The 2024 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the Sun Belt Conference's West Division during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Ragin' Cajuns were led by Michael Desormeaux in his third year as the head coach. The Ragin' Cajuns played their home games at Cajun Field, located in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The Cajuns compiled a 10–2 regular-season overall record on the season, the most successful under Desormeaux's tenure as head coach. The Cajuns also played in the Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game for the fifth year out of the seven total seasons the game has been played. In the postseason, the Cajuns made their first appearance in the New Mexico Bowl, becoming the first Sun Belt team to play in that bowl.
Preseason Media poll In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Ragin' Cajuns were picked to finish third place in the West division.
Offensive lineman AJ Gillie and returner Zylan Perry were awarded to be in the preseason All-Sun Belt first team offense and special teams, respectively. Defensive lineman Jordan Lawson, linebacker KC Ossai, and defensive back Tyrone Lewis Jr. were named to the second team.
Personnel
Schedule The football schedule was announced on March 1, 2024.
Game summaries Grambling State (FCS)
Statistics GRAMLA First downs 12 24 Plays–yards 48–241 66–481 Rushes–yards 20–75 28–118 Passing yards 166 363 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–28–1 29–38–1 Time of possession 25:42 34:18 Team Category Player StatisticsGrambling State Passing Myles Crawley 19/28, 166 yards, INT Rushing Ke'Travion Hargrove 12 carries, 61 yards, TD Receiving Nick Howard 5 receptions, 68 yardsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 25/33, 308 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Zylan Perry 5 carries, 45 yards Receiving Harvey Broussard 4 receptions, 76 yards, TD
at Kennesaw State
Statistics LA KSU First downs 21 12 Plays–yards 454 204 Rushes–yards 257 111 Passing yards 197 93 Passing: comp–att–int 17-22-0 7-13-0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 32:04 27:56
Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 15/19, 189 yards, 1 TD Rushing Zylan Perry 10 carries, 10 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jacob Bernard 4 receptions, 84 yardsKennesaw State Passing Davis Bryson 7/13, 93 yards Rushing Michael Benefield 9 carries, 31 yards Receiving Tykeem Wallace 2 receptions, 34 yards
Tulane
Statistics TULNLA First downs 18 22 Plays–yards 64–355 63–413 Rushes–yards 47–272 28–175 Passing yards 83 238 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–17–0 19–35–2 Time of possession 33:57 26:03 Team Category Player StatisticsTulane Passing Darian Mensah 11/17, 83 yards, TD Rushing Makhi Hughes 23 carries, 166 yards, TD Receiving Reggie Brown 1 reception, 33 yards, TDLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 19/34, 238 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Bill Davis 9 carries, 103 yards Receiving Terrance Carter 4 receptions, 79 yards, TD
at Wake Forest
Statistics LAWAKE First downs 24 28 Plays–yards 62–466 73–472 Rushes–yards 33–209 37–218 Passing yards 257 254 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–29–0 29–36–1 Time of possession 29:01 30:59 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 20/29, 257 yards, 3 TD Rushing Bill Davis 13 carries, 95 yards, TD Receiving Lance LeGendre 6 receptions, 123 yards, 2 TDWake Forest Passing Hank Bachmeier 29/35, 254 yards, TD, INT Rushing Demond Claiborne 12 carries, 94 yards, TD Receiving Horatio Fields 6 receptions, 81 yards
at Southern Miss
Statistics LAUSM First downs 22 8 Total yards 410 177 Rushing yards 188 37 Passing yards 222 140 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–30–0 15–21–0 Time of possession 41:35 18:25 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 22/30, 222 yards, TD Rushing Dre'lyn Washington 12 carries, 91 yards, TD Receiving Terrance Carter 7 receptions, 64 yardsSouthern Miss Passing Tate Rodemaker 15/21, 140 yards Rushing Rodrigues Clark 7 carries, 61 yards Receiving Kenyon Clay 1 reception, 31 yards
Appalachian State
Statistics APP LA First downs 25 19 Total yards 391 364 Rushing yards 155 166 Passing yards 236 198 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–42–4 14–23–1 Time of possession 30:40 29:20 Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Joey Aguilar 20/42, 236 yards, 3 TD, 4 INT Rushing Kanye Roberts 26 carries, 148 yards Receiving Kaedin Robinson 7 receptions, 96 yardsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 14/23, 198 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Zylan Perry 14 carries, 53 yards Receiving Terrance Carter 4 receptions, 107 yards, TD
