey Ragas and Raymond Calais have been unstoppable this season.
• The trio has accounted for 1,362 of the 1,693 total rushing yards and 17 of the team's 22 rushing scores.
• Furthermore, at least two of the backs have scored a rushing touchdown in all but one game this season, while all three found the end zone on the ground against Texas Southern on Sept. 14.
Electric Elijah
• Elijah Mitchell had another solid game against Appalachian State on Wednesday, Oct. 9, rushing for 62 yards on 13 carries
• Mitchell has rushed for a touchdown in all but one game this season.
• Mitchell is currently tied for sixth in the country in total rushing touchdowns with nine.
• His two touchdowns mark against Georgia Southern is the seventh time in his career where he has rushed for multiple touchdowns and the third time he has rushed for two touchdowns in a single game.
Ragas is Rushin'
• Ragas ranks 26th in the country in rushing with 572 yards on the ground.
• At Georgia Southern, he rushed for 131 yards, a season high.
• Ragas has now gone over 100 yards in a single game 11 times in his career.
• Like Mitchell, Ragas has rushed for a touchdown in every game but one this season.
Ground Records
• Louisiana has produced 22 touchdowns on the ground this season, 12 rushing scores shy of the school record of 34, which was set during the 2005 campaign.
• Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas have both found the end zone at a high rate this season. Mitchell's nine rushing scores have him eyeing a spot in the program's top-5 for most rushing touchdowns by an individual in a single season.
Open the Record Books
• Louisiana broke multiple school records with the 77-6 victory over Texas Southern on Sept. 14.
• The Ragin' Cajuns scored the most points in school history (77), won by the largest margin in school history (71) and broke the record for the most touchdown's in a game with 11 scores.
• Louisiana also tied the record for the most rushing touchdowns in a single game with eight, the third time in school history the team has rushed for eight touchdowns in a single game. The previous two times were against Nicholls State in 2013 and Arkansas State in 2014.
Spreading the Wealth
• On Sept. 14 against Texas Southern, six different Ragin' Cajun running backs scored a touchdown. The six were: Raymond Calais, Trey Ragas, Elijah Mitchell, Ashton Johnson, Michael Orphey, Jr. and Chris Smith. Johnson, Orphey, Jr. and Smiths all registered as their first career scores in that contest.
Bradley Continues to Dominate
• Ja'Marcus Bradley caught one pass for 15 yards against Appalachian State on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
• Bradley now has 367 receiving yards on the year, ranking him sixth in the Sun Belt Conference.
• Bradley currently owns a 33 game reception streak on the year.
Ja'Marcus Record Watch
• Ja'Marcus Bradley has hauled in four touchdowns this season, bringing his career total to 17. The senior wideout is now two touchdowns of breaking into the school's top 5 for career touchdowns.
#2 Nice Wit It
• Bradley had one of the best receiving seasons in school history in 2018. The Ackerman, Miss. native, caught a team-high 10 touchdowns and added 608 yards.
• Bradley's 10 touchdowns were the most by a receiver since the 1996 season. He also had a tremendous performance against South Alabama catching three touchdowns. Not only did that tie the most single game touchdowns among wide receivers in school history, it was also the most TD's caught in a single game since Jason Cherry nabbed a three-piece against North Texas in 2008.
Saved by the Jamal Bell
• Jamal Bell currently ranks second on the team with 22 receptions for 252 yards. He has recorded a reception in every game this season and at least two receptions in five out of the Ragin' Cajuns' six contests this year.
• Bell broke out onto the scene in the opener against Mississippi State. Bell caught a career-high eight balls for career high 113 yards.
• Not only is he just one of three players to eclipse the century mark in receiving yards in the last two years, he also owns the most receptions in the first game of the season since Gary Haynes on September 5, 2015 against Kentucky and the most receiving yards in an opener since Fred Stamps hauled in 115 yards against Southern on August 31, 2002.
• Bell also recorded the second most receiving yards in the conference during week one of play.
Old Reliable
• Kevin Dotson earned his 44th start on the offensive line against Appalachian State on Oct. 9.
• His 44 starts are tied for the most by any offensive lineman in the country along with Ethan Reed from Louisiana Tech.
Welcome to the Show
• O'Cyrus Torrence earned his first career start at left guard during the Sept. 7 game against Liberty.
• He became the first true freshman to start a game on the offensive line since Jesse Newman against ULM on Nov. 20, 2004.
