University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, September 12
Los Angeles, Calif.
10:00 p.m. CT/8:00 p.m. PT
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
1-1 , 0-0
30
at
49
USC
3-0 , 0-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 3 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 30 |
| USC | 7 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 49 |
Louisiana Comes Up Short Against No. 14 USC, 49-30
9/13/2026 2:29:00 AM | Football
Ragin' Cajuns battle against unbeaten Trojans
LOS ANGELES – Louisiana battled No. 14 USC throughout Saturday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but the Trojans used a strong offensive performance to pull away for a 49-30 victory over the Ragin' Cajuns.
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Playing in front of 60,019, Louisiana twice pulled within striking distance in the second half before USC answered each time to remain unbeaten at 3-0. The Ragin' Cajuns dropped to 1-1 on the season.
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Louisiana finished with 358 yards of total offense, including 146 yards on the ground and 212 through the air. The Ragin' Cajuns scored touchdowns on each of their first three fourth-quarter possessions, but USC responded with scores of its own to keep Louisiana at arm's length.
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Quarterback Lunch Winfield accounted for 303 yards of total offense, rushing for 91 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries while completing 16 of 22 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. His 32-yard touchdown run with 11:27 remaining in the fourth quarter pulled Louisiana within 42-23.
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Winfield later directed a 75-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 14-yard touchdown pass to Russell Babineaux with 2:38 remaining, cutting the USC advantage to 49-30. Babineaux finished with six receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown, while Brock Chappell added three catches for 47 yards.
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USC quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 19 of 29 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns. Mark Bowman led the Trojans with six receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns, while Kayden Dixon-Wyatt caught three passes for 43 yards and a score.
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USC also controlled the ground game, rushing for 214 yards on 40 attempts. King Miller led all rushers with 128 yards on 18 carries, including a 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
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Louisiana opened the scoring on its first possession after Avery Demery intercepted Maiava and returned the ball five yards to the USC 39. The Ragin' Cajuns moved to the USC 30 before Tony Sterner drilled a 47-yard field goal to give Louisiana an early 3-0 advantage.
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USC responded with a 13-play, 79-yard touchdown drive, with Maiava connecting with Bowman on a 5-yard touchdown pass to put the Trojans ahead 7-3 late in the opening quarter.
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The Trojans extended the lead to 14-3 early in the second quarter on another touchdown pass from Maiava to Bowman, but Louisiana answered with its best sustained drive of the first half.
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The Ragin' Cajuns marched 75 yards in seven plays, with Winfield connecting with Chappell for a 37-yard gain to the USC 1 before Steven Blanco powered into the end zone from a yard out. Sterner's extra point cut the deficit to 14-10 with 9:21 remaining in the half.
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USC, however, answered with a 12-play, 87-yard touchdown drive that consumed more than six minutes. Maiava found Dixon-Wyatt for a 19-yard touchdown with 3:19 remaining, extending the lead to 21-10.
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The Trojans added another touchdown before halftime when Trent Mosley returned a Louisiana punt 86 yards for a score, giving USC a 28-10 advantage at the break.
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USC opened the second half with a 41-yard scoring drive, capped by Maiava's 21-yard touchdown pass to Mosley, but the Ragin' Cajuns answered with an 81-yard, 12-play drive. Winfield finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run, bringing Louisiana within 35-17 with 4:07 left in the third quarter.
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The Ragin' Cajuns then scored on their opening possession of the fourth quarter. Winfield broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run to cap a five-play, 75-yard drive, but a failed two-point conversion left Louisiana trailing 42-23.
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USC answered with Miller's 12-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, pushing the lead back to 49-23.
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Louisiana refused to go quietly, putting together another 75-yard touchdown drive before Winfield found Babineaux for the 14-yard score with 2:38 remaining. The Ragin' Cajuns finished the night with 17 first downs and converted 3 of 10 third-down opportunities.
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Defensively, Collin Jacob led Louisiana with 13 total tackles – one off his career high. Jake St. Andre added seven tackles, while Maurion Eleam finished with seven.
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Louisiana will return home to face the first of two straight American Conference members – UAB – next Saturday in a 7 p.m., at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. The game will be available on ESPN+.
