Louisiana Holds Off UAB for 21-14 Home Victory
LAFAYETTE, La. — Louisiana returned to the win column Saturday night, using a strong rushing attack and a pair of late defensive stops to defeat UAB 21-14 at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium.
The Ragin’ Cajuns established their identity early, controlling possession and consistently finding success on the ground. Louisiana opened the scoring with a 14-play drive that ended with Steven Blanco powering into the end zone from one yard out.
Quarterback Lunch Winfield added to the advantage early in the second quarter. Winfield escaped for a nine-yard rushing touchdown, extending Louisiana’s lead to 14-0 and continuing his growing impact as a dual-threat quarterback.
UAB found its first points through its defense when Chris Burge recovered a Louisiana fumble and returned it 13 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to seven.
Louisiana responded before halftime.
With less than two minutes remaining, the Ragin’ Cajuns moved 75 yards in just seven plays. Winfield finished the drive with his second rushing touchdown of the night, sending Louisiana into the locker room with a 21-7 advantage.
The second half became a much more defensive game.
Louisiana was held scoreless after halftime, giving UAB opportunities to work its way back into the contest. The Blazers eventually cut the lead to 21-14 and entered the fourth quarter with a chance to complete the comeback.
UAB failed on two fourth-down attempts during the final quarter, allowing the Ragin’ Cajuns to protect their one-score advantage and close out the victory.
Winfield finished as Louisiana’s leading rusher with 91 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns. He also completed 15 of 20 passes for 110 yards, providing the Ragin’ Cajuns with production both through the air and on the ground.
Blanco added 55 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Anthony Reagan Jr. contributed another 48 yards as Louisiana finished with 225 rushing yards.
The Ragin’ Cajuns’ defense was equally important. Louisiana limited UAB to only 218 total yards, including 74 on the ground, and held the Blazers to two conversions on 12 third-down attempts.
Most importantly, UAB finished 0-for-4 on fourth down, with Louisiana repeatedly producing stops in situations that could have changed the game.
The Ragin’ Cajuns also controlled possession for more than 35 minutes, allowing their rushing attack to dictate the pace while keeping UAB’s offense off the field.
With the 21-14 victory, Louisiana improved to 2-1 and earned its second home win of the season.
After opening the year with a dominant victory over Lamar and facing a difficult road test in Los Angeles, the Ragin’ Cajuns responded with a physical performance at home — relying on their running game and defense to finish the job.
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