• The newcomer has started in every game since.
Tossing the Ball Around the Yard
• Levi Lewis has been the rock of Louisiana's offense all season long.
• Lewis opened the 2019 season throwing for a career-high 267 yards with 24 completions on 39 attempts.
• Lewis' 267 passing yards is the most against a Power 5 school since Blaine Gautier threw for 315 yards against Arizona on Nov. 26, 2011.
• Furthermore, Lewis' 267 passing yards is the most in an opener since Chris Mason opened the season throwing for 283 yards against Southern on Sept. 5, 2009.
Inspector Jacques Boudreaux
• Jacques Boudreaux has picked up where he left off last season, currently leading the team with 43 tackles on the year.
• In his last two games, he has recorded double digit stops, posting 12 against Georgia Southern (Sept. 28) and 10 against Appalachian State (Oct. 9).
• Following his career performance against Georgia Southern, he garnered Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors, the first Ragin' Cajun to do so since Christian Ringo in 2014.
• Boudreaux had an incredible season in 2018, recording 93 total tackles, ranking fifth in the conference.
• Boudreaux also paced the team in average tackles per game with 6.6 which was tied for the 11th best in the conference.
Welcome Back Joe Dillon
• After missing all of last season with an injury, Joe Dillon is back on the gridiron making an impact.
• Dillon is tied for fifth on the team with 18 tackles on the year and tied for first with three sacks.
• The redshirt junior recorded his first sack of the season against Liberty on Sept. 9, his first since Oct. 12, 2017 against Texas State.
Manac Attack
• In five games played this season, Chauncey Manac has recorded 13 tackles and 2.0 sacks.
• Chauncey Manac wreaked havoc on the Liberty offensive line on Sept. 7, finishing the game with 3.0 tackles and 2.0 sacks.
• Manac became the first Ragin' Cajun defensive player to have more than 1.0 sacks in a game since Kevon Perry posted 2.0 against New Mexico State on Nov. 18, 2017.
Mike Sackquet III
• After flipping from playing offense to defense last season, Mike Jacquet III recorded his first career sack and forced fumble against Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens.
• The last defensive player to record a "strip sack" was Chaiziere Malbrue against New Mexico State last season and the last defensive back to record a "strip sack" in a game was Savion Brown against ULM on Dec. 3, 2016.
• Through six games, Jacquet is tied for fifth on the team with 18 tackles.
Byrns-ing the Competition
• Rhys Byrns had a career game against Appalachian State on Oct. 9, recording four, 50+-yard punts. He also put four punts inside the 20-yard line, another career high.
• Byrns set a career high for his longest punt in Louisiana's victory over Ohio on Sept. 21 by booting the ball 70 yards.
• His success has come despite limited action. The sophomore has had two games this season where he punted just once and was not utilized in Louisiana's dominant victory over Texas Southern on Sept. 14.
• Byrns is averaging 46.8 yards per punt this year, which has him on pace to set the school record. The current school record is 42.9, set by Daniel Cadona during the 2014 campaign.
Kenneth, We Have A Kickoff
• First-year kicker Kenneth Almendares has been successful on kickoff duty this season, recording touchbacks on 20 of his 37 attempts.
• The redshirt freshman had his name called 12 times against Texas Southern, notching seven touchbacks and totaling 722 yards.
P-Ar-Tigue
• In Sept. 14's victory over Texas Southern, Stevie Artigue nailed 11 extra points, the most in a single game in school history.
• The previous record was set during the 2013 when Stephen Brauchle converted 10 PATs against Nicholls State.
Artigue Watch
• Stevie Artigue has been a member of the Louisiana Football program since the 2015 season, and has racked up 232 total points in his career. After entering the season ranked ninth in program history for scoring, Artigue now ranks seventh all-time.
• Artigue is now three points shy of the sixth spot, which is held by Chrisitan "Keener" Cagle.
Groovin' and Cruisin' on a Saturday Afternoon
• The Louisiana offense has produced 12 drives that have been for 75-yards or more this season.
• Of the 12 drives, 11 have been for touchdowns.
• Louisiana's long drive of 99 yards, which came on Aug. 31 against Mississippi State, was the team's first 99-yard drive since Nov. 26, 2016 against Arkansas State.
• Additionally, the 99-yard touchdown drive is just the sixth 90+ yard touchdown drive in the last five years.
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