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BUY SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for Ragin' Cajuns football are now on sale, giving fans the opportunity to secure their seats at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium for the 2026 season. The six-game home schedule features non-conference matchups against Lamar and UAB, along with Sun Belt Conference foes Arkansas State, Troy, South Alabama and Coastal Carolina.
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Fans can CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for the upcoming football season or call (337) 482-4685 for more information.
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MOBILE PARKING HERE FOR 2026 SEASON
As part of its continued commitment to providing a faster, safer and more convenient game-day experience, Louisiana Athletics is transitioning to mobile parking passes beginning with the 2026 season. With fans already using mobile tickets for entry, moving parking passes to a digital format creates a more seamless experience from arrival to kickoff.
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Easy Access
Parking passes will be available directly on your smartphone through your Cajuns Account, eliminating the need for paper hangtags. Digital passes help reduce the chance of a pass being lost, stolen or forgotten on game day.
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Simple Management
Fans can conveniently access, download or transfer their parking passes at any time through the #GeauxCajuns app or their Cajuns Account, making it easy to share parking with family and friends when needed.
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Greater Flexibility
Mobile parking allows Louisiana Athletics to distribute parking passes quickly once schedules are finalized. If game dates or kickoff times change, updates are reflected automatically in your digital wallet, ensuring you always have the most current information.
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Important Information
This transition applies only to standard parking passes. Tailgating passes will continue to be issued as physical hangtags and distributed using the same process as in previous seasons.
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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).
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Playing in front of 60,019, Louisiana twice pulled within striking distance in the second half before USC answered each time to remain unbeaten at 3-0. The Ragin' Cajuns dropped to 1-1 on the season.
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Louisiana finished with 358 yards of total offense, including 146 yards on the ground and 212 through the air. The Ragin' Cajuns scored touchdowns on each of their first three fourth-quarter possessions, but USC responded with scores of its own to keep Louisiana at arm's length.
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Quarterback Lunch Winfield accounted for 303 yards of total offense, rushing for 91 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries while completing 16 of 22 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. His 32-yard touchdown run with 11:27 remaining in the fourth quarter pulled Louisiana within 42-23.
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Winfield later directed a 75-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 14-yard touchdown pass to Russell Babineaux with 2:38 remaining, cutting the USC advantage to 49-30. Babineaux finished with six receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown, while Brock Chappell added three catches for 47 yards.
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USC quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 19 of 29 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns. Mark Bowman led the Trojans with six receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns, while Kayden Dixon-Wyatt caught three passes for 43 yards and a score.
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USC also controlled the ground game, rushing for 214 yards on 40 attempts. King Miller led all rushers with 128 yards on 18 carries, including a 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
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Louisiana opened the scoring on its first possession after Avery Demery intercepted Maiava and returned the ball five yards to the USC 39. The Ragin' Cajuns moved to the USC 30 before Tony Sterner drilled a 47-yard field goal to give Louisiana an early 3-0 advantage.
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USC responded with a 13-play, 79-yard touchdown drive, with Maiava connecting with Bowman on a 5-yard touchdown pass to put the Trojans ahead 7-3 late in the opening quarter.
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The Trojans extended the lead to 14-3 early in the second quarter on another touchdown pass from Maiava to Bowman, but Louisiana answered with its best sustained drive of the first half.
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The Ragin' Cajuns marched 75 yards in seven plays, with Winfield connecting with Chappell for a 37-yard gain to the USC 1 before Steven Blanco powered into the end zone from a yard out. Sterner's extra point cut the deficit to 14-10 with 9:21 remaining in the half.
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USC, however, answered with a 12-play, 87-yard touchdown drive that consumed more than six minutes. Maiava found Dixon-Wyatt for a 19-yard touchdown with 3:19 remaining, extending the lead to 21-10.
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The Trojans added another touchdown before halftime when Trent Mosley returned a Louisiana punt 86 yards for a score, giving USC a 28-10 advantage at the break.
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USC opened the second half with a 41-yard scoring drive, capped by Maiava's 21-yard touchdown pass to Mosley, but the Ragin' Cajuns answered with an 81-yard, 12-play drive. Winfield finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run, bringing Louisiana within 35-17 with 4:07 left in the third quarter.
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The Ragin' Cajuns then scored on their opening possession of the fourth quarter. Winfield broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run to cap a five-play, 75-yard drive, but a failed two-point conversion left Louisiana trailing 42-23.
