TROY, Ala. – Quarterback Lunch Winfield threw for 187 yards and a touchdown while adding a team-high 139 rushing yards, but Louisiana was unable to overcome a pair of first-half interceptions as Troy pulled away late for a 35-23 Sun Belt Conference win on Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Louisiana (2-6, 1-3 SBC) totaled 371 yards of offense, outgaining the Trojans (6-2, 4-0 SBC) by 26 yards, but back-to-back interceptions in the second quarter led to 14 straight points after the Cajuns had taken a 14-7 lead.
Winfield, who completed 12-of-22 passes, found Shelton Sampson Jr. on a 36-yard touchdown strike on Louisiana’s second play from scrimmage to tie the game at 7-7 after Troy’s opening score on Tucker Kilcrease’s 8-yard run. After a Courtline Flowers 17-yard interception return to the Troy 1, Zylan Perry punched in two plays later to give the Cajuns a 14-7 lead with 14:14 remaining in the first half.
Troy answered with 14 straight points – including a 30-yard interception return by Jaquez White – to regain the advantage. After Kelano Levine’s 34-yard return to the UL 26 on Louisiana’s ensuing possession, the Trojans scored two plays later on Kilcrease’s 4-yard run up the middle for a 21-14 lead.
Tony Sterner booted a 37-yard field goal before halftime to cut the deficit to 21–17, then added makes from 31 and 32 yards after the break as Louisiana kept it close into the fourth quarter.
The Cajuns trailed 28-23 with just under eight minutes to play, but Troy’s Jordan Lovett capped the night with his second rushing touchdown – a 19-yarder – to seal the Trojans’ fourth straight league win.
Winfield led the ground attack with 23 carries for 139 yards. Charles Robertson caught three passes for 61 yards, and Sampson finished with five receptions for 74 yards and his first career touchdown.
Defensively, Terrence Williams paced Louisiana with eight tackles. Jordan Lawson, Maxie Baudoin IV, and Kadarius Miller each recorded sacks as the Cajuns totaled three on the night.
Louisiana finished 7-of-15 on third down and converted both fourth-down attempts, controlling the ball for nearly 30 minutes.
The Ragin’ Cajuns will return to the state of Alabama on Saturday (November 1) when it travels to Mobile to face South Alabama in a 2:30 p.m. contest at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
