Louisiana Football Game 11 Preview: The Troy Game

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football team closes out the home portion of its 2024 regular-season schedule on Saturday when it hosts Sun Belt Conference rival Troy for Senior Day at Cajun Field.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp), Eric Mouton (color) and Ben Schafer (sideline) providing commentary. Fans can also listen to the game on the Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network with Dawson Eiserloh (pxp), Cody Junot (color) and Steve Peloquin (sideline) on the call.

Tickets for as low as $15 are available by purchasing on-line at RaginCajuns.com/Tickets and its social media platforms (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram).

Louisiana (8-2, 5-1 SBC) had its six-game win streak snapped last Saturday at home in a 24-22 setback to South Alabama. The Ragin' Cajuns fell behind, 24-3, at halftime before a furious second-half rally was halted as the Jaguars stopped a potential, game-tying two-point conversion with 1:16 remaining.

Redshirt senior quarterback Chandler Fields led the charge going 14-for-17 through the air for 185 yards and a touchdown. Fields' scored his second touchdown on the ground in as many weeks with a 2-yard scoring plunge.

Louisiana enters the game with Troy (3-7, 2-4 SBC) with a one-game lead over South Alabama, Arkansas State and Texas State in the SBC West Division standings. The Ragin' Cajuns, who look to reach the SBC Championship Game for the fifth time in seven years, will close out the regular-season next Saturday (Nov. 30) at ULM.

Troy has claimed its last two games after a 1-7 start, defeating Coastal Carolina at home before knocking off then-SBC East Division co-leader Georgia Southern last week.

The Trojans, under first-year coach Gerad Parker, are led on the ground by Damien Taylor (774 yards, 4 TDs) and Gerald Green (492 yards, 3 TDs) with quarterback Matthew Caldwell completing 65 percent of his passes (101-156-6) for 1,191 yards and eight TDs.

Devonte Ross has been Troy's top target on the season with 63 receptions for 878 yards and 10 TDs.

Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

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GAME 11 PREVIEW – Louisiana (9-1, 5-1 SBC) vs. Troy (3-7, 2-4 SBC)
Location: Cajun Field (25,000) | Lafayette, La.
Date | Time: Saturday, November 23 | 4 p.m.
Tickets: RaginCajuns.com/Tickets

TV/RADIO
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Dan McDonald (play-by-play), Eric Mouton (color), Ben Schafer (sideline)

Radio: Lafayette – Hot 107.9 FM; 103.3 The Goat, 1420 AM; New Orleans/Slidell – WGSO 990 AM; Worldwide – Varsity Network powered by Learfield
Talent: Dawson Eiserloh (play-by-play), Cody Junot (color), Steve Peloquin (sideline)

Live Stats: CajunStats.com

THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Overall: Troy leads, 11-9
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 7-6
In Troy: Troy leads, 5-2
Streak: Troy +2
First meeting: Louisiana, 64-0 – 11/8/1946 in Lafayette
Last Meeting: Troy, 31-24 – 11/18/2023 in Troy

LOUISIANA HOSTS TROY IN HOME FINALE
• Louisiana closes out its 2024 home schedule when it plays host to Sun Belt Conference West Division rival Troy.
• The game would mark the final regular-season contest at the stadium known as Cajun Field with the rebranded Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium becoming the official name beginning with the 2025 season.
• The game will mark the final regular-season home appearance for 19 players who will be honored in a pre-game ceremony.
• The Ragin' Cajuns look to secure a berth in the SBC Championship Game for the fifth time in the seven-year history of the game with Troy earning the previous two appearances in 2022-23.

A LOUISIANA WIN WOULD ...
• Clinch a share of the Sun Belt Conference West Division title.
• Keep Louisiana on pace for its fourth 10-win season in the past six years.
• Be head coach Michael Desormeaux's 22nd career win.
• Improve Desormeaux's record in SBC games to 13-10.
• Be Louisiana's 93rd overall win in Sun Belt Conference play.
• Snap a two-game losing streak to Troy.
• Give Louisiana a 4-2 record at Cajun Field.

UPCOMING LOUISIANA MILESTONES
• With 63 career field goals, kicker Kenneth Almendares is two shy of passing both Blake Grupe (Arkansas State) and Chandler Staton (App State) for the most field goals in Sun Belt Conference history.
• His 148 career PATs are three shy of tying Stevie Artigue's school-record (151) from 2015-19.
• Almendares and defensive lineman Mason Narcisse are each two games away from reaching the 60-games played mark.
• Redshirt freshman running back Bill Davis is 226 yards shy of reaching the 1,000-yard mark in his career.
• Cornerback Keyon Martin's next appearance will mark the 50th game of his collegiate career (17 at Youngstown State, 32 at Louisiana).
• Senior linebacker K.C. Ossai is two games shy of reach the 50-games played in his career.
• Ossai is 36 tackles shy of cracking the top-5 among linebackers in school history.

