Football: Records Shattered As Ragin’ Cajuns Blast Nicholls State, 70-7

Matt Sullivan, September 14, 2013

McGuire rushes for three TDs in impressive home debut

Contact: Matt Sullivan

LAFAYETTE – It was a record-setting night for the Louisiana football team in its home opener on Saturday against Nicholls State at Cajun Field.

Freshman Elijah McGuire rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns and the Ragin’ Cajuns erupted for 620 yards of total offense in a 70-7 victory over the Colonels before an announced crowd of 28,871 – the 10th-largest crowd in school history.

Torrey Pierce added a pair of touchdowns for Louisiana (1-2), which earned its 500th win in school history and scored the most points in a game at Cajun Field, eclipsing the previous record (56) set against UAB in 1995. Alonzo Harris, Terrance Broadway and Montrel Carter each scored on touchdown runs as the Ragin’ Cajuns, who piled up 456 yards on the ground and averaged 8.6 yards in the process.

Defensively, Louisiana forced five turnovers and recorded four sacks. Justin Anderson picked off a pass from Nicholls quarterback Beaux Hebert in the first quarter and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown as the Ragin’ Cajuns built a 28-0 lead after one quarter and never looked back.

After earning a 27-23 victory at Western Michigan last week for its first win over a FBS school since 2007, Nicholls State (1-2) had visions of becoming the first-ever FCS school to post back-to-back wins over college football’s top classification.

But the Colonels’ dreams of a second upset win were quickly dashed on the game’s third play when Harris took a handoff and raced 65 yards for a touchdown that gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 7-0 lead with 13:41 remaining in the first quarter.

After forcing the Colonels to punt on their opening possession, Louisiana drove 96 yards in 10 plays with Broadway capping the drive with a 24-yard score with 7:50 left.

Pierce, who rushed for 74 yards on a team-high 12 carries, gave Louisiana a 21-0 lead on its third series when he scored on a 7-yard run off the right side with 1:47 remaining in the first quarter. Pierce opened the drive with a 15-yard run to the Nicholls 48 and Broadway connected with Devin Scott on a 37-yard pass to the Nicholls 7 on third-and-6 before Pierce scored on the following play.

Anderson, who returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown last season against Tulane, gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 28-0 lead when he stepped in front of a Hebert pass and raced untouched to the end zone with 53 seconds remaining.

Pierce added a 2-yard TD run in the second quarter for the Ragin’ Cajuns before McGuire got into the act in his home debut.

The freshman from Houma accounted for all 55 yards on a three-play drive that ended when he scored his first career touchdown on a 4-yard run up the middle for a 42-0 lead. McGuire opened the drive for Louisiana with a 37-yard scamper around the right side to the Nicholls 18 before catching a 14-yard screen pass from Broadway to the Nicholls 4.

Remaine Douglas returned a fumble by Nicholls’ Tuskani Figaro to the Colonel 11 and McGuire scored on the next play for a 49-0 lead with 2:28 remaining in the first half.

Broadway, who finished 10-for-13 through the air for 149 yards, gave Louisiana a 56-7 lead when he hit Jamal Robinson for a 25-yard TD pass

McGuire scored his final touchdown on an electrifying 42-yard run with 8:24 remaining in the third quarter when he capped a two-play, 47 yard drive. After gaining five yards on his first carry, McGuire carried up the middle, broke a tackle, dragged a Nicholls defender in the process, before breaking away and breaking another tackle near the end zone that gave Louisiana a 63-7 advantage.

Carter capped the Ragin’ Cajuns’ scoring when his 1-yard plunge capped a 9-play, 77-yard drive with 14:03 remaining in the game.

Nicholls averted a shutout in the second quarter when Figaro, a former Lafayette High product, connected with Demon Bolt for a 36-yard TD pass with 1:25 remaining before intermission.

Hebert, the son of former New Orleans Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert, finished 5-for-17 for 56 yards and was sacked three times. Figaro completed 5 of 11 passes for 77 yards for the Colonels while leading the team with 40 yards on the ground.

Louisiana will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 21, when it visits Akron in a 5 p.m. CDT contest at InfoCision Stadium.

GAME NOTES:
Freshman Running Back Elijah McGuire
•  Became the first Cajuns true-freshman since Alonzo Harris in 2011 to rush for over 100 yards, carrying nine times for 137 yards and three touchdowns.  He also caught one pass for 14 yards.

Junior Alonzo Harris
•  Rushed for a 65-yard touchdown on his first carry to put Louisiana ahead, 7-0.  The run allowed him to move from 11th to 8th on the UL career rushing list (passing 10. Marcus Prier, 1993-95 with 1,714 yds, 9. Thomas Jackson, 1983-85 with 1,738 & Jim Barton, 1967-69 with 1,771).  It was his second TD of the season & 20th of his career

Senior Linebacker Justin Anderson
•  Entered the week ranked third nationally with 29 tackles (14.5 tpg) & registered a team-high six tackles in two-and-a-half quarters of action.
•  Returned a first quarter interception 58 yards for a touchdown (28-0), his second career interception & second INT touchdown.

Junior Quarterback Terrance Broadway
•  Played just the first half and first series of the third quarter, but completed 10-of-13 passes for 149 yards and a TD.  He also rushed five times for 42 yards and a TD (his 11th career rushing TD)

Miscellaneous:
•  The Louisiana victory was the 500th in the 113th season of Cajuns football.  UL is 500-523-34 all-time.
•  The Cajuns improved to 11-1 at home in the third season under head coach Mark Hudspeth.
•  The 70 points breaks the Cajun Field record for points scored, formerly 56 points set vs. UAB (9/9/95).
•  The 10 touchdowns tied the school record for touchdowns in a game, originally set vs. Troy in 1946.
•  The 70 points were the most points by the Cajuns since 75 vs. Lake Charles on 11/13/43.  It is the most since Mark Hudspeth took over as head coach, besting the old mark of 52 points vs. South Alabama (11/24/12).
•  Sophomore kicker Stephen Brauchle broke the school record with 10 extra points made.  He broke the record shared by Drew Edmiston (at North Texas, 2008) & Mike Shafer (vs. UAB, 1995).  He also tied the school record for extra points attempted with 10, the first by a Ragin’ Cajun since Al Hatteberg vs. Troy in 1946.
•  The Louisiana defense made a pair interceptions (J. Anderson & Trim) and recovered three fumbles, giving them a 5-1 turnover advantage.
•  Sophomore Torrey Pierce earned his first career start, rushing 12 times for a career-high 74 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  They were his fourth and fifth career scores, giving him two multiple touchdown games in his career.
•  Sophomore wide receiver Adam Savoie, the son of University president Joseph Savoie, completed his come back from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the entire 2012 season.  He played in his first game, catching one pass for five yards.
•  The announced crowd of 28,871 was the 10th largest crowd in Cajun Field history.
•  Sophomore Montrel Carter scored his first career touchdown as a Ragin’ Cajun, scoring on a 1-yard run with 14:03 remaining in the fourth quarter.