University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Thursday, November 20
Jonesboro, Ark.
6:30 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Arkansas State
Louisiana Football Preview: at Arkansas State
11/18/2025 1:19:00 PM | Football
Ragin' Cajuns, Red Wolves set to face off in nationally-televised battle
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Football team continues its quest for an eighth consecutive postseason berth when it travels to Jonesboro, Ark., for a nationally-televised battle on Thursday against Sun Belt Conference rival Arkansas State at Centennial Bank Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The game will be available nationally on ESPN with Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (color), and Harry Lyles Jr. (sideline) on the call. Fans can listen to coverage on the Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network with Jay Walker (play-by-play), Cody Junot (color), and Dan McDonald (sideline) providing commentary.
Louisiana (4-6, 3-3 SBC) returns to play after a 12-day hiatus as it faces A-State (5-5, 4-2 SBC) for the 54th time on the gridiron. The Ragin' Cajuns own a 30-22-1 advantage in the series that dates back to 1953 and have won seven of the last 10 matchups.
The Ragin' Cajuns built a 35-17 lead in their last game against Texas State on November 8 and held off the Bobcats, 42-39. Lunch Winfield tossed three touchdown passes – two to Shelton Sampson Jr. – and rushed for a pair of scores in leading Louisiana to its second straight victory and 13th straight over the Bobcats.
Bill Davis added 87 yards on the ground with a 12-yard scoring run, and Louisiana forced a pair of turnovers in a 28-point second quarter.
Arkansas State, which started 1-4 on the season, had its four-game win streak snapped on November 8 in a 27-21 loss to Southern Miss. The Red Wolves enter Thursday's game 12th in scoring offense (23.3 points per game) and fifth in scoring defense, allowing 26.5 points.
Veteran quarterback Jaylen Raynor is second in the league behind Texas State's Brad Jackson in passing yards (2,454) and is third overall in total offense with 2,808 yards on the season.
After facing A-State, Louisiana will return to action on November 29 when it closes out the regular season against ULM in a 2 p.m. contest at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium.
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).
GAME 11 PREVIEW – Louisiana (4-6, 3-3 SBC) at Arkansas State (5-5, 4-2 SBC)
Location: Centennial Bank Stadium (30,382) | Jonesboro, Ark.
Date/Time: Thursday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m.
TV/RADIO
TV: ESPN
Talent: Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Harry Lyles Jr. (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 (analyst), Dan McDonald (sideline)
LIVE STATS
Available at CajunStats.StatBroadcast.com
SERIES RECORD
Overall : Louisiana leads, 30-22-1
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 19-9
In Jonesboro: Louisiana leads, 13-11-1
Last 10 Meetings: Louisiana, 7-3
Streak: Louisiana +1
KICKING OFF
• Louisiana continues its quest for an eighth consecutive bowl appearance when it travels to face Sun Belt Conference West Division rival Arkansas State in the 54th all-time meeting between the schools.
LOUISIANA STORYLINES
• The 53-game series with A-State is the fifth longest in school history for Louisiana, trailing Louisiana Tech (85), Northwestern State (73), ULM (60) and Southern Miss (56).
• Louisiana has won six of the last seven meetings against the Red Wolves, with its 55-19 victory in 2024 marking the largest margin victory for the Ragin' Cajuns in series history.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings against the Red Wolves, including wins in both 2019 (37-20) and 2021 (28-27) in Jonesboro.
• Thursday night's battles pits two of the three remaining charter members of the Sun Belt Conference in football (Louisiana, Arkansas State, ULM).
• Louisiana has seen 18 freshmen, including five true freshmen (Trenton Chaney, Brent Gordon Jr., Brek Schultz, Jakoby Isom, Darrell Smith), earn playing time during the 2025 season.
• Fourteen different players, not including three who played at the FCS level, have earned their first career starts for Louisiana during the 2025 season.
• Lunch Winfield became the third different player (Walker Howard/Daniel Beale) to start at quarterback this season for the Ragin' Cajuns when he earned the start at James Madison on October 11.
• Louisiana has used six different starting lineups on the offensive line in 10 games this season.
• Only two offensive linemen - Cooper Fordham and Jax Harrington - have started every game this season.
• Harrington will make his 51st career appearance for Louisiana against Arkansas State.
• Fordham has anchored the line at center in all 10 games with Harrington splitting time at both right guard (4 games) and right tackle (5 games).
"SHOW ME MY OPPONENT ..."
• Arkansas State rebounded from a 1-4 start, winning four straight games before being edged by Southern Miss in its last game on November 8.
• The Red Wolves enter Thursday's game 12th in scoring offense (23.3 points per game) and fifth in scoring defense allowing 26.5 points.
• A-State has averaged 377.4 yards of total offense on the season to rank eighth in the league while the Red Wolves are 11th in yards allowed at 417.5.
• Veteran quarterback Jaylen Raynor is second in the league behind Texas State's Brad Jackson in passing yards (2,454) and is third overall in total offense with 2,808 yards on the season.
• Chauncy Cobb's 61 receptions on the season leads A-State with Corey Rucker continuing a stellar career with 51 catches for 656 yards and a touchdown.
• Aaron Alexander leads the Red Wolves with 63 stops on the season with Avante Dickerson's two interceptions leading the team.
THE LOUISIANA-ARKANSAS STATE SERIES
• The series with Arkansas State dates back to the 1953 season when the Red Wolves earned a 13-12 victory on October 17 in Jonesboro.
• Louisiana leads the all-time series, 30-22-1, with the Red Wolves holding a 13-11-1 advantage in games played in Jonesboro.
