LAFAYETTE, La. – The Texas State Bobcats (1-6, 0-3 SBC) fell to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (3-3, 2-1 SBC), 24-7 at Cajun Field on Thursday evening, October 12.  The Bobcats have dropped six straight games on the season.
 
Louisiana was the first to strike, taking an early 7-0 lead.  The score was setup by a 50-yard pitch and catch from quarterback Andre Nunez to wide receiver Keenan Barnes.  The big completion set the Ragin' Cajuns up in the red zone.  Two plays later running back Trey Ragas took the handoff on a read option play and darted into the end zone from 11 yards out.  The point after try by Stevie Artique was successful. 

The Bobcats fumbled a handoff exchange on the following drive, setting Louisiana up at the Bobcat 40-yard line.  Four plays later, Ragas muscled his way in for a two-yard score.  Once again, Artique's extra point was true.  The Ragin Cajuns jumped out to a 14-0 lead just over seven minutes into the game.

With under five minutes to play in the second quarter, Willie Jones III found a little bit of a rhythm.  He connected with Hutch White for 18 yards on a third down.  The very next play, Jones found Elijah King down the right sideline for 40 yards.  Anthony D. Taylor bounced a third down run outside, breaking loose for 14 yards, getting the Bobcats down to the Cajun eight-yard line.  Texas State's best chance to score in the first half was cut short when Jones' pass was picked off in the end zone by Tracy Walker.

Texas State entered the halftime break down by two scores, 14-0.

Texas State was able to get on the scoreboard with 3:46 left in the third quarter.  The big play on the drive came from a career-best 49-yard completion from Jones to Thurmond Morbley down the left sideline.  A five-yard pass to Gabe Schrade was followed by a 20-yard scamper by Jones, who dodged a pair of Cajun defenders before being run out of bounds at the three-yard line.  Anthony D. Taylor was able to plunge into the end zone two plays later from one-yard out.  Foster Hilborn tacked on the point after to cut the Louisiana lead in half, 14-7. 

Immediately following the Bobcat touchdown drive, the defense forced a punt from the Cajuns.  The first play of the ensuing offensive drive resulted in a strip sack of Jones.  Louisiana recovered the fumble forced by Chaiziere Malbrue at the Bobcat 17-yard line.  Texas State's defense was up to the challenge, forcing LA into a field goal attempt.  The 27-yard kick off of the foot of Artique split the uprights, extending the Cajun lead to 17-7 just before the start of the fourth quarter. 

Five minutes into the fourth quarter, the Cajun offense found the end zone again.  The drive consisted of Nunez peppering the Bobcat secondary with several completions down the right side, including a throw of 18 yards to Ja'Marcus Bradley on a stop-wheel route.  The drive concluded when Nunez found Barnes near the back left pylon on an 11-yard fade route.  After a made point after from Artique, Louisiana surged ahead by score of 24-7.

Willie Jones III posted a career passing day, completing 12-of-18 passes for 197 yards and one interception.  He also tallied a team-high 58 yards rushing on 14 carries.  Thurman Morbley led the receiving corps, hauling in three catches for 68 yards. 

Defensively, Frankie Griffin led the Bobcats with six solo stops including a tackle for loss.  A.J. Krawczyk also chipped in six tackles including four assisted stops.

The Bobcats have the next two Saturdays off before heading to Coastal Carolina for a Sun Belt Conference clash with the Chanticleers on October 28, 2017.  Game time and television rights have yet to be determined.