THE LOUISIANA-TROY SERIES
• Louisiana and Troy will officially meet for the 20th time with the Trojans holding an 11-9 advantage in the series.
• The schools first met in 1946 with Louisiana claiming a 64-0 win in Lafayette.
• Troy has claimed the last two meetings in the series, including a last-minute 23-17 victory in the last meeting (11/5/22) in Lafayette.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 7-6 against Troy in games played in Lafayette.

SALUTE TO THE SENIORS
• Twenty players, including many who played a part in Louisiana's 2021 Sun Belt Conference Championship team, will make their final regular-season appearance in a Ragin' Cajuns uniform in Saturday's game against Troy.
• The group will be honored in a pre-game ceremony.
• The list includes the following players: Kenneth Almendares (K), Antoine Baylis (DE), Jacob Bernard (WR), Landon Burton (C), Dalen Cambre (WR), Chandler Fields (QB), AJ Gillie (LG), Jax Harrington (RG), Lance LeGendre (WR), Tyrone Lewis Jr. (S), Keyon Martin (CB), Amir McDaniel (S), King McGowen (LT), Kadarius Miller (DL), Kyron Mims (DL), Mason Narcisse (DL), K.C. Ossai (LB), Tavion Smith (WR), Chaz Ward (TE) and Ben Wooldridge (QB).

ALMENDARES KEEPS PILING UP THE POINTS
• Kenneth Almendares continues his assault on the Louisiana career scoring record as he enters Saturday's game with a school-record 337 points.
• Almendares passed 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Elijah McGuire (318, 2013-16) in becoming the school's all-time leader against Arkansas State and now sets his sights on moving up the Sun Belt Conference.
• Almendares passed both Brian Davis (Arkansas State) and Diego Guajardo (South Alabama) for third place on the SBC career list and is 17 points from tying Blake Grupe (Arkansas State) for second.
• The top five scorers in Ragin' Cajuns history are below:

1. Kenneth Almendares (2018-) – 337
2. Elijah McGuire (2013-16) – 318
3. Stevie Artigue (2015-19) – 310
4. Tyrell Fenroy (2005-08) – 294
5. Brian Mitchell (1986-89) – 286

• The top five scorers in Sun Belt Conference history are:
1. Chandler Staton, App State (2017-21) – 464
2. Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (2018-21) – 354
3. Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (2018-) – 337
4. Brian Davis, Arkansas State, (2010-13) – 326
    Diego Guajardo, South Alabama (2019-23) – 326

ALMENDARES APPROACHING SUN BELT IMMORTALITY
• With the school's career field goal record (63) in hand, Almendares now looks to break the Sun Belt Conference record (64) currently held by former Arkansas State and current New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe and App State's Chandler Staton.
• The top six players in SBC history are listed below:

1.         64, Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (2018-21)
            64, Chandler Staton, App State (2017-21)
3.         63, Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (2018-)
4.         60, Austin Rehkow, Idaho (2014-16)
5.         58, Josh Arauco, Arkansas State (2006-09)
            58, Diego Guajardo, South Alabama (2019-23)

#BEN10 MOVING UP THE UL PASSING RECORDS
• Ben Wooldridge's 373 yards at Coastal Carolina increased his career total at Louisiana to 3,954 yards, passing current head coach Michael Desormeaux (3,893, 2005-08) for 10th-place in school history.
• The Pleasanton, Calif., native moved past Blaine Gautier (4,159, 2009-12) for ninth in school history after a 252-yard performance at Texas State.
• Against South Alabama, Wooldridge became the ninth player in Ragin' Cajuns history to reach the 5,000-yard mark in total offense, joining a group which includes Levi Lewis (10,271), Terrance Broadway (9,420), Jake Delhomme (8,876), Brian Mitchell (8,782), Jerry Babb (7,730) and Michael Desormeaux (6,736).
• The top quarterbacks in school history are listed below:

PASSING YARDS
1. Jake Delhomme (1993-96) – 9,216
2. Levi Lewis (2017-21) – 9,191
3. Terrance Broadway (2012-14) – 7,556
4. Jerry Babb (2003-06) – 6,241
5. Brian Mitchell (1986-89) – 5,447
6. Jon Van Cleave (2000-02) – 5,267
7. Chris Masson (2008-11) – 4,757
8. Roy Henry (1975-77) – 4,656
9. Ben Wooldridge (2021-) – 4,571
10. Blaine Gautier (2009-12) – 4,159
11. Michael Desormeaux (2005-08) – 3,893

PASSING TOUCHDOWNS
1. Levi Lewis (2017-21) – 74
2. Jake Delhomme (1993-96) – 64
3. Terrance Broadway (2012-14) – 49
4. Roy Henry (1975-77) – 40
5. Ben Wooldridge (2021-) – 37

