UL football faces yet another must-win matchup vs. Texas State in Week 11
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Louisiana football can let out a deep sigh of relief following a much-needed bounce back in Week 10 vs. South Alabama.
The Ragin’ Cajuns’ 31-22 victory over the Jaguars not only helped snap a three-game losing streak, and a four-game slide on the road, but it also kept their bowl game dreams alive. That sigh of relief will only last for a couple of days as their postseason hopes still hang in the balance as we enter Week 11.
“When you keep coming up short, it’s like a gut punch every week, so to finally go out there and come out on top of it, it just allows you to take a deep breath,” UL football coach Michael Desormeaux said. “This is the formula we got to repeat week after week and find a way to win. I told them you have to be obsessed with that feeling, that feeling in the locker room.”
The Cajuns (3-6, 2-3 SBC) will hope to bottle up last week’s performance and bring it back to Lafayette as they gear up to face Texas State for a Sun Belt Conference Western showdown.
Lunch, the most important player of the day
For the second time this season, fans got to see how magical quarterback Lunch Winfield can be at the helm of the Cajuns’ offense. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound signal caller set a new school record in single-game completion percentage — going 14 for 15 in the air against South Alabama. He completed his first 13 passes of the game.
Along with his historic efficiency, Winfield might have found his emerging go-to target in wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. All season long, the No. 1 target spot has been up for grabs as the pass game was still finding that consistent chemistry.
“We got guys that are making more plays. But I think as a whole on offense, in the last couple weeks in particular, we’re playing a little bit better in the throw game,” Desormeaux said. “It comes down to receivers, the quarterback putting the ball in the right place, the protection is a lot better than early in the year.”
The Lunch-Sampson connection was at its best last week, racking up 138 yards and two touchdowns for Sampson’s best game yet as a Cajun. The duo will look to put on a similar kind of aerial show in the comforts of Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium this week vs the Bobcats.
Containing the Bobcats’ two-headed monster
Defensively, the Cajuns will have their hands full this week against the Bobcats’ two-headed monster in the backfield in running back Lincoln Pare and quarterback Brad Jackson. Both have nine rushing touchdowns this season helping the Bobcats average more than 200 rushing yards per game.
The Cajuns’ secondary will also be put to the test as Jackson can do more than just run. So far this season, he has thrown for more than 2,000 yards and 10 touchdowns along with five interceptions.
“Everyone’s gonna get tested,” Desormeaux said. “This quarterback, he could throw it sideline to sideline. I mean, he’s not scared to do it and he’s got the arm to do it. We’ve got to be able to anchor against the gap schemes and things like that. Got to line up fast, and then this whole secondary they’re going to be spread out, put in space and you got to tackle well.”
Tackling has been a struggle for the Cajuns this season, but they showed some bright spots against the Jaguars.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana football looks to keep winning in Week 11 vs. Texas State
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