Under head coach Michael Desormeaux, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns opened their 2025 season with a commanding 38-7 victory over Lamar, setting the tone for a year that would conclude with a 6-7 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the Sun Belt Conference.
A Dominant Opening
The offense was relentless, amassing 474 total yards and scoring all five of its touchdowns on the ground, a testament to a balanced rushing attack that kept Lamar's defense guessing from the first snap.
Quarterback Lunch Winfield, completing 16 of 22 passes for 189 yards while adding 84 rushing yards, orchestrated the drive, while redshirt freshman Darrell Smith contributed 85 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in four appearances, underscoring the depth of the backfield.
Defensively, the Cajuns limited Lamar to 205 total yards, forcing three interceptions, recording three sacks and recovering a fumble, with cornerback Brent Gordon Jr. earning preseason All‑Sun Belt recognition for his contributions.
Roster continuity was a cornerstone of the campaign; the team returned 41 letterwinners and 15 starters from the previous year, supplementing the core with a No. 105 ranked 2026 recruiting class and a No. 138 transfer class that arrived in 2025.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 slate features a high‑profile road test at USC, and the season will close at Georgia State, marking the first time an NCAA football program will compete in two Olympic stadiums — Los Angeles’s 1984 venue and Atlanta’s 1996 arena — in the same season.
The Ragin' Cajuns' moniker, adopted in 1963 and solidified in 1974, carries a storied legacy that began when the university switched from the Bulldogs nickname in 1921, reflecting a rich history that continues to evolve.