Football: Cajuns down Warhawks to improve to 6-0 in SBC

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, November 16, 2014

 

UL quarterback Terrance Broadway (8) hands off the ball to Al Riles (2) for actually a touchdown reception during the Cajuns’ 34-27 victory against UL Monroe on Saturday at Malone Stadium. (Photo: Dacia Idom/The News-Star)

 

 

MONROE – With the memory of a loss last season still decidedly fresh in their minds, and a certain image not to be forgotten, the Ragin’ Cajuns did what one of them, senior running back Alonzo Harris, vowed they’d do Saturday.

UL beat in-state rival UL Monroe 34-27 in front of 19,544 at Malone Stadium here, giving Cajuns head coach Mark Hudspeth his 100^th career win including his spent at North Alabama.

The win was the sixth in a row for 7-3 UL, which is now 6-0 in Sun Belt Conference play.

It came after the Cajuns finally were able to shake something that evidently has been bugging them for quite some time.

"They danced on our field last year after they upset us in a game," said UL senior starting quarterback Terrance Broadway, who was recalling a 31-28 Warhawk win last season that ended the Cajuns’ eight-game win streak at the time.

"We watched that over and over again (on video) for the past year since it happened," added Broadway, who broke his throwing arm that same night. "So, it was personal as a team – and, I mean, we just went out and played Ragin’ Cajun football tonight."

The Cajuns compiled 282 rushing yards, including 133 on 13 carries by Harris, as ULM lost its sixth straight and fell to 3-7, 2-4.

"It meant a lot," said Harris, who was held to just 10 rushing yards in two of his three previous games against the Warhawks.

"It was kind of personal, I think, for each individual on both sides of the ball," added Harris, who promised a win. "We took that (dancing) as disrespect, and we came out with a chip on our shoulder, and it was just for us to get back to the old Cajun way."

UL won behind strong late-game pressure up from its defense, which allowed ULM 483 passing yards but limited the Warhawks to minus-39 rushing yards on 21 carries.

"Once they abandoned their running game, it was really on, the whole D-line stuff," senior linebacker Jake Molbert said.

"Juice (Justin Hamilton, who had 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery off a punt gone awry) and Christian Ringo (5.5 tackles for loss including 2.5 sacks) did a great job. Our whole defensive line did a great job."

ULM turned almost exclusively to its pass game in the second half, and Warhawks quarterback Pete Thomas finished 38-of-54 for a career-high 472 yards.

But the Cajun defense held it together.

Leading 20-13 going into the fourth quarter, UL traded touchdowns with ULM in the final period as Broadway scored on a 12-yard run, Thomas on a 2-yard run, Broadway had 36-yard shovel pass to Gabe Fuselier and Thomas a 45-yard pass to Rashon Ceaser with one minute and 47 seconds remaining.

ULM had one last drive that started with 1:18 to go, but Hamilton sacked Thomas and, on third down, Thomas completed a pass to Kenzee Jackson that was fumbled and recovered by linebacker Tre’maine Lightfoot.

"He (Thomas) was getting the ball out quick, and that was hard for us to do any type of games that we like to do," Molbert said. "They were a very good offensive passing team.

"But Juice and Ringo put a lot of hits on him, and I’m sure he’s gonna feel it (today). It turned into a one-dimensional game for us – just pin your ears back and go, and try to get to him."

Molbert had a key play with UL clinging to a 20-13 lead early in the fourth quarter and ULM punting from its own 34.

Warhawks punter Justin Manton received a bad snap and was pounded by Molbert.

"That was big," Hudspeth said.

Hamilton scooped up the ball, and three plays later Broadway ran in from 12 yards out to help put UL up 27-13 and give the Cajuns some breathing room.

"I actually was expecting a sneak or something," Molbert said. "I really was just waiting on contain, then I saw him bobbling the snap, and once I saw that I just took off and hit him.

"It was a huge point. We gave our offense great field position to capitalize on it, and they did."

UL took a 20-13 advantage into the second half, and after a scoreless third quarter it remained that way heading into the fourth.

The Cajuns jumped to an early 10-0 lead with a 22-yard field goal from Hunter Stover set up by Harris’ 54-yard run and a 1-yard Elijah McGuire touchdown run.

After Thomas’ 5-yard TD pass to Jackson on a slant route helped to make it 10-7, Broadway’s shovel pass to slot receiver Al Riles was good for a 16-yard TD.

Stover made the PAT after Riles’ score and the Cajuns went into the second quarter up 17-7.

ULM got to within seven with a 34-yard Manton field goal, but Stover’s career-long 38-yard field goal made it 20-10 UL.

After Stover missed wide-left from 46 yards out, Manton – following two Cajun timeouts attempting to ice him – hit a 47-yard field as time in the first half expired.

Broadway wound up running for 94 yards and throwing for 173 yards (10-of-13) and two TDs, and moved into second place on UL’s total offense leaders list with 8,804, jumping Brian Mitchell but still behind Jake Delhomme (8,876).

He left satisfied.

"Whatever I had to win this game, whether it was running or passing the ball," Broadway said. "I just wanted to be successful at either win and help my team win the ballgame."