Welcome everyone to the latest game preview for the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns! This week, we look at the Cajuns homecoming matchup against the New Mexico State Aggies.
Last Week: The Cajuns suffered a big loss on Saturday against the Ole Miss Rebels by the score of 55-20 to drop back down to 4-5. Meanwhile the Aggies were off last week after taking down Texas State 45-35.
Last Meeting: The last time these two teams faced off, the Aggies took down the Cajuns in a double overtime shootout in Las Cruces 37-31. The Aggies hold the overall series lead and have won the previous two matchups.
Storylines to Watch:
Cajuns QB Situation: The last few weeks at quarterback have been a revolving door to say the very least. One of the biggest reasons why is because of injuries afflicting all three of the quarterbacks at one point or another. Now the Cajuns will potentially have them all available to play this Saturday according to Mark Hudspeth.
While having too many quarterbacks can be a good problem to have, head coach Mark Hudspeth seems to have a lot of indecision because he’s largely stuck with whoever has been winning. Davis, Nunez, and Lewis have all shown they give the Cajuns a legitimate shot at winning ballgames it takes away some of the consistency in the QB-WR relationship. The Cajuns need to stick to one QB the rest of the way and it’s all dependent on how this ballgame goes.
Guns N Roses: In terms of Sun Belt opponents, the Cajuns may be facing off against one of the most balanced teams in New Mexico State. Not only do they have one of the top Sun Belt quarterbacks in Tyler Rogers, they’ve got a threat on the ground with Larry Rose III. While Rose’s overall yardage seems down from recent years, he’s still a player that can give the Cajuns defense fits.
Just look at what’s happening with the New Orleans Saints when the run and pass are performing in almost perfect symmetry and you’ll see that you can control a ballgame with a solid balance. The Cajuns will need to be prepared for anything that the Aggies throw their way and show that they can be a bend, but don’t break defense because this team has the ability to make it a shootout.
Offensive Line Needs to Hold: The offensive line over the course of the season has been plagued with injuries, especially when it comes to senior Grant Horst. The amount of injuries he’s dealt with this season usually would warrant his season being over, but he’s pushed through it and has mentioned that he will undergo surgery after the season is over.
With all that being said, last week was a rough one for the offensive line with Levi Lewis getting sacked three times and largely being under pressure for a large chunk of the ballgame. Even with Horst’s injuries piling up, the offensive line will need to hold off the Aggies pass rush to be able to have a puncher’s chance of winning.
Louisiana Will Win If:
The Cajuns can get back to .500 if the Cajuns can stick to one quarterback for the entire ballgame. With three healthy quarterbacks for the first time since Texas A&M, Hudspeth could have a short leash for starter Levi Lewis and is prepared to throw in Davis or Nunez to help give this team a chance to get that very important win.
New Mexico State Will Win If:
The Aggies can spoil the Cajuns homecoming if the balanced attack can work. The defense for the Cajuns this season has been a roller coaster to say the very least. One week they’re shutting teams down and the next week they’re allowing teams to drop a fifty-burger on them. If New Mexico State can attack the Cajuns weaknesses, they can get a big win to increase their chances to make it to a bowl game.
-Clint Domingue