TEAM NOTES
• Louisiana became the last FBS team nationally to lose a fumble this season in its Week 12 game against South Alabama.
• Louisiana has turned the ball over six times during the 2024 season to rank tied for second (Clemson, Georgia Tech, James Madison, Vanderbilt, UNLV) behind Army (3) among FBS schools.
• The Ragin' Cajuns have 84 players on its roster from the state of Louisiana to lead all in-state FBS schools.
• The Ragin' Cajuns have allowed 184.2 yards through the air in their first 10 games to lead the Sun Belt Conference and rank 22nd nationally in passing yards allowed.
• Louisiana has controlled the clock during the 2024 season ranking 12th nationally in time of possession (32:31 per game).
• Louisiana enters the week third in the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 40th nationally among FBS schools in total defense allowing 337.2 yards per game.
• Louisiana ranks fifth among all FBS teams in tackles for loss allowed (3.3 per game).
• Louisiana's third-down conversion percentage (.483) is second in the Sun Belt and is 12th among FBS programs.
• Seven players - King McGowen (OT), Kaden Moreau (OG), Quinton Williams (OT), Caden Jensen (TE), Zylan Perry (RB), Lorenzell Dubose (CB) and Carmycah Glass (LB) - have each earned their first career starts during the 2024 season.
• Thirteen players - Ben Wooldridge (QB), Lance LeGendre (WR), Terrance Carter (TE), Bill Davis (RB), Dre'lyn Washington (RB), Harvey Broussard (WR), Tavion Smith (WR), Landon Burton (C), Caleb Kibodi (LB), Chandler Fields (QB), Zylan Perry (RB) and Caden Jensen (TE) - have scored at least one touchdown this season for Louisiana.
• Louisiana's four interceptions against App State equaled its most in a game since October 30, 2010 at Ohio.
• Louisiana had a string of 18 consecutive quarters with a score snapped after going scoreless in the third quarter of its 34-24 win at Coastal Carolina.

POSITION NOTES - OFFENSE
Quarterbacks
• Chandler Fields, who started multiple games for Louisiana in both 2022 and 2023, completed 10 of 12 passes for 97 yards in three games as a backup before replacing an injured Wooldridge in the second half against South Alabama.
• Fields finished 14-for-17 through the air for 185 yards and a touchdown against South Alabama and helping Louisiana erase a 24-3 halftime deficit.
• Fields scored his first TD of the season with a 12-yard run in Louisiana's 55-19 win over Arkansas State.
• In his career, Fields has completed 238 of 376 passes (63.3) for 2,596 yards and 20 TDs.
• True freshman Daniel Beale made his collegiate debut in the fourth quarter of the Arkansas State game going 1-for-2 for three yards.

Running Backs
• Louisiana's 278-yard performance on the ground against Arkansas State was a season-high.
• Dre'lyn Washington posted a career-high 123 yards on the ground against A-State and had his first multi-TD game of his career.
• Louisiana gained 257 yards on the ground against Kennesaw State with Zylan Perry posting his first career 100-yard rushing game with a career-high 104 yards.
• Bill Davis recorded the second 100-yard rushing game of his career with 103 yards on nine attempts against Tulane. The redshirt freshman set up a third-quarter TD drive with a career-long, 73-yard rush to the Tulane 2.
• Washington's 64-yard touchdown run at Texas State eclipsed his previous high (62) set in the 2023 season-opener against Northwestern State.
• Walk-on Tylon Citizen gained 29 yards on five carries against Kennesaw State in his second career game.

Offensive Line
• Louisiana has used four different lineups up front in nine games.
• AJ Gillie (left guard) and Landon Burton (center) are the lone players to start every game at their current position.
• Jax Harrington returned to the lineup against Wake Forest after missing the previous two games due to injury.
• Bryant Williams, who made his first career start in the 2023 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, earned the start at left tackle in the season-opener against Grambling.
• Left guard AJ Gillie played and started in his 48th career game against South Alabama.
• Harrington (30 starts), George Jackson (26 starts) and Landon Burton (16 starts) are next in the most career starts for the Ragin' Cajuns.

Receivers/Tight Ends
• Nineteen players (including running backs) have recorded at least one reception this season.
• Five players - Terrance Carter (4), Lance LeGendre (4), Harvey Broussard (2), Caden Jensen (2) and Tavion Smith (2) - have at least two TD receptions in 2024.
• Lance LeGendre earned his second career start at wide receiver at Wake Forest and responded with career-highs in receptions (6), yards (123), touchdowns (2) and long reception (48).
• Converted running back Chaz Ward became the 19th player to catch a pass this season for Louisiana and his first since the 2021 season when he played at Lamar.

