Louisiana Football Game 13 Preview: The Sun Belt Conference Championship Game

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football team looks to secure its second conference title in the past four seasons on Saturday when it plays host to Marshall in the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Football Championship at Cajun Field.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on ESPN with Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst) and Lauren Sisler (sideline) providing commentary.

Fans can listen to the game on the Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network with Jay Walker (play-by-play), Cody Jonut (analyst) and Dawson Eiserloh (sideline) on the call. Fans can also listen to the national broadcast on the Gridiron Football Network with Noah Britt (play-by-play), Jon Reynolds (color), Faxon Childress (sideline) on the call.

Live stats will be available at www.CajunStats.com.

Louisiana (10-2, 7-1 SBC) earned its league-high fifth trip to the SBC Championship Game after defeating ULM, 37-23, in the regular-season finale. The Ragin' Cajuns return to the championship game for the first time since defeating App State, 24-16, in the 2021 title game at Cajun Field.

Marshall (9-3, 7-1 SBC) enters the game on a six-game winning streak, capped by a thrilling come-from-behind victory at James Madison last week. The Thundering Herd, who is making their first trip in the SBC Championship Game, trailed 17-0 at halftime before rallying to earn a 35-33 double-overtime victory.

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.

Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (@RaginCajunsFB) to stay up-to-date on Louisiana Football.

2024 HERCULES TIRES SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Louisiana (10-2, 7-1 SBC) vs. Marshall (9-3, 7-1 SBC)
Location: Cajun Field (25,000) | Lafayette, La.
Date | Time: Saturday, December 7 | 6:30 p.m.

TV/RADIO
TV: ESPN
Talent: Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (color), Lauren Sisler (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)

National Radio: Gridiron Radio Network
Talent: Noah Britt (play-by-play), Jon Reynolds (color), Faxon Childress (sideline)

Live Stats: CajunStats.com

THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Overall: Louisiana leads, 2-0
In Lafayette: First meeting
In Huntington: Louisiana leads, 1-0
In New Orleans: Louisiana leads, 1-0
Streak: Louisiana +2
First meeting: Louisiana, 36-21 – 12/18/2021 in New Orleans
Last Meeting: Louisiana, 23-13 – 10/12/2022 in Huntington

LOUISIANA, MARSHALL TO MEET IN HERCULES TIRE SBC CHAMPIONSHIP
• SBC West Division champion Louisiana makes its fifth appearance in the Hercules Tire Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game on Saturday when it faces East Division champion Marshall.
• The Ragin' Cajuns return to the SBC Championship Game for the first time since 2021 when they defeated App State, 24-16, at Cajun Field.
• Louisiana earned berths in the first four events in the game's seven-year history, falling to App State (2018-19) before the 2020 contest at Coastal Carolina was cancelled due to COVID.
• Louisiana and Marshall meet for the third time overall since first squaring off in the 2021 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl – a 36-21 Ragin' Cajuns victory.

A LOUISIANA WIN WOULD ...
• Officially be its 10th conference title in school history and fourth since joining the Sun Belt Conference.
• Mark the third time in school history with 11 or more wins in a season, joining the 2021 (13) and 2019 (11) squads.
• Improve its official record in SBC Championship Games to 2-2.
• Give the Ragin' Cajuns a 5-2 record at home – their most home wins since going 7-0 in 2021.
• Be head coach Michael Desormeaux's 24th career win.

UPCOMING LOUISIANA MILESTONES
• Kicker Kenneth Almendares and defensive lineman Mason Narcisse will each make their 61st career appearance - all at Louisiana - against Marshall.
• Redshirt freshman running back Bill Davis is 34 yards shy of reaching the 1,000-yard mark in his career.
• Davis is one rushing touchdown shy of becoming the first Cajuns' back since Elijah Mitchell (16, 2019) to record 10-or-more rushing TDs in a single season.
• Senior linebacker K.C. Ossai will play in his 51st career game on Saturday.
• Ossai, with 266 career tackles, is four tackles shy of cracking the top-5 among linebackers in school history.

