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The Ragin’ Cajuns came out with a lot of energy during the first quarter, jumping out to a 14-0 lead and recovering a strip sack. They remained in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game, as the Bobcats would only score 7 points throughout the night. Don’t read too much into a 17 point victory over a now 1-6 team, but this was a good momentum builder for the Ragin’ Cajuns moving forward.
Bobcat quarterback Damian Williams was struggling from the start of the game, which opened up the door for Willie Jones III to command the offense. Jones III would enter on the Bobcats’ 4th drive of the game and provide an instant spark both in the passing game and with his legs. Despite this, he simply could not finish a drive and the Bobcats weren’t able to find pay dirt until the 3rd quarter. Jones III will be an interesting player to watch on Texas State’s offense moving forward, as he was clearly the more effective signal-caller on the night.
Texas State’s offense was regularly under pressure from the Cajun defensive front, which translated into six sacks; Taboris Lee and Chaiziere Malbrue recorded two a piece and were an integral part of the team’s success on the defensive side of the ball. The preview of this game touched upon the need for the Cajun defense to create this type of pressure if they wanted to be successful, and that formula largely worked.
Andre Nunez looked to be in an early rhythm, but he really didn’t need to do too much since Trey Ragas was extremely effective pounding the ball between the tackles in the redzone on their way to a two touchdown lead. After the adrenaline of the first quarter wore off, cruise control mode set in. The Cajuns understood that outscoring Texas State would not take too much effort, resulting in conservative play-calling for a vast majority of the game.
The Bobcats needed to be aggressive and precise in order to pull off the upset tonight, and that simply did not happen. Willie Jones III gave Texas State some signs of life, but there was simply not enough to mount a comeback.
Up Next
- Ragin’ Cajuns @ Arkansas State, October 17th
- Texas State @ Coastal Carolina, October 28th