University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
1-0 , 0-0
Lamar
1-1 , 0-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar University | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Louisiana | 7 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 38 |
Cajuns Run Past Lamar in Season-Opening Win
9/5/2026 11:29:00 PM | Football
Louisiana rushes for five touchdowns, forces four turnovers in commanding 38-7 victory
The Ragin' Cajuns (1-0) piled up 474 yards of total offense, including 243 on the ground, and scored all five of their touchdowns by rush. Defensively, Louisiana held Lamar (1-1) to 205 total yards and only 56 rushing while collecting three interceptions, three sacks and a fumble recovery.
Louisiana set the tone on its opening possession with a 10-play, 74-yard march capped by Darrell Smith's 2-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.
The Cajuns broke the game open with three touchdowns in the second quarter, beginning with Smith's 25-yard scoring run at 13:23. Anthony Reagan Jr. followed with an 11-yard touchdown before quarterback Lunch Winfield raced 22 yards to the end zone with 31 seconds remaining, sending Louisiana into halftime with a 28-0 advantage.
Louisiana's defense helped fuel the first-half surge, recovering a Lamar fumble to set up Reagan's score and intercepting Aiden McCown to halt another Cardinals drive.
The Cajuns maintained control after halftime. An interception gave Louisiana possession at its own 42 late in the third quarter, and the offense responded with a nine-play, 60-yard drive that consumed the final 5:45 of the period. Steven Blanco finished the march with a 1-yard touchdown run as time expired, stretching the lead to 35-0.
Lamar's lone score came on Lanar Kelley's 40-yard interception return early in the fourth quarter before Tony Sterner closed the scoring with a 31-yard field goal.
Smith and Winfield shared team-high rushing honors with 84 yards apiece. Smith needed only 10 carries and scored twice, while Winfield averaged 10.5 yards on eight attempts with a touchdown. Winfield also completed 15-of-21 passes for 189 yards. Caden Jensen led Louisiana's receivers with five catches for 77 yards, while KeDarius Wade added three receptions for 64 yards.
Brent Gordon Jr. paced the defense with seven tackles and added an interception, while Jake St. Andre and Kody Jackson also picked off passes. Avery Demery, Tito Chikere and the combination of Priest Ashe and Lake Bates accounted for Louisiana's three sacks.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana travels to Los Angeles for a Saturday, September 12 meeting with No. 14 USC (2-0) at United Airlines Field at L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff for the first-ever meeting between the Ragin' Cajuns and Trojans is set for 10:00 p.m. (CDT).
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
LU 0, UL 7
UL - Smith,Darrell 2 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 10 plays, 74 yards, TOP 04:41
LU 0, UL 14
UL - Smith,Darrell 25 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 4 plays, 46 yards, TOP 01:20
LU 0, UL 21
UL - Reagan Jr.,Anthony 11 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 4 plays, 39 yards, TOP 01:52
LU 0, UL 28
UL - Winfield,Lunch 22 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 01:20
LU 0, UL 35
UL - Blanco,Steven 1 yd run (Sterner,Tony kick), 9 plays, 60 yards, TOP 05:45
LU 7, UL 35
LU - Kelley,Lanar 40 yd interception (Sandoval,Andres kick)
LU 7, UL 38
UL - Sterner,Tony 31 yd field goal 14 plays, 67 yards, TOP 08:50
