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Mobile, AL- Elijah Mitchell had 117 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown as the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns found a way to get it done Saturday night vs South Alabama 37-27 at Ladd Peebles Stadium in front of a crowd of 16, 748. Louisiana went a perfect 5-0 on the road this season, and it’s the first perfect road record since 1970 for the program.
Mitchell, the junior running back from Erath, LA has now rushed for 757 yards this season, which leads the Cajuns, to go along with 12 touchdowns. Quarterback Levi Lewis was efficient, going 16-28 for 136 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with Neal Johnson Jr. for the second consecutive game and then found the Lafayette native Hunter Bergeron in the back of the endzone on their next drive. Trey Ragas, the junior from New Orleans, had 52 yards on 10 carries and a score. Leading receiver for the Ragin’ Cajuns was Jamal Bell, who hauled in three catches for 51 yards in the contest.
For the Jaguars, freshman Desmond Trotter went 8-15 for 116 yards in his 2nd career start. Senior running back Tra Minter was special, racking up 137 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. Freshman back Carlos Davis had 122 yards for the Jags as well as a touchdown. Cade Sutherland was South Alabama’s leading receiver, grabbing 64 yards on 3 receptions.
Louisiana opened the scoring with a 22-yard field goal by senior and Lafayette native Stevie Artigue, who now is in 1st place in school history for field goals made. South Alabama would answer with a 20-yard touchdown run by Davis to make it 7-3 Jags with 6:28 remaining in the opening quarter. Early in the 2nd, Levi Lewis finds Neal Johnson Jr for the nine yard touchdown pass to give the Cajuns the lead again, a 10-7 advantage. However, it wouldn’t last, as the Jaguars marched down and regained the lead on a rushing score by Jared Wilson to make it 14-10. The game of “I score, you score” would continue as Lewis found Hunter Bergeron alone along the back line of the end zone and Louisiana would now hold the lead 17-14 with 7:30 left in the half.
Halftime score: Cajuns 17, Jaguars 14
The 3rd quarter would open with a long drive for South Alabama. Jared Wilson fumbled at the goal line but the ball was recovered by Kawaan Baker to make it a 21-17 lead for South Alabama. After back to back field goals by Stevie Artigue for Louisiana, the score jumped to 23-21 game as time was winding down in the 3rd. No points would be scored until the 7:51 mark of the 4th, as the Cajuns extended their lead thanks to a punch in by Mitchell, making it 30-21 in favor of Louisiana.
Three minutes later, Trey Ragas went on a 23-yard touchdown scamper to make it 37-21 Cajuns. With 2:48 remaining in the contest, Tra Minter finally landed on the score sheet, running in from 11 yards out to make it 37-27. After the failed 2-point try and an illegally touched onside kick, Louisiana would go on to win this one 37-27 and move to 8-2 on the year for the first time since 1976.
Final Score: Cajuns 37, Jaguars 27
Louisiana (8-2) will return home to host Troy (4-5) for Louisiana Salutes Night. It’s also the Cajuns’ blackout game. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. from Cajun Field and will be televised on ESPN+. South Alabama (1-9) will travel to Atlanta to play Georgia State (6-3).