University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
6-1 , 3-0
Coastal Carolina
4-3 , 1-2
Stellar Performances Lead Cajuns Past Coastal Carolina, 34-24
10/19/2024 7:11:00 PM | Football
Louisiana earns school-record seventh straight bowl berth
K.C. Ossai recorded 17 tackles – one off his career-high – while Kenneth Almendares booted a pair of field goals in becoming the school's all-time leader in field goals made as Louisiana (6-1, 3-0 SBC) recorded a season-high 516 yards of total offense and became bowl eligible for a school-record seventh consecutive season.
Louisiana built a 14-0 lead in the second quarter after Wooldridge, who completed 27 of 36 passes with three touchdowns in the air, connected with Lance LeGendre on a 33-yard scoring pass in the first quarter – capping an impressive seven-play, 98-yard drive – before finding Bill Davis on a 9-yard pass in the second.
Almendares would give Louisiana a 17-7 lead on his 45-yard field goal in the second quarter – the 54th of his career to move past Stevie Artigue (2015-19) for the school record.
Coastal Carolina (4-3, 1-2 SBC) cut the deficit to 17-14 at halftime when Braydon Bennett caught a 4-yard scoring pass from Noah Kim before the Chanticleers tied the game at 17-all with 5:16 left in the third quarter on Kade Hensley's 29-yard field goal.
Wooldridge would put the Ragin' Cajuns ahead as he capped a 12-play, 81-yard drive in the fourth quarter with a 1-yard sneak on fourth-and-goal. After Bennett tied the game on the ensuing possession on a 49-yard run down the left sideline, the Ragin' Cajuns would take the lead for good when Almendares' 38-yard field goal gave the Ragin' Cajuns a 27-24 lead with 5:58 remaining.
Ossai, whose career-best of 18 tackles was set in the 2023 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, helped the Ragin' Cajuns force a Chanticleer punt and Wooldridge would eventually roll out of pressure and connect with Carter on a 59-yard TD strike with 2:34 remaining.
Carter caught seven passes for Louisiana, tying his career best set two weeks ago at Southern Miss, while setting a career-best with 149 yards receiving. Davis ran for a career-high 110 yards for the Ragin' Cajuns and caught a career-high six passes for 52 yards.
Carmycah Glass added seven tackles for Louisiana, which improved to 2-0 in games played in Conway and claimed the first meeting between the schools since the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Championship Game was canceled the evening prior due to COVID-19.
Cameron Whitfield and Mason Narcisse each posted sacks for the Ragin' Cajuns, who won their fourth straight game.
Bennett rushed for 132 yards and added five receptions for Coastal Carolina while Kim came off the bench for starter Ethan Vask and was 16-for-25 through the air for 182 yards.
Louisiana will have a 10-day break before resuming play on Oct. 29 when it travels to San Marcos, Texas for a nationally-televised contest against SBC West Division rival Texas State.
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Team Stats
LA 7, CCU 0
LA - LeGendre,Lance 33 yd pass from Wooldridge,Ben (Almendares,Kenneth kick) 7 plays, 98 yards, TOP 03:53
LA 14, CCU 0
LA - Davis,Bill 9 yd pass from Wooldridge,Ben (Almendares,Kenneth kick) 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 04:20
LA 14, CCU 7
CCU - Karr,Kendall 11 yd pass from Kim,Noah (Hensley,Kade kick) 9 plays, 76 yards, TOP 03:33
LA 17, CCU 7
LA - Almendares,Kenneth 45 yd field goal 11 plays, 47 yards, TOP 05:39
LA 17, CCU 14
CCU - Bennett,Braydon 4 yd pass from Kim,Noah (Hensley,Kade kick) 10 plays, 90 yards, TOP 02:22
LA 17, CCU 17
CCU - Hensley,Kade 29 yd field goal 10 plays, 68 yards, TOP 04:34
LA 24, CCU 17
LA - Wooldridge,Ben 1 yd run (Almendares,Kenneth kick), 12 plays, 81 yards, TOP 07:22
LA 24, CCU 24
CCU - Bennett,Braydon 49 yd run (Hensley,Kade kick), 4 plays, 73 yards, TOP 01:52
LA 27, CCU 24
LA - Almendares,Kenneth 38 yd field goal 9 plays, 55 yards, TOP 04:54
LA 34, CCU 24
LA - Carter,Terrance 59 yd pass from Wooldridge,Ben (Almendares,Kenneth kick) 6 plays, 76 yards, TOP 02:30