THE LOUISIANA-MARSHALL SERIES
• Louisiana and Marshall meet for the third time overall with the Ragin' Cajuns claiming the previous two meetings in the series.
• The teams first met in the 2021 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl where Louisiana claimed a 36-21 victory on December 19, 2021.
• The game marked the head coaching debut for Louisiana's Michael Desormeaux, who replaced Billy Napier (Florida) as head coach on December 5, 2021 - one day after Louisiana claimed the Sun Belt Conference Championship at Cajun Field.
• Louisiana and Marshall met for the first time as Sun Belt Conference opponents on October 12, 2022 with the Ragin' Cajuns claiming a 23-13 win in a nationally-televised contest in Huntington, W.Va.

LOUISIANA IN THE SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
• Louisiana's upcoming fifth appearance in the Hercules Tire Sun Belt Conference Championship is the most of all league institutions.
• Louisiana has faced App State (2018, 2019, 2021) the most of all schools in the league and were scheduled against Coastal Carolina (2020) in a game which was cancelled due to COVID-19.
• The Ragin' Cajuns traveled to face App State in both 2018 (Lost, 30-19) and 2019 (Lost, 45-38) before claiming their first title with a 24-16.

CHAMPIONSHIP CAJUNS
• In its 123-year history on the gridiron, Louisiana has recorded 10 conference titles, including four Sun Belt Conference crowns.
• Louisiana claimed back-to-back titles (1993-94) as members of the Big West Conference and claimed its first SBC title in 2005.
• The 2021 SBC title saw Louisiana finish with 13 straight victories, including a New Orleans Bowl victory over Marshall in Michael Desormeaux's head coaching debut.

1952 – Gulf States Conference
1965 – Gulf States Conference
1968 – Gulf States Conference
1970 – Gulf States Conference
1993 – Big West Conference
1994 – Big West Conference
2005 – Sun Belt Conference
2013 – Sun Belt Conference*
2020 – Sun Belt Conference†
2021 – Sun Belt Conference

* - vacated
† - game not played; declared co-champions with Coastal Carolina

"ROIS" ("KINGS" in FRENCH) OF THE ROAD
• With a 6-0 record in road games during the 2024 season, Louisiana became the second team in school history and the first since the COVID 2020 season to win six or more games away from the friendly confines of Cajun Field.
• The 1970 Louisiana team finished a perfect 5-0 on the road with three teams - 1908 (3-0), 1944 (3-0) and 1943 (2-0) - posting unbeaten records in seasons with multiple road games.

THE (RECORD) BOOK OF ALMENDARES ... LOU GROZA FINALIST
• Named on November 26 as a Lou Groza Award finalist, Kenneth Almendares continues to add to his Louisiana career scoring record as he enters Saturday's game with 359 points.
• The list of records set by the Clute, Texas native is like a broken record beginning with most points scored in Ragin' Cajuns history:

1. Kenneth Almendares (2018-) – 359
2. Elijah McGuire (2013-16) – 318
3. Stevie Artigue (2015-19) – 310
4. Tyrell Fenroy (2005-08) – 294
5. Brian Mitchell (1986-89) – 286

• In Sun Belt Conference history, Almendares moved past Blake Grupe (currently with the New Orleans Saints) into second place on the league's all-time scoring list after scoring seven points at ULM:
1. Chandler Staton, App State (2017-21) – 464
2. Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (2018-) – 359
3. Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (2018-21) – 354
4. Brian Davis, Arkansas State, (2010-13) – 326
Diego Guajardo, South Alabama (2019-23) – 326

• With three field goals in a 51-30 win over Troy, Almendares increased his career total of field goals to 66 and breaking the previous Sun Belt Conference record (64) set by Grupe and App State's Chandler Staton.
• The top six players in SBC history are listed below:

1. 67, Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana (2018-)
2. 64, Blake Grupe, Arkansas State (2018-21)
64, Chandler Staton, App State (2017-21)
4. 60, Austin Rehkow, Idaho (2014-16)
5. 58, Josh Arauco, Arkansas State (2006-09)
58, Diego Guajardo, South Alabama (2019-23)

• Almendares added the single-season record in points scored (117) in Louisiana's win over Troy with his 25 made field goals this season shattering the record (20) set by Brett Baer in 2012.

