LAFAYETTE, La. — South Alabama closes a three-game road swing Saturday at Louisiana-Lafayette, where the Sun Belt Conference West Division-leading Ragin’ Cajuns can all but clinch the division with a win.
Kickoff at Cajun Field is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. The game will stream on ESPN+ and air on Sports Talk 99.5 FM, 96.1 The Rocket and iHeartRadio.
Jaguars Look to Snap Two-Game Slide
South Alabama (3-4, 2-2 Sun Belt) has lost two straight after a 3-2 start that included the first 2-0 conference start in school history. Its three wins came against teams with a combined record of 3-21.
Last week, the Jaguars lost 23-6 at Coastal Carolina. The South Alabama defense held the Chanticleers well below their season scoring average, but the offense managed only two field goals and was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, a play on which receiver Kawaan Baker took a shotgun snap in a wildcat formation and was stopped running up the middle.
Desmond Trotter has taken every snap at quarterback over the last two games but has been sacked 10 times in that span. The Jaguars still average 256.3 passing yards per game, though no South Alabama receiver has topped 100 yards in either of the last two games. Carlos Davis has been the team’s top rushing threat.
South Alabama will be without offensive linemen Jacob Shoemaker and Connor Estes and linebacker Quentin Wilfawn because of COVID-19 protocols and contact tracing.
Linebacker Riley Cole leads the Sun Belt with 72 tackles, 11 more than his closest competitor. The Jaguars have allowed 22.4 points per game. Devin Rockette returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown against Louisiana-Monroe.
South Alabama is minus-2 in turnover margin. The Jaguars have scored touchdowns on 11 of 21 red zone trips (52 percent) and have scored on 18 of 21 trips, including seven field goals.
Cajuns Built Under Napier
Louisiana-Lafayette (6-1, 4-1 Sun Belt) has improved steadily under head coach Billy Napier, going 7-7 (5-3 Sun Belt) in his first season and 11-3 (7-1) last season, the first double-digit win season in school history. The Cajuns’ only loss this season came against Coastal Carolina. Their only win by more than 10 points was a 31-14 season-opening victory over No. 23 Iowa State.
Seniors Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas and redshirt sophomore Chris Smith form a three-back rotation that has produced five, six and three rushing touchdowns, respectively, while combining for 194 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Levi Lewis guides a passing game that averages 232 yards per game, and the Cajuns score 29.6 points per game.
Pressure Defense
The Cajun defense has 10 interceptions and 30 sacks this season and allows 23.9 points per game. Linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill leads the team with 62 tackles, second in the Sun Belt behind Cole.
Line
Louisiana-Lafayette is a 16-point favorite, and the over/under is 55.5 points.
