Cajuns Drop 24-14 Slugest To James Madison

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Alonza Barrett III threw three touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score early in the fourth quarter, to lead James Madison past the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, 24-14, in Sun Belt Conference action Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field.

Wayne Knight rushed for 111 yards as James Madison (5-1, 3-0 SBC) picked up its fourth straight win and its first-ever victory over Louisiana (2-4, 1-1 SBC).

Barrett finished 26-for-40 through the air for 290 yards, connecting with Landon Ellis six times for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

After a scoreless first quarter, Louisiana broke through with 8:33 left in the first half when Lunch Winfield found Brock Chappell on a 5-yard scoring pass to cap a six-play, 80-yard drive. A 40-yard reception by Robert Williams and two key penalties helped set up the score.

The Ragin' Cajuns nearly added to their lead, but a 51-yard field goal attempt by Tony Sterner was blocked. The Dukes capitalized on the momentum, driving 60 yards in five plays to even the score on a 5-yard Barrett-to-Ellis touchdown pass following a 49-yard burst from Knight.

Louisiana regained the lead late in the half when Dale Martin took a slant pass from Winfield and sprinted 69 yards to the end zone, putting the Cajuns ahead 14-7 with 3:16 left before halftime.

James Madison answered quickly after the break, using a double-reverse trick play on the first snap of the second half. Barrett found Ellis wide open downfield for a 62-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14-14.

The Dukes pulled ahead for good in the fourth quarter when Barrett connected with Ellis again from 18 yards out with 12:33 remaining. Morgan Suarez added a 24-yard field goal with 3:05 left to seal the win.

Winfield set career highs with 14 completions on 28 attempts for 243 yards — the most passing yards allowed by JMU this season. Williams caught five passes for a career-high 134 yards, while Jaden Dugger led the Ragin' Cajuns defense with a career-best 12 tackles.

Tyree Skipper, Courtline Flowers and Terrence Williams each forced fumbles for Louisiana, and Collin Jacob recorded his first career interception in the third quarter.

Louisiana returns home next Saturday to host Southern Miss for its annual Homecoming Game at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m., with live coverage on ESPN+.

Single-game tickets are available for as low as $25 and can be purchased through RaginCajuns.com and its social media platforms (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram).

New this season, fans can park on the athletic footprint on a single-game basis for just $20 per game by clicking here. Fans will also be able to purchase single-game tailgate spots beginning at $100 by clicking here.

Fans are encouraged to stay connected with Louisiana Football by downloading the official #GeauxCajuns App — click here for iOS and here for Android — and by following the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@RaginCajunsFB).

Cajuns Drop 24-14 Slugest To James Madison

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Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Brock Chappell

Jaden Dugger

Courtline Flowers

Collin Jacob

Dale Martin

Tyree Skipper

Tony Sterner

Robert Williams

Terrence Williams

Lunch Winfield