University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
4-1 , 1-0
Arkansas State
2-3 , 0-1
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas St. | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| Louisiana | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 23 |
Louisiana Delivers Late for 23-20 Win Over Arkansas State
10/3/2026 11:29:00 PM | Football
Cajuns score on all four second-half possessions, capped by Sterner’s decisive kick as time expires
Sterner connected on all three field goal attempts, including two in the final six minutes, as the Ragin' Cajuns improved to 4-1 overall and opened 1-0 in Sun Belt play before 21,211 fans.
Louisiana piled up 251 rushing yards and outgained the Red Wolves 435-293, finishing with a 26-16 advantage in first downs. The Ragin' Cajuns scored on all four second-half possessions, controlling the ball for 21:14 after halftime to limit ASU to only 92 yards of offense after the break.
After Sterner's 25-yard field goal tied the game at 20-all with 5:38 remaining, Brent Gordon Jr. and Micah Johnson combined to stop Chauncy Cobb for a 2-yard loss on third down, forcing Arkansas State (2-3, 0-1 SBC) to punt.
UL took over at its 7-yard line with 3:54 left and marched 73 yards in 13 plays. Lunch Winfield kept the drive moving with his legs and arm, overcoming a holding penalty with a 15-yard run before finding Kristion Brooks for nine yards and a first down. Sterner then delivered the winning kick.
Winfield completed 18-of-21 passes for 184 yards and added 69 rushing yards and a touchdown. JJ Garner led Louisiana with 78 yards and a score on seven carries, while Steven Blanco contributed 42 yards on nine attempts.
Caden Jensen paced the group of 10 different Ragin' Cajuns who caught a pass with four receptions for 30 yards, and KeDarius Wade's 36-yard catch accounted for the team's longest gain. Johnson recorded a career-high 10 tackles, Gordon added nine and Jake St. Andre finished with seven.
Winfield's 2-yard touchdown run capped a nine-play, 66-yard drive for a 7-0 first-quarter lead. ASU answered with a field goal and Trey Owens' 21-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Bonelli, taking a 10-7 halftime advantage.
Sterner's 38-yard field goal tied it early in the third quarter before Clune Van Andel's 21-yarder restored the Red Wolves' lead. Garner scored from 13 yards out six seconds into the fourth quarter to put Louisiana ahead 17-13.
Solomon Baggett's 6-yard touchdown run gave Arkansas State a 20-17 edge with 11:48 remaining, setting up Louisiana's late response.
Owens finished with 206 passing yards for Arkansas State, while Cobb caught eight passes for 65 yards.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana pays a visit to on-state rival Louisiana Tech on Saturday, October 10, the meeting with the Bulldogs scheduled for 6:30 p.m. from Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana.
The 86th meeting overall and first conference meeting between the schools since 1995 will be available live on ESPN+.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
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).
Single-game tickets are available for as low as $30 and can be purchased through RaginCajuns.com/Tickets.
-- RaginCajuns.com --
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
ASU 0, UL 7
UL - Winfield,Lunch 2 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 9 plays, 66 yards, TOP 05:41
ASU 3, UL 7
ASU - Van Andel,Clune 25 yd field goal 14 plays, 76 yards, TOP 06:40
ASU 10, UL 7
ASU - Bonelli,Jaylen 21 yd pass from Owens,Trey (Van Andel,Clune kick) 10 plays, 68 yards, TOP 02:39
ASU 10, UL 10
UL - Sterner,Tony 38 yd field goal 10 plays, 52 yards, TOP 05:51
ASU 13, UL 10
ASU - Van Andel,Clune 21 yd field goal 6 plays, 14 yards, TOP 03:43
ASU 13, UL 17
UL - Garner,JJ 13 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 9 plays, 69 yards, TOP 05:10
ASU 20, UL 17
ASU - Baggett,Solomon 6 yd run (Van Andel,Clune kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:06
ASU 20, UL 20
UL - Sterner,Tony 25 yd field goal 11 plays, 67 yards, TOP 06:10
ASU 20, UL 23
UL - Sterner,Tony 37 yd field goal 13 plays, 73 yards, TOP 03:54
