A couple of days ago, I talked about which game the Cajuns must-win (which you can check out here). Now I’m going to discuss what game for the Ragin Cajuns is their trap game. And that game is against South Alabama.
There are actually a few reasons why I think this is a legitimate trap game. The first of which is that it’s the final game of a three game homestand. If you look at the schedule realistically, the Boise State game could be looked at as a loss. The McNeese State game could be seen as a win. If you’re spending your first three games within the friendly confines of Cajun Field it really helps set the tone for the season. If you come out of the first three games off the season 1-2, the problems of the last two years will continue.
Another big reason is that this is the first game against a conference opponent. There is only one other matchup between two Sun Belt teams in the third week of the season (UL Monroe and Georgia Southern). If you want to keep up with the Joneses and put yourself in a better position to get a better bowl game and possibly a Sun Belt Conference title. A loss to a conference foe early on could wind up costing you down the line, especially with Sun Belt powerhouses Appalachian State and Arkansas State down the road.
The biggest reason why this is a trap game is because when you look at this team’s recent misfortunes, it looks like an easier matchup. Earlier in fall camp, the Jags lost Jimmie Gipson, Tre Alford, and Dewayne Alford for the year. Basically, they’ve lost two starting defensive ends and a starting nose guard. Losing the bulk of their D-Line will ruin the pass rush early on in the year. The Cajuns can’t overlook the rest of the team being there and having the potential to make it a competitive game with big weapons on the offensive side of the ball.
-Clint Domingue