Football: The Real UL – photo galleries included

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • November 22, 2009

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Grant Fleming found himself exactly where UL needed him to be Saturday during the most critical moment.

The junior linebacker recovered a muffed punt by UL Monroe’s Luther Ambrose with 1:26 left to help secure a 21-17 win on a rainy night before 8,689 at Cajun Field.

With the victory, the Ragin’ Cajuns (6-5, 4-3 Sun Belt) reached the six-win mark for the fourth time in five years and snapped a three-game losing streak at home to ULM (6-5, 5-2).

"It was a great play by everyone on our punt team," said Fleming, a St. Thomas More grad. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

The return of two key offensive weapons also proved to be vital for UL.

Brad McGuire ran for two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score by the run-threat quarterback with 7:16 to go in the fourth quarter. Tight end Ladarius Green caught seven passes for a career-high 131 yards. Both McGuire and Green had missed the previous three games with injuries.

Chris Masson also threw for 252 yards, and the Cajuns forced three turnovers to keep their postseason dreams alive. They need to beat Sun Belt leader Troy next Saturday at Cajun Field to win seven games for the first time since 1993 and seriously get a shot at ending a 39-year bowl drought.

"You see why we’ve missed Ladarius Green. That big rascal made some plays for us," UL coach Rickey Bustle said. "There’s no question it was big having Brad back on some short-yardage plays. I didn’t mean to forget him."

ULM got a game-high 108 rushing yards from tailback Frank Goodin. But quarterback Trey Revell struggled without the Sun Belt’s leading receiver LaGregory Sapp, who was injured in an early morning altercation Friday and will miss the rest of the season.

Revell ran for one score but was just 8-of-12 passing for 91 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

"I thought the difference was we got out-executed," said ULM coach Charlie Weatherbie. "We had three turnovers that hurt us. We just didn’t execute.

"I think if you take this game and play it again, we could beat them just as easily as they beat us."

The Cajuns scored on the game’s opening drive after two big pass plays by Masson. After a 26-yard completion to Richie Falgout on third-and-13, Masson hit Green for a 29-yard gain to the ULM 4.

Two plays later, Yobes Walker scored on a 1-yard dive for a 7-0 lead three minutes into the game.

After ULM’s first possession ended on Lance Kelley’s interception at the UL 28, the Cajuns moved near midfield and converted on fourth-and-1 on a McGuire run. They marched down to the ULM 23 but lost yardage on three consecutive plays and had to punt to come away with no points.

ULM answered with a 12-play, 89-yard scoring drive that consumed more than six minutes off the clock. Revell capped it with a 4-yard touchdown run to make it 7-7 early in the second quarter.

The teams traded punts before the Cajuns moved down to the ULM 31 but came up empty again as Tyler Albrecht missed a 49-yard field goal wide right with 6:53 left before halftime.

ULM appeared to take a 14-7 lead on Revell’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Anthony McCall with three minutes left in the second period, but the play was reviewed and overturned. Following a false-start penalty, Radi Jabour’s 32-yard field goal put the Warhawks up 10-7.

The Cajuns responded with a scoring drive to take a 14-10 halftime lead on McGuire’s 1-yard scoring run. That came after McGuire converted on fourth down with a short run and Masson hit Green for a 52-yard gain down to the ULM 4.

McGuire scored three plays after that long play to Green, giving the Cajuns a halftime lead for the third straight game.

ULM scored on its second possession in the third quarter on Revell’s 11-yard scoring strike to Keavon Milton to retake the lead at 17-14 with 2:41 to go in the third quarter.

The Warhawks punted early in the fourth quarter but got it back after the officials ruled that a Cajun player touched the ball. ULM eventually had to settle for a 27-yard field goal attempt by Jabour, who pushed the kick wide left.

Instead of leading 20-14, the Warhawks came up empty.

The Cajuns scored the go-ahead points with 7:16 left as McGuire powered into the end zone from the 1 to complete a 12-play, 80-yard drive.

"I felt like that changed the whole momentum of the game," McGuire said. "They missed a field goal, and we were able to capitalize on it and take the momentum from that opportunity."

ULM got nothing out of the ensuing possession and punted it away, pinning the Cajuns at their own 6. UL gained only 15 yards on the drive and had to punt it back to the Warhawks.

Ambrose, though, muffed the punt and Fleming recovered the ball at the ULM 30. The Cajuns knelt twice to run the final 86 seconds off the clock.

Only a victory over conference leader Troy next Saturday stands between the Cajuns and a seven-win season. A bowl berth is also still a possibility.

"Having Troy come here to our house is a huge advantage," Masson said. "We stress protecting our house every time we play here. Just like we like playing right before the half and in the fourth quarter, that’s how we like it. And I wouldn’t like it any other way."