Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Beat Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns 32-31…

Louisiana Tech scored on four straight fourth-quarter possessions to edge Louisiana 32-31 at Joe Aillet Stadium.

The final score: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 32, Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns 31. Louisiana Tech moves to 3-2 while Louisiana falls to 4-2.

It was a track meet from the second quarter on, with Louisiana Tech needing a late push just to survive a Louisiana team that had the lead heading into the fourth.

Box score

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns	0	10	14	7	31
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs	0	13	0	19	32

See full player stats and game details

How it turned

The first quarter went nowhere, tied 0-0. Louisiana Tech broke through in the second when Blake Baker hit Eli Finley for a 10-yard touchdown, but Louisiana answered fast. Lunch Winfield ran one in from seven yards out, Tristan Sterner added a 30-yard field goal, and Louisiana Tech needed a late Baker-to-J. Mickens 14-yard score (the extra point missed) just to take a 13-10 lead into the half.

Louisiana flipped the game in the third quarter, scoring 14 unanswered points while Louisiana Tech was shut out. JJ Garner broke a 20-yard touchdown run and Louisiana's Tyreece Chaney capped the surge with a 25-yard scoring run, putting the Ragin' Cajuns up 24-13 heading to the fourth.

That's when Louisiana Tech turned it on. Mickens punched in a short touchdown run (the two-point try failed), Louisiana answered right back with a 45-yard Winfield-to-KeDarius Wade strike, but Baker took over from there. He scored on a 12-yard run and then found Finley again for a seven-yard touchdown with 46 seconds left, both two-point tries coming up empty, to seal it at 32-31.

Scoring plays

Q2 14:53 LT: B. Baker pass to E. Finley for 10 yds, for a TD (H. Rioux KICK)
Q2 10:45 UL: L. Winfield run for 7 yds, for a TD (T. Sterner KICK)
Q2 6:52 UL: T. Sterner 30 yd FG GOOD
Q2 1:48 LT: B. Baker pass to J. Mickens for 14 yds, for a TD (H. Rioux PAT MISSED)
Q3 9:51 UL: JJ Garner run for 20 yds, for a TD (T. Sterner KICK)
Q3 1:50 UL: T. Chaney run for 25 yds, for a TD (T. Sterner KICK)
Q4 13:01 LT: J. Mickens run for 3 yds, for a TD (Two-Point Conversion failed)
Q4 11:34 UL: L. Winfield pass to K. Wade for 45 yds, for a TD (T. Sterner KICK)
Q4 3:44 LT: B. Baker run for 12 yds, for a TD (H. Rioux KICK)
Q4 0:46 LT: B. Baker pass to E. Finley for 7 yds, for a TD (Two-Point Conversion failed) (Two-Point Conversion failed), (Two-Point Conversion failed)

Top performers

Blake Baker was the difference, going 32-of-42 for 319 yards and three touchdown passes through the air with zero interceptions, then adding 11 carries for 35 yards and a rushing score. Eli Finley hauled in nine catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns, and Talyn Shettron chipped in eight receptions for 102 yards.

Louisiana leaned on Lunch Winfield, who threw for 239 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-24 passing but was picked off twice. JJ Garner ran for 36 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, and KeDarius Wade turned two catches into 88 yards and a score, including the 45-yard fourth-quarter strike. Andrew Burnette led Louisiana Tech on the ground with 14 carries for 85 yards.

Top performers

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

Lunch Winfield (QB) — 14/24, 239 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
JJ Garner (RB) — 7 car, 36 yds, 1 TD
Steven Blanco (RB) — 8 car, 36 yds, 0 TD
KeDarius Wade (WR) — 2 rec, 88 yds, 1 TD
Shelton Sampson Jr. (WR) — 2 rec, 60 yds, 0 TD
Jake St. Andre (LB) — 14 tkl, 0 sck, 0 INT