Football: Here are 13 memorable Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football games on Cajun Field anniversary

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, Sept. 24, 2021

(Reposted from Sept. 24, 2021).

With Saturday being the 50th anniversary of the first game played at Cajun Field, a 21-0 UL win over Santa Clara, here are 13 of the most memorable games ever played in the stadium:

UL 29, Texas A&M 22

Sept. 14, 1996

Fans tore down a goalpost after the Ragin’ Cajuns upset the No. 25 Aggies. “We all knew that was going to be a moment in time,” quarterback Jake Delhomme said.

UL 40, UL Monroe 26

Nov. 6, 1982

Down 26-0 at halftime, the Cajuns rallied behind Dwight Prudhomme’s 60-yard quarterback sneak against then-Northeast Louisiana. “The greatest Homecoming comeback in school history,” school president Joseph Savoie said.

UL 36, ULM 35

Nov. 5, 2011

The Cajuns were down by 11 with just more than two minutes remaining, but won behind Ladarius Green’s onside kick recovery. “I loved that moment,” offensive lineman Mykhael Quave said.

UL 42, Southern 19

Sept. 9, 2009

A record crowd of 41,357 watched Southern and its famed Human Jukebox marching band. “It is I think the only time the fire marshal has said, ‘You’ve got to quit selling tickets,’ ” play-by-play man Jay Walker said.

Alabama 25, UL 6

Oct. 6, 1990

With plenty of fans in tow, the Crimson Tide made six field goals in its only visit to Cajun Field. “I remember of couple of them saying, ‘I wouldn’t mind coming back here,’ ” Walker said. “I remember the guy who had the box of Tide and the roll of toilet paper on top it – Roll Tide.”

HELP:How young UL football defensive linemen stepped up with Zi’Yon Hill out

DRAWN ON A NAPKIN:How the Cajuns landed $15 million stadium naming rights deal

LONG LINES:Why UL’s athletic director issued apology after win over Nicholls

UL 17, Kansas State 15

Sept. 12, 2009

Tyler Albrecht’s first field goal attempt as a Cajun, a 48-yarder with 32 seconds left, won it.

UL 21, Louisiana Tech 17

Nov. 27, 1993

Coming off a 2-9 season, the Cajuns and freshman quarterback Delhomme beat the Bulldogs to win the Big West Conference championship.

UL 55, Arkansas State 40

Oct. 21, 2014

Running backs Alonzo Harris and Elijah McGuire combined for eight touchdowns in a game that ended in a scuffle after a cheap shot directed at Quave. Two Red Wolves were ejected. The Sun Belt Conference later reprimanded two more Arkansas State players, one from UL, a UL assistant coach and a UL staffer. The officiating crew even was suspended one game.

UL 20, Georgia Southern 18

Sept. 26, 2020

Nate Snyder’s 53-yard field goal as time expired had Cajun players dancing.

UL 24, Arkansas State 19

Nov. 26, 2016

Red Wolves quarterback Justice Hansen was hauled down shy of a first down on a late fourth-down play, but lateraled to an offensive lineman who scooped the ball up on two bounces and scored. A-State players celebrated before police directed them away from UL’s sideline. But the TD was overturned upon review, igniting a crazy celebration. UL coach Mark Hudspeth called coach Blake Anderson to apologize for his players’ behavior.

UL 29, Arkansas State 28

Nov. 18, 1989

Quarterback Brian Mitchell’s 7-yard touchdown run with 40 seconds left and 2-point conversion pass to Corey Williams won it.

ULM 56, UL 50 (double overtime)

Sept. 23, 2017

Andre Nunez threw a late 14-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marcus Bradley, but UL kicked the PAT and forced overtime rather than go for two, and Derrick Gore won it for the Warhawks with an 8-yard TD run

Arkansas State 21, UL 7

Nov. 21, 1992

The Cajuns ended a 2-9 season with a loss cut short by wild second-half weather.

* * * * *

Athletic Network Footnote by Ed Dugas:

Click here for the 1982 Football photo gallery and 2002 reunion at Homecoming.

Click here for the 1996 Football photo gallery.

Click here for the page of the Past Ballplayers Association – article and photo gallery of many who played in the first football game at Cajun Field.

Click here for the 1971 Football Photo Gallery.