MOBILE, Ala. — Louisiana-Lafayette forced five turnovers, including a fumble returned for a touchdown, and beat South Alabama 33-20 on Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Quarterback Carter Bradley was sacked five times, lost three fumbles and threw two interceptions. South Alabama fell to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the Sun Belt Conference, while the Ragin’ Cajuns improved to 5-3 and 2-2.
Bradley left the game with a left knee injury on a two-point conversion attempt in the final seconds.
Cajuns Build 17-0 Halftime Lead
South Alabama had the first scoring chance, reaching fourth-and-1 at the Louisiana-Lafayette 6. The Jaguars went for it, but La’Damian Webb was stopped for a 1-yard loss on a run up the middle, turning the ball over on downs.
The Ragin’ Cajuns responded with a 15-play, 93-yard drive capped by Zeon Chriss’ 33-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Bernard with 12:58 left in the second quarter.
On the third play of South Alabama’s next possession, Bradley was sacked and fumbled, and Louisiana-Lafayette recovered at the South Alabama 41. The Cajuns scored on a 3-yard touchdown pass to finish a seven-play drive.
After a South Alabama three-and-out, a low snap to punter Jack Brooks led to a 9-yard punt. The Jaguar defense held, and the Cajuns kicked a 20-yard field goal for a 17-0 halftime lead.
Jaguars Answer, Then Stall
South Alabama scored quickly to open the second half when Bradley found Jamaal Pritchett for a 6-yard touchdown with 11:53 left in the third quarter.
Louisiana-Lafayette answered with a 42-yard field goal that hit the right upright and fell over the crossbar, making it 20-7.
The Jaguars needed three plays to respond. After a 2-yard Webb run, Bradley connected with Caullin Lacy for a 62-yard gain, and Webb ran 25 yards untouched for a touchdown that tied the school’s single-season record for rushing touchdowns. That cut the deficit to 20-14 with 6:09 left in the third quarter.
Louisiana-Lafayette then broke a 56-yard touchdown run by Jacob Kibodi on a zone-read play against a South Alabama safety blitz. An offensive pass interference penalty wiped out a successful two-point conversion, and Kenneth Almendares missed the ensuing longer extra point wide left, leaving the Cajuns ahead 26-14.
On South Alabama’s next drive, Bradley was again sacked and stripped, and Louisiana-Lafayette returned the fumble 45 yards for a touchdown with 1:07 left in the third quarter.
The Jaguars’ first two fourth-quarter possessions ended in interceptions. The first was tipped and caught by a diving defender. The second came on third-and-7 from the Louisiana-Lafayette 9, when Tyrone Lewis stepped in front of Pritchett in the end zone.
South Alabama got the ball back with 1:14 remaining and drove for a score, with Bradley hitting Pritchett for a 39-yard touchdown down the left sideline with 16 seconds left. Bradley’s two-point pass fell incomplete, and he was hit on the play and helped to the medical tent.
Bradley Injury Update
Head coach Kane Wommack said after the game that the early report on Bradley was positive but that it was too early to be certain.
“He tweaked his knee in the end there,” Wommack said. “He’s such a competitor and he’s trying to make something happen … It’s going to be pretty sore. He got dinged up, similar to the injury he’s been dealing with all season, but it just got tweaked.”
If Bradley cannot play Thursday, Wommack and offensive coordinator Major Applewhite would choose between sixth-year senior Desmond Trotter, who started for South Alabama in 2020, and true freshman Gio Lopez. Lopez can play in one more game this season and still redshirt.
By the Numbers
- South Alabama outgained Louisiana-Lafayette 498-348, with 381 passing yards and 117 rushing yards.
- The Cajuns had 145 passing yards and 203 rushing yards.
- Both teams converted 6 of 14 third downs; South Alabama was 2 of 4 on fourth down.
- Louisiana-Lafayette held the ball for 34:44 to South Alabama’s 25:16.
- South Alabama was penalized eight times for 71 yards; Louisiana-Lafayette was flagged six times for 40 yards.
Bradley completed 29 of 49 passes for 381 yards, the second-highest total of his South Alabama career, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Pritchett caught 11 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns, and Lacy extended his streak of 100-yard receiving games with seven catches for 131 yards. Webb ran for 96 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, and Kentrel Bullock added 32 yards on six carries.
Quentin Wilfawn set a school record for tackles in a game with 15, including seven solo stops, a sack and 4.5 tackles for loss. Jaden Voisin, James Miller and Khalil Jacobs each had eight tackles.
For Louisiana-Lafayette, Chriss completed 13 of 17 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 30 yards. Kibodi rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, and Kre’lyn Washington added 52 yards. Terrance Carter caught three passes for 36 yards. Jalen Clark had 10 tackles, and Cameron Whitfield recorded 3.5 sacks.
Up Next
South Alabama plays at Troy on Thursday in the Battle for the Belt. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium, with the game televised on ESPN2.
