Louisiana Football Game 9 Preview: The Arkansas State Game

LAFAYETTE – After playing four of its last five games on the road, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football team celebrates Homecoming on Saturday when it entertains Sun Belt Conference West Division rival Arkansas State at Cajun Field.

Kickoff is set 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 Jay Walker (pxp), Cody Junot (color) and Dawson Eiserloh (sideline) on the call.

Louisiana (7-1, 4-0 SBC) opens the second half of its SBC schedule facing A-State (5-3, 3-1 SBC) for the 53^rd time in school history. The game against the Red Wolves marks the first of three straight games at home for the Ragin' Cajuns, who will host South Alabama (Nov. 16) and Troy (Nov. 23) before finishing the regular season at ULM (Nov. 30).

Ben Wooldridge has led a unit ranked third in the SBC in both total offense (440.9) and scoring offense (32.8) while ranking second nationally behind Army in turnovers lost (4).

Led by K.C. Ossai (65 tackles) and Carmycah Glass (46 tackles), Louisiana leads the league in total defense (327.3) and is second in the SBC in scoring defense (22.1).

Single-game tickets for Louisiana's six home games – which include remaining games against Arkansas State (Nov. 9), South Alabama (Nov. 16) and Troy (Nov. 23) – are currently on sale now. Tickets start as low as $15 and can be purchased through RaginCajuns.com and its social media platforms (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram).

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 9 PREVIEW – Louisiana (7-1, 4-0 SBC) vs. Arkansas State (5-3, 3-1 SBC)
Location: Cajun Field (25,000) | Lafayette, La.
Date | Time: Saturday, November 9 | 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: Jay Walker (play-by-play), Cody Junot (color), Dawson Eiserloh (sideline)

Live Stats: CajunStats.com

THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Overall: Louisiana leads, 29-22-1
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 18-8
In Jonesboro: A-State leads, 13-11-1
Neutral Sites: A-State leads, 1-0
Streak: A-State +1
First meeting: A-State, 13-12 – 10/17/1953 in Jonesboro
Last Meeting: A-State, 37-17 – 11/4/2023 in Jonesboro

LOUISIANA CELEBRATES HOMECOMING AGAINST ARKANSAS STATE
• Louisiana returns home for its next three games beginning on Saturday when it faces Arkansas State in the annual Homecoming Game on Saturday at Cajun Field.
• The Ragin' Cajuns return home after defeating Texas State, 23-17, in a nationally-televised contest in San Marcos, Texas.
• Louisiana enters the weekend as the lone unbeaten team in Sun Belt Conference play and has won five consecutive games, including four on the road.
• The meeting against Arkansas State will be the 53rd between the schools with Louisiana holding a 29-22-1 advantage.

A LOUISIANA WIN WOULD ...
• Be its sixth straight victory
• Give the Ragin' Cajuns a 8-1 overall record and 5-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference play.
• Give Louisiana its first six-game win streak since 2021 when it reeled off 13 straight wins.
• Be its sixth victory over Arkansas State in the past seven meetings.
• Be its 13th against A-State in the past 14 games at Cajun Field dating back to 1994.
• Be head coach Michael Desormeaux's 21st career win.
• Improve Desormeaux's record in SBC games to 12-9.
• Be Louisiana's 92nd overall win in Sun Belt Conference play.
• Be snap a two-game losing streak in Homecoming games.

UPCOMING LOUISIANA MILESTONES
• With 314 career points, kicker Kenneth Almendares is five points shy of passing Elijah McGuire (318, 2013-16) for the school's all-time career mark.
• Almendares, who has converted on a school-record 58 field goals in his career, passed Stevie Artigue (2015-19) for the school record with two field goals in a 34-24 win at Coastal Carolina on Oct. 19.
• His 140 PATs are 11 shy of tying Artigue's school-record (151).
• Redshirt freshman running back Bill Davis is 291 yards shy of reaching the 1,000-yard mark in his career.
• Ben Wooldridge is 163 yards shy of tying Roy Henry (4,793, 1975-77) for 10th place in total offense in school history.
• Wooldridge is 450 yards shy of tying Henry (4,656) for eighth place in total passing yards.

THE LOUISIANA-ARKANSAS STATE SERIES
• Louisiana and Arkansas State will meet for the 53rd time with the Ragin' Cajuns holding a 29-22-1 lead in the series.
• The A-State series is the fifth-longest in Ragin' Cajuns history trailing Louisiana Tech (85), Northwestern State (73), ULM (59) and Southern Miss (55).
• Louisiana has won five of the last six meetings in the series which dates back to 1953.
• A-State handed Louisiana a 37-17 setback in last year's game in Jonesboro snapping the Ragin' Cajuns five-game win streak in the series.
• The Ragin' Cajuns hold an 18-8 lead in the series in games played in Lafayette with Louisiana claiming 12 of the last 13 contests dating back to 1994.

#KENNYTHEKICKER MOVING UP THE SCORING LIST
• Kenneth Almendares continues his assault on the Louisiana career scoring record as he enters Saturday's game with 314 points.
• Almendares is five points shy of passing 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Elijah McGuire (318, 2013-16) in becoming the school's all-time leader.
• The top five scorers in Ragin' Cajuns history are below:

1. Elijah McGuire (2013-16) – 318
2. Kenneth Almendares (2018-) – 314
3. Stevie Artigue (2015-19) – 310
4. Tyrell Fenroy (2005-08) – 294
5. Brian Mitchell (1986-89) – 286

ALMENDARES APPROACHING SUN BELT IMMORTALITY
• With the school's career field goal record (58) in hand, Almendares now sets his sights on the Sun Belt Conference record (64) set by former Arkansas State and current New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe and App State's Chandler Staton.
• With two field goals, Almendares would become the fourth player in league history to reach 60 in his career.
• The top six players in SBC history are listed below:

T1. 64, Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (2018-21)
T1. 64, Chandler Staton, App State (2017-21)
3. 60, Austin Rehkow, Idaho (2014-16)
T4. 58, Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (2018-)
T4. 58, Josh Arauco, Arkansas State (2006-09)
T4. 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
• 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-) – 4,206
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-) – 36

TEAM NOTES
• Louisiana is the lone FBS team nationally which has not lost a fumble this season.
• Louisiana has turned the ball over four times during the 2024 season to rank second behind Army (1) 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 170.6 yards through the air in their first eight games to lead the Sun Belt Conference and rank 16th nationally in passing yards allowed.
• Louisiana has controlled the clock during the 2024 season ranking 11th nationally in time of possession (32:43 per game).
• Louisiana enters the week leading the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 32nd nationally among FBS schools in total defense allowing 327.3 yards per game.
• Louisiana ranks 13th among all FBS teams in tackles for loss allowed (3.8 per game).
• Louisiana's third-down conversion percentage (.490) leads the Sun Belt and is 11th in FBS.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are third in the SBC and 26th nationally in total offense (440.9).
• Six players - King McGowen (OT), Kaden Moreau (OG), Quinton Williams (OT), Caden Jensen (TE), Zylan Perry (RB) and Carmycah Glass (LB) - have each earned their first career starts during the 2024 season.
• Twelve 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), 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.

Louisiana Football Game 9 Preview: The Arkansas State Game

Players Mentioned

Kenneth Almendares

Harvey Broussard

Landon Burton

Terrance Carter

Bill Davis

Carmycah Glass

Caden Jensen

Caleb Kibodi

Lance LeGendre

King McGowen

Kaden Moreau

K.C. Ossai

Zylan Perry

Tavion Smith

Dre’lyn Washington

Quinton Williams

Ben Wooldridge

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