SEASONED CAJUNS
• Nine players on the current 2024 Louisiana roster, highlighted by Dalen Cambre, Kenneth Almendares and Mason Narcisse, have played in 40 or more games in their career in a Ragin' Cajuns uniform.
• The list of players with games played at UL is below:
Dalen Cambre (WR) – 62
Kenneth Almendares (K) – 60
Mason Narcisse (DL) – 60
Jacob Bernard (WR) – 50
AJ Gillie (LG) – 50
K.C. Ossai (LB) – 50
Amir McDaniel (S) – 48
Tyrone Lewis Jr. (S) – 47
Cameron Whitfield (LB) – 40

THEY WERE THERE THE LAST TIME ...
• Thirty-four players on the current roster were members of the 2021 team which hosted the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game with eight seeing action in a reserve role during Louisiana's 24-16 win over App State.

Chandler Fields (QB) – 0-for-2 passing
Jacob Bernard (WR) – No stats
Mason Narcisse (DL) – 1 tackle
K.C. Ossai (LB) – 1 tackle
Amir McDaniel (S) – 1 tackle
Dalen Cambre (WR/H) – No Stats
Cameron Whitfield (LB) – No Stats
King McGowen (OT) – No Stats

• Members of the current 2024 team who were at Louisiana in 2021 include:
Tyrone Lewis Jr., Ben Wooldridge, Caleb Anderson, Lance LeGendre, Kendrell Williams, Dre'lyn Washington, Terrence Williams, Tyree Skipper, Jalen Clark, Logan Klotz, Kenneth Almendares, Caleb Kibodi, Jordan Lawson, Hunter Sims, AJ Gillie, Landon Burton, Mackey Maillho, George Jackson, Rhett Guidry, Justin Agu, Robert Williams, Jax Harrington, Jake St. Andre, Key'Savalyn Barnes, Trayv'on Culbert, Dale Martin.

TEAM NOTES
• Louisiana became the last FBS team nationally to lose a fumble this season in its Week 12 game against South Alabama.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are second behind San Diego State (1) in lost fumbles on the season.
• Louisiana has turned the ball over eight times during the 2024 season to rank behind Army (5) and Vanderbilt (7) among FBS schools.
• Louisiana is +12 in turnover margin in 2024 to rank ninth nationally.
• 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 189.1 yards through the air on the season to rank second in the Sun Belt Conference and 29th nationally in passing yards allowed.
• Louisiana is second nationally in red zone offense converting on 94.7 percent (54-for-57) of its opportunities.
• Louisiana has controlled the clock during the 2024 season ranking 21st nationally in time of possession (31:54 per game).
• Louisiana enters the week second in the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 44th nationally among FBS schools in total defense allowing 341.8 yards per game.
• Louisiana ranks fourth among all FBS teams in tackles for loss allowed (3.58 per game).
• Louisiana's third-down conversion percentage (.464) is second in the Sun Belt and is 18th among FBS programs.
• Eight players - King McGowen (OT), Kaden Moreau (OG), Quinton Williams (OT), Caden Jensen (TE), Zylan Perry (RB), Lorenzell Dubose (CB), Cody Jackson (S) and Carmycah Glass (LB) - have each earned their first career starts during the 2024 season.
• Fourteen players - Ben Wooldridge (QB), Lance LeGendre (WR), Terrance Carter (TE), Bill Davis (RB), Dre'lyn Washington (RB), Harvey Broussard (WR), Tavion Smith (WR), Robert Williams (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.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Louisiana Football Game 13 Preview: The Sun Belt Conference Championship Game

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Justin Agu

Kenneth Almendares

Caleb Anderson

Key'Savalyn Barnes

Jacob Bernard

Harvey Broussard

Landon Burton

Dalen Cambre

Terrance Carter

Jalen Clark

Trayv'on Culbert

Bill Davis

Lorenzell Dubose

Chandler Fields

AJ Gillie

Carmycah Glass

Rhett Guidry

Jax Harrington

George Jackson

Caden Jensen

Caleb Kibodi

Logan Klotz

Jordan Lawson

Lance LeGendre

Tyrone Lewis

Mackey Maillho

Dale Martin

Amir McDaniel

King McGowen

Kaden Moreau

Mason Narcisse

K.C. Ossai

Zylan Perry

Hunter Sims

Tyree Skipper

Tavion Smith

Jake St. Andre

Dre’lyn Washington

Cameron Whitfield

Kendrell Williams

Quinton Williams

Robert Williams

Terrence Williams

Ben Wooldridge

Related Videos

Footer