The Mountaineers fell to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Saturday night 34-24. This was their third loss in a row and they are now sitting at a 0-3 record in Sun Belt Conference play.
After receiving the ball to start the game, App State punted before crossing midfield. Louisiana responded with a 75-yard drive and opened up the scoring with a 32-yard field goal. Neither team scored during the rest of the first quarter.
At the end of the first and into the second quarter, the Black and Gold charged down the field thanks to redshirt sophomore running back Kanye Roberts, finding success on 10 touches in a single possession. The trip downfield was capped off when senior quarterback Joey Aguilar found redshirt junior tight end David Larkins with a 1-yard play-action pass for a touchdown. The Mountaineers led 7-3, their only lead of the evening.
The Ragin’ Cajuns responded immediately. On the first play of the next drive, quarterback Ben Wooldridge found tight end Terrance Carter with a throw to midfield. Three Mountaineer defenders converged and were unable to bring down Carter who ran the rest of the way to the end zone. With the Black and Gold down 10-3, neither team scored on their next possession.
After forcing a three and out, App State got the ball back with a chance to attack. On the first play of the possession, Aguilar underthrew his target and threw his first interception of the night. Louisiana capitalized with a touchdown, extending their lead to 17-7.
The Mountaineers did not go down easily, crafting an answer of their own in their next opportunity. Down by 10, App State marched down the field and Aguilar found Roberts for a 15-yard touchdown pass, closing the gap on the scoreboard and rewarding the halfback for a stellar outing.
The score stayed the same into halftime, setting the score at 17-14 out of the break. App State’s defense held firm to start the half, forcing a three and out once again. The offense advanced the ball up the field but sputtered out at the Louisiana 26-yard line. Redshirt freshman kicker Jackson Moore hit a season-long 44-yard field goal, knotting the score up at 17 apiece.
Louisiana proceeded to kick a field goal the next possession, once again taking the lead. However this time, the Ragin’ Cajuns would not allow the Mountaineers to get too close for comfort.
On the subsequent possession, it looked like the Black and Gold would answer again. Then, Roberts had a questionable fumble down on Louisiana’s 21-yard line.
A Louisiana defender acted quickly by scooping the ball and running it back 70 yards. The original ruling was a fumble but it was reviewed. All signs indicated that Roberts was down, however, Louisiana only had cameras in half their stadium due to renovations. Due to the lack of camera angles on the replay, the ruling was not overturned and Louisiana scored on the next play.
Hoping to recover after a brutal end to their last opportunity, the Mountaineers’ offense took the field once again. And just as before, on the first play of the drive, Aguilar threw an interception. Louisiana was unable to do anything with the ball and were forced to punt again.
On this possession, App State saw their plan come to fruition. The Black and Gold easily moved down the field and Aguilar found senior tight end Eli Wilson for a 26-yard touchdown and the Mountaineers were down by only three, 27-24.
The defense stepped up hugely in their next opportunity. Redshirt junior safety Jordan Favors picked off Wooldridge to give App State a chance to take the lead with 5:38 on the clock.
On the fifth play of the next possession, Aguilar threw his third interception of the night. As time was winding down for the Mountaineers to win the game, Louisiana ticked down the clock on a drive that finished in a touchdown. The Ragin’ Cajuns restored their 10-point lead.
With barely any time on the clock, Aguilar threw his fourth and final interception of the night, cementing the App State loss at 34-24.
Roberts had an excellent outing. He finished with 148 rushing yards on 26 carries and a receiving touchdown.
On the defensive side of the ball, Favors’ interception was his first of the season and sixth-year redshirt senior linebacker Brendan Harrington had his season-high six solo tackles.
The Mountaineers are entering a bye week and will play again at home against the Georgia State Panthers on Oct. 26.