POSITION NOTES - DEFENSE
Defensive Line
• Jordan Lawson has 2.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss in Louisiana's win over Arkansas State.
• Lawson leads all defensive linemen with 26 tackles on the season.
• Louisiana native and Ball State transfer Kyron Mims tied a career-high with four tackles against Kennesaw State.
• Lafayette native and LSU transfer Fitzgerald West, Jr., has 14 tackles on the season with a career-high five coming at Texas State.
• Antoine Baylis notched Louisiana's first sack of the season in the Game 5 win at Southern Miss.
• Redshirt freshman Chase Edwards collected his first career sack in Louisiana's win over App State.
• Freshman Ashton Wright made his collegiate debut against Arkansas State and was credited with two tackles.
• Tulane transfer and local product Maxie Baudoin IV collected his first career tackle in a Louisiana uniform with a stop against Arkansas State.

Linebackers
• K.C. Ossai, the team leader with 95 stops in 2023, posted 17 tackles in the win at Coastal Carolina.
• Ossai leads Louisiana with 81 tackles on the season.
• Carmycah Glass and Cameron Whitfield are second and eighth respectively in tackles with 56 and 22.
• Whitfield's 4.0 sacks at Southern Miss tied a school-record that was last set by Chauncey Manac at Liberty in 2021.
• Caleb Kibodi's first career interception was a 50-yard TD against Grambling.
• Jaden Dugger (25 tackles, 2.5 TFL) played his first two seasons as a defensive back as FCS Georgetown before transferring to Louisiana.

Defensive Backs
• Keyon Martin recorded a team-high nine stops at Wake Forest to tie his career-best last set at Youngstown State in 2021.
• Tyrone Lewis picked off his fourth pass of the season against Arkansas State.
• Lewis leads all defensive backs in tackles (50) with Amir McDaniel (39) and Keyon Martin (36) next.
• Justin Agu earned his fourth career start in Louisiana's contest against Tulane.
• Agu's eight tackles at Wake Forest were a career-best.
• Tyree Skipper and Lewis had two interceptions each in Louisiana's win over App State.
• Amir McDaniel was credited with his second career sack against App State.
• Lorenzell Dubose earned his first career start against A-State and added six tackles.
• Redshirt freshman Kody Jackson picked off his first career pass in the fourth quarter against South Alabama.

POSITION NOTES - SPECIALISTS
Kickers/Punters/Returners
• Kenneth Almendares' 53-yard field goal in the third quarter against App State was his second from 50-plus yards this season and the longest of his career.
• Almendares' lone misses this season have been from beyond 50 yards - a 60-yarder at the end of the first half against App State and a 53-yard attempt at Coastal Carolina.
• Almendares is 63-for-74 (.851) in field goals in his career and ranks fourth in Sun Belt Conference history behind Louisiana's Brett Baer (90.0, 45-50), 2009-12), Troy's Brooks Buce (89.3, 25-28, 2021-22) and Younghoe Koo of Georgia Southern (88.6, 31-35, 2014-16).
• Dalen Cambre's blocked punt against Kennesaw State was the third of his career. The Lafayette native blocked punts against Texas State in 2022 and 2023 and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against Liberty in 2021.
• Cambre appeared in his 60th career game on November 16 against South Alabama.
• Zylan Perry led all FBS players in kickoff return yards in 2023 (862) and enters the week leading the Sun Belt Conference and ranked No. 13 nationally in kickoff return average (24.9).
• Perry's 57-yard return at Wake Forest set up Almendares' go-ahead 31-yard field goal in the final minute at Wake Forest.
• Punter Nathan Torney was the "Maytag Repair Man" after attempting three punts through the first four games of the season.
• Torney, the fourth Australian punter for UL since 2013, has averaged 48.8 yards per attempt over his last two games.
• Jacob Bernard's 32-yard punt return against Arkansas State was the longest this season and tied for his career best.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Louisiana Football Game 11 Preview: The Troy Game

Players Mentioned

Justin Agu

Kenneth Almendares

Maxie Baudoin IV

Antoine Baylis

Daniel Beale

Jacob Bernard

Harvey Broussard

Landon Burton

Dalen Cambre

Terrance Carter

Tylon Citizen

Bill Davis

Lorenzell Dubose

Jaden Dugger

Chase Edwards

Chandler Fields

AJ Gillie

Carmycah Glass

Jax Harrington

George Jackson

Kody Jackson

Caden Jensen

Caleb Kibodi

Jordan Lawson

Lance LeGendre

Tyrone Lewis

Keyon Martin

Amir McDaniel

King McGowen

Kadarius Miller

Kyron Mims

Kaden Moreau

Mason Narcisse

K.C. Ossai

Zylan Perry

Tyree Skipper

Tavion Smith

Nathan Torney

Chaz Ward

Dre’lyn Washington

Cameron Whitfield

Bryant Williams

Quinton Williams

Ben Wooldridge

Ashton Wright

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