#16/#17/#23 LOUISIANA VS. MARSHALL • SATURDAY, DEC. 18 • CAESARS SUPERDOME • NEW ORLEANS, LA.
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns Notes
LOUISIANA TO FACE MARSHALL IN NEW ORLEANS BOWL
Louisiana is set to play in its fourth consecutive bowl game on Saturday, Dec. 18, when it takes on Marshall in the 2021 New Orleans Bowl. The contest will be the team’s 11th appearance in a bowl game in program history and the sixth appearance in the New Orleans Bowl.
A LOOK AT THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
• Louisiana is 33-5 since the start of the 2019 season.
• Louisiana owns an official bowl record of 5-3 and has been victorious in its last two bowl games.
• The Ragin’ Cajuns are one of six teams in the nation with 12 or more wins, joining Cincinnati (13), Alabama (12), Georgia (12), Michigan (12) and UTSA (12).
• Louisiana picked up 16 All-Conference selections, the most in program history. Billy Napier was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year and Montrell Johnson was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, while Max Mitchell (OL), O’Cyrus Torrence (OL), Rhys Byrns (P) and Chris Smith (AP) earned First Team honors.
• Louisiana extended its winning streak to 12 games, furthering the program record for consecutive wins. The previous record was eight-straight victories during the 1976 season.
• Louisiana is 40-5 over the last four seasons when scoring more than 20 points. After scoring 42 points at Liberty, the team is 15-0 when scoring more than 40 points since 2018.
• The Ragin’ Cajuns own a 16-3 record in one-possession games since the start of the 2018 season.
• The Cajun defense ranks 11th nationally in scoring defense, holding opponents to 18.3 points per game.
• Over its last four games, Louisiana is +12 in the turnover margin. Since 2018, the team is 20-2 when forcing two or more takeaways in a game.
• With its victory over ULM, Louisiana completed a perfect regular season in Sun Belt Conference play (8-0). The Ragin’ Cajuns have been perfect in league play just one time in their history, posting a 5-0 mark in Gulf States Conference play during the 1970 season.
• Louisiana checked in at No. 16 in the AP Top 25, No. 17 in the USA Today/AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 23 in the College Football Playoff Top 25.
TEAM NOTES
• Over the last four seasons, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns have won four Sun Belt Conference West Division titles, won the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Championship, were the 2020 Sun Belt Co-Champions and have been victorious in two bowl games (LendingTree Bowl (2020) and SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (2021)).
• Louisiana owns a perfect 16-0 record against Sun Belt West Division opponents and is 26-7 overall against Sun Belt opposition over the last four seasons.
• Louisiana won its first outright Sun Belt Conference Championship and its first outright title in 53 years with its 24-16 victory over App State on Dec. 4.
• The win over the Mountaineers extended the program record for consecutive wins to 12. The previous record, which the Ragin’ Cajuns tied with their victory over Georgia State, was set during the 1976 season, when the team won nine-straight games.
• The team is one of six teams in the nation with 12 or more wins on the season, joining Cincinnati (13), Alabama (12), Georgia (12), Michigan (12) and UTSA (12).
• Louisiana’s defense has been stellar all year, leading the Sun Belt and ranking 11th nationally in scoring defense by holding opponents to just 18.3 points per contest.
• The team is currently +12 in the turnover margin over the last six games.
• In the victory over Liberty, the defense forced six turnovers, the most by the Ragin’ Cajuns since forcing six at Northwestern State on Sept. 17, 2005. Louisiana is one of eight schools this year to force six or more turnovers in a single game.
• Louisiana is now 20-2 since 2018 when forcing two or more turnovers in a game.
• The Ragin’ Cajuns defense also recorded seven sacks against the Flames, the most sacks by the team since recording seven sacks at ULM on Nov. 15, 2014.
• Louisiana is 16-3 in one-possession games since 2018.
• The 42 points scored against Texas State marked the 15th time that Louisiana has produced more than 40 points in a single game since 2018. The team is 15-0 in those games.
• Louisiana is 40-5 when scoring 20 or more points over the last four seasons.
• Louisiana’s defense held Texas State to 0 points on Oct. 30, improving the Ragin’ Cajuns to 9-0 in the last four seasons when an opponent scores 14 or fewer points.
• The shutout marked the first by the Ragin’ Cajuns since Sept. 1, 2012, when it blanked Lamar, 40-0.
• The Ragin’ Cajuns had three passing scores and two rushing scores against the Bobcats on Oct. 30, the 22nd time the team has achieved that feat since 2000 and just the second time since 2018.
