University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
6-3 , 3-2
South Alabama
4-5 , 2-3
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Alabama | 7 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 26 |
| Louisiana | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
11/7/2026 8:07:00 PM | Football
Two long touchdowns spark the Cajuns, while late defensive stops preserve 28-26 win
Garner returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and added a 65-yard scoring run, helping the Ragin' Cajuns improve to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in SBC play.
Louisiana piled up 312 rushing yards and outgained the Jaguars 459-369. The Ragin' Cajuns averaged 7.1 yards per carry, converted eight of 13 third downs and never trailed, but needed a late defensive stand to preserve the victory.
After South Alabama (4-5, 2-3 SBC) moved into UL territory on its final possession, Jake St. Andre sacked Bishop Davenport for an 8-yard loss. Johnson intercepted Davenport's next pass at the Louisiana 35, and Lunch Winfield's 6-yard run on third-and-3 allowed the Ragin' Cajuns to run out the clock.
Garner provided an immediate spark, taking the opening kickoff the length of the field just 12 seconds into the contest. USA answered with a 14-play, 63-yard touchdown drive capped by Davenport's 1-yard run.
Garner broke loose for his 65-yard touchdown on the opening play of the second quarter, restoring UL's lead. Jaylen Moson's 72-yard interception return tied the game at 14 before Winfield finished an eight-play, 78-yard march with a 14-yard touchdown run.
Dylan Freebury's 44-yard field goal trimmed Louisiana's halftime advantage to 21-17.
Winfield connected with Shelton Sampson Jr. for a 27-yard touchdown with 3:52 left in the third quarter, extending the lead to 28-17. Davenport countered with a 45-yard touchdown run, but the Jaguars' two-point attempt failed.
Freebury's 50-yard field goal brought South Alabama within two with 10:26 remaining. Louisiana then consumed 6:20 on an 11-play possession before a missed 48-yard field goal gave the Jaguars their final opportunity.
Garner finished with 136 rushing yards on 10 carries and 239 all-purpose yards. Winfield rushed for 97 yards and completed 10-of-14 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. Steven Blanco added 55 rushing yards, while Trenton Chaney led UL's receivers with 46 yards on two catches.
St. Andre paced the defense with nine tackles, followed by Collin Jacob with eight and Johnson with six. Maxie Baudoin IV added a sack and two tackles for loss.
Davenport passed for 210 yards for USA, with Brendan Jenkins catching six passes for 101 yards.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana has a quick turnaround with a scheduled road trip to North Louisiana for a Thursday, November 12 contest with ULM at FMOL Health St. Francis Stadium in Monroe, Louisiana.
Kickoff for the nationally televised matchup with the Warhawks on ESPN2 is set for 8:00 p.m.
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
USA 0, UL 7
UL - Garner,JJ 100 yd kickoff return (Sterner,Tony kick)
USA 7, UL 7
USA - Davenport,Bishop 1 yd run (Freebury,Dylan kick), 14 plays, 63 yards, TOP 06:03
USA 7, UL 14
UL - Garner,JJ 65 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 5 plays, 86 yards, TOP 02:15
USA 14, UL 14
USA - Moson,Jaylen 72 yd interception (Freebury,Dylan kick)
USA 14, UL 21
UL - Winfield,Lunch 14 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 8 plays, 78 yards, TOP 05:04
USA 17, UL 21
USA - Freebury,Dylan 44 yd field goal 9 plays, 44 yards, TOP 02:57
USA 17, UL 28
UL - Sampson Jr. ,Shelton 27 yd pass from Winfield,Lunch (Sterner,Tony kick) 6 plays, 81 yards, TOP 02:36
USA 23, UL 28
USA - Davenport,Bishop 45 yd run (), 2 plays, 89 yards, TOP 00:29
USA 26, UL 28
USA - Freebury,Dylan 50 yd field goal 9 plays, 41 yards, TOP 04:29
