# College Football Week 8: Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (5-2) vs. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (1-5) Game Preview and Predictions

Source page: https://profootballnewshub.com/ncaa/news/college-football-week-8-louisiana-ragin-cajuns-5-2-vs-southern-miss-golden-eagles-1-5-game

> Louisiana brings a one-game win streak into Hattiesburg against a Southern Miss team losing five straight.

By Cole Saturday · Published 2026-10-23 21:03 UTC

_Drafted with AI from our own data and checked by an editor._

[Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns](https://profootballnewshub.com/ncaa/teams/louisiana-ragin-cajuns) ride a one-game win streak into a road date with a [Southern Miss Golden Eagles](https://profootballnewshub.com/ncaa/teams/southern-miss-golden-eagles) team that has dropped five straight.

Louisiana sits at 5-2 on the season after beating the Troy Trojans 33-6 last week. Southern Miss is 1-5 and has lost five in a row, most recently falling 13-23 to the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

## Game details

- When | Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET
- Where | M. M. Roberts Stadium
- TV | ESPN+
- Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns record | 5-2
- Southern Miss Golden Eagles record | 1-5

## The matchup

Louisiana has won four of its last five games, with the lone blemish a 31-32 loss to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in Week 6. Before that stretch, the Ragin' Cajuns rolled past the Charlotte 49ers 34-7 and the UAB Blazers 21-14, and squeaked past the Arkansas State Red Wolves 23-20. That's a team that's found ways to win close and win big.

Southern Miss hasn't found much of anything. The Golden Eagles have lost five straight, including a 34-55 game to the Troy Trojans and a 20-48 loss to the UConn Huskies. Even against Arkansas State, a team Louisiana beat earlier this year, Southern Miss couldn't get closer than ten points.

## Key matchups

The numbers tell the story here. Louisiana has outscored opponents 210-135 on the season, while Southern Miss has been outscored 145-196. That gap shows up on both sides of the ball — Louisiana's offense has been steady enough to win four of five, and its defense has held up well enough to keep most games in hand.

Southern Miss's issue cuts both ways too. The Golden Eagles haven't scored more than 21 points in any of their last four games, and they've given up 23 or more in four of their last five. Without a shift in those trends, it's hard to see where Southern Miss finds the points to keep pace.

## The pick

Louisiana has the better record, the better scoring margin, and momentum on its side after that Week 7 blowout of Troy. Southern Miss hasn't shown the ability to slow anyone down or generate enough offense to climb out of its five-game skid.

Expect Louisiana's balance to carry the day in Hattiesburg and extend its win streak to two.

## Recent results

- Team | Last games
- Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns | Wk7 W 33-6 vs Troy Trojans, Wk6 L 31-32 vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, Wk5 W 23-20 vs Arkansas State Red Wolves
- Southern Miss Golden Eagles | Wk7 L 13-23 vs Arkansas State Red Wolves, Wk6 L 34-55 vs Troy Trojans, Wk4 L 21-24 vs Tulane Green Wave

[**Game page**](https://profootballnewshub.com/ncaa/game/2783)

*Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our [editorial standards](https://profootballnewshub.com/editorial-standards).*

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