University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
2-2 , 1-0
Tulane
2-2 , 0-1
Cajuns Come Up Short Against Tulane In Four-Overtime Thriller, 41-39
9/25/2016 12:28:00 AM | Football
McGuire scores three TDs to move into second-place on UL scoring list
Elijah McGuire scored three TDs for Louisiana (2-2), including a 22-yard scoring pass from Anthony Jennings in the fourth overtime, but Al Riles was stopped short of the goal line on the two-point conversion to lift Tulane (2-2) to the win.
Louisiana trailed 16-9 in the fourth quarter before going on a 16-play, 53-yard drive to tie the score with 5:55 remaining. The Ragin' Cajuns converted three four-down attempts on the drive with McGuire scoring on a 1-yard plunge to tie the game at 16-16.
The Ragin' Cajuns scored in the extra period as Keenan Barnes caught a 10-yard TD pass from Anthony Jennings for a 23-16 lead. Tulane tied the game one play later when Cuiellette hit Encalde on a 25-yard strike before the Green Wave opened the second overtime period with a 25-yard strike from Cuiellette to Darnell Moody on the following play.
McGuire, who recorded a career-high 38 carries for the Ragin' Cajuns, scored on a 1-yard plunge on the following drive to send the game to a third overtime, and Stevie Artigue booted a 22-yard field goal for a 33-30 lead in the third extra period.
The Ragin' Cajuns, who limited Tulane to 0-for-16 on third down in the game, was aided by a facemask penalty by the Green Wave that pushed the ball back to the UL 31. Andrew DiRocco knotted the score at 33-33 when he drilled a 48-yard field goal, sending the game to a fourth overtime.
The game was a defensive struggle for much of regulation with the Ragin' Cajuns taking a 6-0 lead on field goals of 40 and 39 yards by Artigue. Tulane answered with field goals of 22, 35 and 20 yards by DiRocco before Cuiellette connected with Encalde on a 34-yard TD pass for a 16-9 lead with 1:07 remaining in the third quarter.
McGuire finished with 89 yards rushing, 48 yards receiving and six yards on returns to increase his career all-purpose yards total to 5,163 yards – 68 shy of tying Tyrell Fenroy for the school's all-time lead. Riles caught a team-high six passes for 70 yards for the Ragin' Cajuns while Jennings finished 19-for-38 for 240 yards and a pair of TDs.
Cuiellette finished 10-for-23 for 165 yards and four TDs for Tulane, which had not thrown a touchdown pass entering the game. Encalde caught seven passes for 103 yards for the Green Wave.
Tre'maine Lightfoot recorded a career-high 12 tackles to lead Louisiana with Otha Peters adding 10. Redshirt freshman Joe Dillon had six tackles and a pair of sacks in his first career start for the Ragin' Cajuns while Mario Osborne had four stops including a sack.
Louisiana will return to Sun Belt Conference play on Oct. 1 when it travels to Las Cruces, N.M., to face New Mexico State in a 7 p.m. CT contest.
UL Game Notes (at Tulane, Sept. 24, 2016)
• Captains for the game were WR Al Riles (Covington), LB Otha Peters (Covington), DB Dominick Jones (New Orleans) and OL D'Aquin Withrow (New Orleans).
• The game marked the first overtime game for Louisiana since Oct. 31, 2009 (lost to FIU, 20-17). Third overtime game on the road for Ragin' Cajuns in school history (at Middle Tennessee in 2000 and 2003).
• Louisiana played its third 4-overtime game in school history; first since 57-51 win at Middle Tennessee on Nov. 15, 2003.
• Louisiana held Tulane to 0-for-16 on third-down attempts in the game.
• Elijah McGuire carried a career-high 38 times for 89 yards and two TDs.
• McGuire's three TDs on the night gave him 47 in his career and 288 points (passing Brian Mitchell for second-place in school history).
• McGuire finished with 143 all-purpose yards, increasing his career total to 5,163 yards - 68 shy of tying Tyrell Fenroy for the UL all-time lead.
• Tulane wins coin toss and defers; Cajuns take opening kickoff.
• Junior Raynard Ford earned his first career start for Louisiana at right tackle in place of Grant Horst (illness).
• Mario Osborne's 9-yard sack in the first quarter was his first of the season (third of his career).
• Attendance was 24,253.
• Redshirt freshman Joe Dillion recorded his first career sack in the second quarter.
• Stevie Artigue sets career-high with four field goals; had three FGs in games against ULM (10/31/15) and Georgia State (11/7/15)
• Corey Turner's blocked punt was the first for the Ragin' Cajuns since Reggie Miles against Troy in 2015 season finale.
• Craig Smith makes his debut for Ragin' Cajuns in fourth quarter in place of injured D'Aquin Withrow.
• Louisiana converted three fourth-down opportunities on its 16-play scoring drive after entering game going 0-for-4 on the season.
• McGuire's 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter capped a 16-play drive for the Ragin' Cajuns, the longest since a 15-play scoring drive in season opener against Boise State.
Team Stats
LA 3, TLN 0
LA - Artigue, Stevie 40 yd field goal 11 plays, 61 yards, TOP 3:37
LA 6, TLN 0
LA - Artigue, Stevie 39 yd field goal 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:54
LA 6, TLN 3
TLN - DiROCCO, Andrew 22 yd field goal 4 plays, 7 yards, TOP 1:25
LA 6, TLN 6
TLN - DiROCCO, Andrew 35 yd field goal 4 plays, -6 yards, TOP 1:43
LA 6, TLN 9
TLN - DiROCCO, Andrew 20 yd field goal 4 plays, 3 yards, TOP 2:01
LA 9, TLN 9
LA - Artigue, Stevie 20 yd field goal 4 plays, 3 yards, TOP 1:38
LA 9, TLN 16
TLN - ENCALADE, T. 34 yd pass from CUIELLETTE, G. (DiROCCO, Andrew kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:11
LA 16, TLN 16
LA - McGuire, Elijah 1 yd run (Artigue, Stevie kick), 16 plays, 53 yards, TOP 6:03
LA 23, TLN 16
LA - Barnes, Keenan 10 yd pass from Jennings, A. (Artigue, Stevie kick) 4 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
LA 23, TLN 23
TLN - ENCALADE, T. 25 yd pass from CUIELLETTE, G. (DiROCCO, Andrew kick) 1 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
LA 23, TLN 30
TLN - MOONEY, Darnell 25 yd pass from CUIELLETTE, G. (DiROCCO, Andrew kick) 1 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
LA 30, TLN 30
LA - McGuire, Elijah 1 yd run (Artigue, Stevie kick), 2 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
LA 33, TLN 30
LA - Artigue, Stevie 22 yd field goal 6 plays, 20 yards, TOP 0:00
LA 33, TLN 33
TLN - DiROCCO, Andrew 48 yd field goal 6 plays, -6 yards, TOP 0:00
LA 33, TLN 41
TLN - ENCALADE, T. 7 yd pass from CUIELLETTE, G. (ARDOIN, Kendall pass) 4 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
LA 39, TLN 41
LA - McGuire, Elijah 22 yd pass from Jennings, A. (Jennings, A. passfailed) 2 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
