Lafayette, LA (Sports Network) - The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns scored 24
unanswered points to start the game and cruised to an easy 48-20 win over the
FIU Golden Panthers in Sun Belt Conference action at Cajun Field.
After Blaine Gautier left the game with an injury, Terrance Broadway stepped
up for Louisiana (3-1, 2-0 Sun Belt), completing 15-of-19 passes for 228 yards
and a touchdown while rushing for 28 yards and two more scores. Harry Peoples
caught 10 passes for 151 yards, both season-highs, while Effrem Reed rushed
for 62 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
For FIU (1-4, 0-1), E.J. Hilliard made good on 16-of-26 passes for 204 yards
and added a rushing touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions. The Golden
Panthers, who have lost three straight, only gained 55 yards rushing on 34
attempts, but they managed three rushing touchdowns.
The Cajuns opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Gautier
rushed in a three-yard touchdown.
Louisiana added two more scores before the quarter was over. Gautier completed
a two-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Maxwell and less than two minutes later
Brett Baer connected on a 46-yard field goal to give the Cajuns a 17-0 lead.
The Cajuns added yet another score at the beginning of the second quarter on a
Broadway 13-yard rushing touchdown to go up 24-0.
FIU finally halted Louisiana's run when Hilliard rushed in a three-yard
score on the its ensuing drive. The Owls cut their deficit to just 10, 24-14,
midway through the second quarter on a Jeremiah Harden one-yard rushing
touchdown.
Broadway added another rushing touchdown just before halftime as the Cajuns
took a 31-14 lead into the break.
Louisiana struck big on the opening drive of the second half when Broadway
connected on a 78-yard touchdown pass to Peoples. A 23-yard field goal from
Baer later in the third quarter gave the Cajuns a 41-14 lead.
The Golden Panthers added a much-needed touchdown late in the third quarter on
a Kedrick Rhodes one-yard touchdown run, although the ensuing two-point
conversion attempt failed.
Louisiana answered on its next possession with a seven-yard touchdown rush
from Reed, which turned out to be the final score of the game.
Despite losing the time of possession battle, Louisiana out-gained FIU 501 to
259 on the evening and made 23 first downs to the Panthers' 10.
GAME NOTES:
The Sports Network