• Louisiana produced 546 yards of total offense against A-State, the 17th time the Cajuns have recorded 500+ yards since 2018 and the second time this season, the first coming against Ohio (562). The team owns a 16-1 record in those contests.
• Of those 546 yards against the Red Wolves, 424 came on the ground. The Cajuns have rushed for more than 400 yards three times since the start of the 2018 season and own a 3-0 record in those contests.
• Louisiana has won 12-straight regular-season road games against Sun Belt teams and is 16-1 in regular-season road games since the start of the 2019 season.
• Louisiana has eight “super seniors” on the roster this year in quarterback Levi Lewis, linebacker Ferrod Gardner, offensive lineman Ken Marks, wide receiver Jalen Williams, linebacker Chauncey Manac, nose tackle Tayland Humphrey, safety Cameron Solomon and kicker Nate Snyder. Of the eight, Ken Marks and Ferrod Gardner are entering their seventh season of eligibility.
• Louisiana’s play-by-play announcer Jay Walker is in his 30th year covering the Ragin’ Cajuns.
QUARTERBACK NOTES
• Levi Lewis is 34-7 as the starting quarterback of the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.
• Named Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference.
• Passed for 210 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 43 yards and a score in the historic Sun Belt Championship Game victory over App State (Dec. 4).
• Following his big performance, he was named MVP of the title game.
• Louisiana is 8-2 when Lewis records a rushing and passing score in the same game.
• Threw for 163 yards and added a 20-yard rushing score in the win over ULM (Nov. 27).
• Led Louisiana to an impressive road victory over Liberty, completing 14 of his 25 pass attempts for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
• Louisiana is now 20-1 when Lewis throws for more than two touchdowns.
• The performance was his fourth three-touchdown effort of the season and his second-straight game with three passing scores. He has thrown three or more passing scores nine times in his career.
• Went off against Troy, throwing for 166 yards and three touchdown passes and added a rushing score.
• His performance marked the third time in his career he has had three touchdown passes and at least one rushing touchdown in a single game.
• Threw for 287 yards against Georgia State (Nov. 4), Lewis’ second most passing yards of the season and the sixth most of his career. He finished 19-for-34 and three his 66th career touchdown pass.
• Lewis has thrown for at least 200 yards in seven out of the team’s 10 games and is now 15-3 in his career when eclipsing the 200-yard marking through the air.
• Had a monster day against Texas State (Oct. 30), completing 22-of-32 passes for 228 yards and throwing three touchdown passes.
• With the three passing scores, Lewis surpassed Louisiana legend Jake Delhomme to become the school’s all-time passing touchdown leader.
• Went 11-for-20 for 122 yards on the road against Arkansas State (Oct. 21). With his yardage total, Lewis moved into second place for career passing yards in Louisiana history.
• Led Louisiana to an impressive win over App State, going 15-for-25 for 209 yards and a touchdown through the air and adding a rushing touchdown, his first of the season.
• Recorded a team-high 10 carries for 61 yards and his first rushing score of the year, while also completing nine passes for 49 yards at South Alabama (Oct. 2).
• Led Louisiana to its third consecutive victory in a Sun Belt Conference opener, going 17-for-28 for 249 yards and three passing touchdowns against Georgia Southern (Sept. 25).
• Accounted for 261 of Louisiana’s 378 yards of total offense against the Eagles after adding 12 yards rushing in the game.
• Was efficient against Ohio, throwing for more than 200 yards for a third consecutive game after completing 21 of his 29 attempts for 212 yards and touchdown.
• Lewis had a strong showing against Nicholls (Sept. 11), going 19-for-33 for 304 yards and throwing two touchdown passes.
• Lewis’ 304 passing yards were the third-most of his career and marked the third time he eclipsed the 300-yard passing threshold. It was also the 37th 300-yard passing performance in program history.
• Lewis went 28-for-40 for 282 yards and a touchdown in the team’s Week 1 loss at No. 21/19 Texas.
• His 282 passing yards were the fifth most in his career and the most in a season opener by a Ragin’ Cajun since Chris Masson threw for 283 yards against Southern on Sept. 5, 2009.
• The yardage total also marked the most by a Ragin’ Cajun against a Power 5 opponent since Blaine Gautier threw 236 yards against Oklahoma State on Sept. 15, 2012.
• Lewis is first in program history for career passing touchdowns and second in career passing yards.
RUNNING BACK NOTES
• Leads the team with 844 rushing yards and is second on the team with eight touchdowns.
• Picked up First Team All-League honors for all-purpose yards and was named a Third Team AllConference running back.
• Ran for 21 yards on nine carries against App State
• Rushed for 37 yards on 10 carries and threw his first career touchdown pass, a 37-yard strike to Kyren Lacy, in the victory over ULM (Nov. 27).