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USC answered with Miller's 12-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, pushing the lead back to 49-23.
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Louisiana refused to go quietly, putting together another 75-yard touchdown drive before Winfield found Babineaux for the 14-yard score with 2:38 remaining. The Ragin' Cajuns finished the night with 17 first downs and converted 3 of 10 third-down opportunities.
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Defensively, Collin Jacob led Louisiana with 13 total tackles – one off his career high. Jake St. Andre added seven tackles, while Maurion Eleam finished with seven.
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Louisiana will return home to face the first of two straight American Conference members – UAB – next Saturday in a 7 p.m., at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. The game will be available on ESPN+.
Â
BUY SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for Ragin' Cajuns football are now on sale, giving fans the opportunity to secure their seats at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium for the 2026 season. The six-game home schedule features non-conference matchups against Lamar and UAB, along with Sun Belt Conference foes Arkansas State, Troy, South Alabama and Coastal Carolina.
Â
Fans can CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for the upcoming football season or call (337) 482-4685 for more information.
Â
MOBILE PARKING HERE FOR 2026 SEASON
As part of its continued commitment to providing a faster, safer and more convenient game-day experience, Louisiana Athletics is transitioning to mobile parking passes beginning with the 2026 season. With fans already using mobile tickets for entry, moving parking passes to a digital format creates a more seamless experience from arrival to kickoff.
Â
Easy Access
Parking passes will be available directly on your smartphone through your Cajuns Account, eliminating the need for paper hangtags. Digital passes help reduce the chance of a pass being lost, stolen or forgotten on game day.
Â
Simple Management
Fans can conveniently access, download or transfer their parking passes at any time through the #GeauxCajuns app or their Cajuns Account, making it easy to share parking with family and friends when needed.
Â
Greater Flexibility
Mobile parking allows Louisiana Athletics to distribute parking passes quickly once schedules are finalized. If game dates or kickoff times change, updates are reflected automatically in your digital wallet, ensuring you always have the most current information.
Â
Important Information
This transition applies only to standard parking passes. Tailgating passes will continue to be issued as physical hangtags and distributed using the same process as in previous seasons.
Â
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).
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
S
/ Football
LB
/ Football
K
/ Football
QB
/ FootballTeam Stats
UL
USC
Total Yards
358
483
Pass Yards
212
269
Rushing Yards
146
214
Penalty Yards
65
78
1st Downs
17
25
3rd Downs
3
11
4th Downs
0
1
TOP
26:46
33:14
1st Quarter
UL 3, USC 0
UL - Sterner,Tony 47 yd field goal 4 plays, 9 yards, TOP 02:01
UL 3, USC 7
USC - Bowman,Mark 5 yd pass from Maiava,Jayden (Chittenden,Caden kick) 13 plays, 79 yards, TOP 06:21
2nd Quarter
UL 3, USC 14
USC - Bowman,Mark 9 yd pass from Maiava,Jayden (Chittenden,Caden kick) 10 plays, 77 yards, TOP 05:28
UL 10, USC 14
UL - Blanco,Steven 1 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:10
UL 10, USC 21
USC - Dixon-Wyatt,Kayden 19 yd pass from Maiava,Jayden (Chittenden,Caden kick) 12 plays, 87 yards, TOP 06:02
UL 10, USC 28
USC - Mosley,Trent 86 yd punt return (Chittenden,Caden kick)
3rd Quarter
UL 10, USC 35
USC - Mosley,Trent 21 yd pass from Maiava,Jayden (Chittenden,Caden kick) 7 plays, 41 yards, TOP 03:10
UL 17, USC 35
UL - Winfield,Lunch 1 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 12 plays, 81 yards, TOP 05:37
4th Quarter
UL 17, USC 42
USC - Williams,Zacharyus 44 yd pass from Maiava,Jayden (Chittenden,Caden kick) 3 plays, 40 yards, TOP 01:14
UL 23, USC 42
UL - Winfield,Lunch 32 yd run (), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:52
UL 23, USC 49
USC - Miller,King 12 yd run (Chittenden,Caden kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:57
UL 30, USC 49
UL - Babineaux,Russell 14 yd pass from Winfield,Lunch (Sterner,Tony kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:52
Game Leaders
CMP
16
TD
1
YDS
212
INT
0
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