at Coastal Carolina
Statistics LACCU First downs 26 19 Total yards 516 400 Rushing yards 143 208 Passing yards 373 192 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–36–0 19–35–0 Time of possession 38:32 21:28 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 27/36, 373 yards, 3 TD Rushing Bill Davis 19 carries, 110 yards Receiving Terrance Carter 7 receptions, 149 yards, TDCoastal Carolina Passing Noah Kim 16/25, 182 yards, 2 TD Rushing Braydon Bennett 13 carries, 132 yards, TD Receiving Bryson Graves 3 receptions, 54 yards
at Texas State
Statistics LATXST First downs 20 26 Total yards 423 378 Rushing yards 171 177 Passing yards 252 201 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–28–0 23–32–1 Time of possession 30:52 29:08 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 18/28, 252 yards, TD Rushing Dre'lyn Washington 10 carries, 94 yards, TD Receiving Lance LeGendre 3 receptions, 76 yardsTexas State Passing RJ Martinez 11/14, 113 yards, INT Rushing Ismail Mahdi 14 carries, 82 yards, TD Receiving Kole Wilson 6 receptions, 57 yards
Arkansas State
Statistics ARSTLA First downs 27 27 Total yards 401 579 Rushing yards 209 278 Passing yards 192 301 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–37–2 22–33–0 Time of possession 29:23 30:37 Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing Jaylen Raynor 23/35, 167 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ja'Quez Cross 14 carries, 81 yards Receiving Corey Rucker 6 receptions, 73 yardsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 17/26, 264 yards, TD Rushing Dre'lyn Washington 8 carries, 123 yards, 2 TD Receiving Lance LeGendre 4 receptions, 58 yards
South Alabama
Statistics USALA First downs 19 22 Total yards 353 413 Rushing yards 68 137 Passing yards 285 276 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–34–1 22–30–1 Time of possession 27:10 32:50 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Gio Lopez 24/34, 285 yards, INT Rushing Fluff Bothwell 9 carries, 38 yards Receiving Jamaal Pritchett 11 receptions, 170 yardsLouisiana Passing Chandler Fields 14/17, 185 yards, TD Rushing Bill Davis 16 carries, 50 yards Receiving Harvey Broussard 6 receptions, 84 yards
Troy
Statistics TROYLA First downs 22 17 Total yards 394 417 Rushing yards 135 94 Passing yards 259 323 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–44–0 18–24–2 Time of possession 33:37 26:23 Team Category Player StatisticsTroy Passing Matthew Caldwell 26/42, 230 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Damien Taylor 16 carries, 67 yards Receiving Devonte Ross 8 receptions, 95 yards, TDLouisiana Passing Chandler Fields 18/24, 323 yards, 2 TD Rushing Bill Davis 19 carries, 64 yards, 3 TD Receiving Lance LeGendre 6 receptions, 109 yards, TD
at Louisiana–Monroe (Battle on the Bayou)
Statistics LA ULM First downs 21 20 Total yards 411 335 Rushing yards 223 167 Passing yards 188 168 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17-26-1 15-31-3 Time of possession 31:00 29:00 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Chandler Fields 17/26, 188 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Zylan Perry 19 carries, 150 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Jacob Bernard 3 receptions, 42 yardsLouisiana–Monroe Passing Aidan Armenta 15/31, 168 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs Rushing Ahmad Hardy 28 carries, 172 yards, 1 TD Receiving Nate Sullivan Jr. 2 receptions, 39 yards
Marshall (Sun Belt Championship)
Statistics MRSH LA First downs 25 11 Plays–yards 410 255 Rushes–yards 217 56 Passing yards 193 199 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18-26-0 13-32-1 Time of possession 33:56 26:04 Team Category Player StatisticsMarshall Passing Braylon Braxton 18/26, 193 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Jordan Houston 17 carries, 117 yards, 1 TD Receiving Tychaun Chapman 8 receptions, 86 yards, 1 TD Louisiana Passing Chandler Fields 4/8, 104 yards Rushing Zylan Perry 6 carries, 25 yards Receiving Lance LeGendre 4 receptions, 81 yards
TCU (New Mexico Bowl)
Statistics LATCU First downs 13 19 Total yards 209 367 Rushing yards 114 110 Passing yards 95 257 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–26–2 21–34–1 Time of possession 29:17 30:43 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Ben Wooldridge 7/20, 61 yards, INT Rushing Zylan Perry 11 carries, 49 yards Receiving Jacob Bernard 1 reception, 25 yardsTCU Passing Josh Hoover 20/32, 252 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Trent Battle 9 carries, 42 yards Receiving Eric McAlister 8 receptions, 87 yards, TD
References