• The series is the fifth-oldest in Ragin' Cajuns history and the third-longest among current Sun Belt Conference schools.
WHAT'S ON TAP
• Louisiana closes out the regular season at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium on November 29, hosting in-state opponent ULM.
• Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., and will be televised on ESPN+.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The game will be available nationally on ESPN with Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (color), and Harry Lyles Jr. (sideline) on the call. Fans can listen to coverage on the Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network with Jay Walker (play-by-play), Cody Junot (color), and Dan McDonald (sideline) providing commentary.
Louisiana (4-6, 3-3 SBC) returns to play after a 12-day hiatus as it faces A-State (5-5, 4-2 SBC) for the 54th time on the gridiron. The Ragin' Cajuns own a 30-22-1 advantage in the series that dates back to 1953 and have won seven of the last 10 matchups.
The Ragin' Cajuns built a 35-17 lead in their last game against Texas State on November 8 and held off the Bobcats, 42-39. Lunch Winfield tossed three touchdown passes – two to Shelton Sampson Jr. – and rushed for a pair of scores in leading Louisiana to its second straight victory and 13th straight over the Bobcats.
Bill Davis added 87 yards on the ground with a 12-yard scoring run, and Louisiana forced a pair of turnovers in a 28-point second quarter.
Arkansas State, which started 1-4 on the season, had its four-game win streak snapped on November 8 in a 27-21 loss to Southern Miss. The Red Wolves enter Thursday's game 12th in scoring offense (23.3 points per game) and fifth in scoring defense, allowing 26.5 points.
Veteran quarterback Jaylen Raynor is second in the league behind Texas State's Brad Jackson in passing yards (2,454) and is third overall in total offense with 2,808 yards on the season.
After facing A-State, Louisiana will return to action on November 29 when it closes out the regular season against ULM in a 2 p.m. contest at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium.
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).
GAME 11 PREVIEW – Louisiana (4-6, 3-3 SBC) at Arkansas State (5-5, 4-2 SBC)
Location: Centennial Bank Stadium (30,382) | Jonesboro, Ark.
Date/Time: Thursday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m.
TV/RADIO
TV: ESPN
Talent: Matt Barrie (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Harry Lyles Jr. (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 (analyst), Dan McDonald (sideline)
LIVE STATS
Available at CajunStats.StatBroadcast.com
SERIES RECORD
Overall : Louisiana leads, 30-22-1
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 19-9
In Jonesboro: Louisiana leads, 13-11-1
Last 10 Meetings: Louisiana, 7-3
Streak: Louisiana +1
KICKING OFF
• Louisiana continues its quest for an eighth consecutive bowl appearance when it travels to face Sun Belt Conference West Division rival Arkansas State in the 54th all-time meeting between the schools.
LOUISIANA STORYLINES
• The 53-game series with A-State is the fifth longest in school history for Louisiana, trailing Louisiana Tech (85), Northwestern State (73), ULM (60) and Southern Miss (56).
• Louisiana has won six of the last seven meetings against the Red Wolves, with its 55-19 victory in 2024 marking the largest margin victory for the Ragin' Cajuns in series history.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings against the Red Wolves, including wins in both 2019 (37-20) and 2021 (28-27) in Jonesboro.
• Thursday night's battles pits two of the three remaining charter members of the Sun Belt Conference in football (Louisiana, Arkansas State, ULM).
• Louisiana has seen 18 freshmen, including five true freshmen (Trenton Chaney, Brent Gordon Jr., Brek Schultz, Jakoby Isom, Darrell Smith), earn playing time during the 2025 season.
• Fourteen different players, not including three who played at the FCS level, have earned their first career starts for Louisiana during the 2025 season.
• Lunch Winfield became the third different player (Walker Howard/Daniel Beale) to start at quarterback this season for the Ragin' Cajuns when he earned the start at James Madison on October 11.
• Louisiana has used six different starting lineups on the offensive line in 10 games this season.
• Only two offensive linemen - Cooper Fordham and Jax Harrington - have started every game this season.
• Harrington will make his 51st career appearance for Louisiana against Arkansas State.
• Fordham has anchored the line at center in all 10 games with Harrington splitting time at both right guard (4 games) and right tackle (5 games).
"SHOW ME MY OPPONENT ..."
• Arkansas State rebounded from a 1-4 start, winning four straight games before being edged by Southern Miss in its last game on November 8.
• The Red Wolves enter Thursday's game 12th in scoring offense (23.3 points per game) and fifth in scoring defense allowing 26.5 points.
• A-State has averaged 377.4 yards of total offense on the season to rank eighth in the league while the Red Wolves are 11th in yards allowed at 417.5.
• Veteran quarterback Jaylen Raynor is second in the league behind Texas State's Brad Jackson in passing yards (2,454) and is third overall in total offense with 2,808 yards on the season.
• Chauncy Cobb's 61 receptions on the season leads A-State with Corey Rucker continuing a stellar career with 51 catches for 656 yards and a touchdown.
• Aaron Alexander leads the Red Wolves with 63 stops on the season with Avante Dickerson's two interceptions leading the team.
THE LOUISIANA-ARKANSAS STATE SERIES
• The series with Arkansas State dates back to the 1953 season when the Red Wolves earned a 13-12 victory on October 17 in Jonesboro.
• Louisiana leads the all-time series, 30-22-1, with the Red Wolves holding a 13-11-1 advantage in games played in Jonesboro.
• The series is the fifth-oldest in Ragin' Cajuns history and the third-longest among current Sun Belt Conference schools.
WHAT'S ON TAP
• Louisiana closes out the regular season at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium on November 29, hosting in-state opponent ULM.
• Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., and will be televised on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
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