• Toted the rock nine times for 41 yards at Liberty (Nov. 20).
• Recorded 102 rushing yards on 15 carries against Troy (Nov. 13), marking the second time in his career he has gained 100 or more yards on the ground in a single game.
• Rushed for 39 yards on 12 carries and had two receptions for 11 yards against Georgia State (Nov. 4).
• Carried the ball nine times for 70 yards and scored a touchdown against Texas State (Oct. 30).
• He also added a two-yard scoring reception, his first of the season and the second of his career.
• Produced one of the top single-game rushing performances in Louisiana history at Arkansas State (Oct. 21), rushing for 238 yards on 24 carries and scoring two touchdowns.
• Found the end zone two times and totaled 82 yards on 13 carries against App State (Oct. 12).
• The two-touchdown performance was the first of his career.
• Notched nine carries for 42 yards against South Alabama (Oct. 2).
• Gained 23 yards on a career-high 11 carries against Georgia Southern (Sept. 25).
• Scored his first touchdown of the season against Ohio (Sept. 16) and recorded 68 yards on 10 carries.
• Carried the ball 11 times for 46 yards against Nicholls (Sept. 11).
• Opened his 2021 campaign with 54 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown at Texas (Sept. 4)
RB Montrell Johnson
• Ranks second on the team with 730 rushing yards on 142 attempts and leads the team with 11 rushing touchdowns.
• Was named the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, joining Tyrell Fenroy (2005), Alonzo Harris (2011) and Elijah McGuire (2013) as the only players in program history to garner the recognition in their careers.
• Was also named a Second Team All-Conference running back.
• Recorded a team-high 62 yards on five carries, including a long of 42 yards, in the victory over ULM.
• Has scored more than two touchdowns in three games this year.
• Carried the ball 11 times for 37 yards and a touchdown, his 11th of the year, at Liberty (Nov. 20).
• Notched 16 carries for 67 yards against Troy (Nov. 13) and added his 10th score of the year.
• Narrowly missed his third 100-yard rushing game of his career, producing 98 yards on 17 carries and scoring two touchdowns against Georgia State (Nov. 4).
• Aided the Louisiana rushing attack with 10 carries for 27 yards against Texas State (Oct. 30).
• Had a monster game against A-State, recording 150 rushing yards on 17 carries and scoring twice.
• His 150 rushing yards are the most by a true freshman since Tyrell Fenroy had 156 rushing yards on Oct. 29, 2005, against Troy.
• His first score of the game was a 99-yard house call, a rush that broke a program record, the Sun Belt Conference record and tied an NCAA record.
• One of two players in the country with a 99-yard rush this season, joining Ohio quarterback Armani Rogers, and is one of 13 players all-time with a 99-yard touchdown in NCAA history
• One of two Ragin’ Cajuns since 2000 to record at least 10 rushing touchdowns during their freshman campaign.
• Totaled four carries for 49 yards and found the end zone against South Alabama (Oct. 2).
• Led the Louisiana backfield against Georgia Southern (Sept. 25) with 13 carries for 61 yards.
• Had a monster game in Louisiana’s dominant win over Ohio (Sept. 16), carrying the ball 13 times for 84 yards and scoring four touchdowns.
• Johnson was the first Ragin’ Cajun to rush for four touchdowns in a single game since Alonzo Harris and Elijah McGuire each had four scores against Arkansas State on Oct. 21, 2014.
• Became the first true freshman in program history to accomplish the feat.
• One of six players in the nation and the only Sun Belt performer with four rushing scores in a single game this season.
• His 13 carries and 84 yards were also career highs.
• Earned Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors following his performance.
• Recorded nine rushing attempts for 19 yards against Nicholls (Sept. 11)
• Saw his first career action at Texas (Sept. 4), carrying the ball six times for 27 yards.
Marshall Thundering Herd Notes
Bowl Prowess
Marshall enters the 2021 bowl season featuring a .750 winning percentage (12-4) in all NCAA-sanctioned bowl games, the highest mark nationally among programs that have made at least seven appearances. (The Thundering Herd also participated in the 1948 Tangerine Bowl, at which point it was not sanctioned). The leaders are below:
1. Marshall: .750 (12-4)
2. Utah: .739 (17-6)
3. Army: .667 (6-3)
4. Rutgers: .667 (6-3)
5. Ole Miss: .658 (25-13)
6. Louisiana Tech: .654 (8-4-1)
7. Oklahoma State: .645 (20-11)
8. USC: .642 (34-19)
9. San Jose State: .636 (7-4)
10. Syracuse: .635 (16-9-1)
No other notes available
