RAGIN’ CAJUNS SENIOR DAY RUINED BY EAGLES, 34-24

LAFAYETTE – Wesley Fields led a Georgia Southern rushing attack with 186 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown and the Eagles scored the first 17 points of the game and defeated the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, 34-24, in a Sun Belt Conference football game on Saturday at Cajun Field.

L.A. Ramsby added 87 yards and a touchdown as Georgia Southern (2-9, 2-5 SBC) gained 389 yards on the ground and won its second straight game. Louisiana, which will wrap up the regular-season next Saturday at Appalachian State, fell to 5-6 overall and 4-3 in league play.

Georgia Southern drove 75 yards in 11 plays on its opening drive with Fields capping the drive with an 8-yard TD run around left end with 8:48 remaining in the first quarter. After Louisiana was forced to punt on its ensuing drive, the Eagles drove 73 yards in four plays with Shai Werts capping the drive with a 53-yard scoring pass to Ellis Richardson for a 14-0 lead.

Trailing 17-0, Darius Hoggins scored on a 75-yard TD run on Louisiana’s first play of the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 17-7.

Werts gave Georgia Southern a 24-7 lead after directing the Eagles on a 5-play, 67-yard drive to open the second half. Fields gained 48 yards around left end for the Eagles with Werts capping the drive three plays later with a rush around right end.

Stevie Artigue booted a 50-yard field goal for the Ragin’ Cajuns, cutting the deficit to 24-10, but after an interception by Georgia Southern’s Kindle Vildor, the Eagles extended their lead to 27-10 on a 26-yard field goal by Tyler Bass with 3:58 remaining.

Jordan Davis, who relieved starter Levi Lewis in the second quarter, tossed a 17-yard TD pass to Ryheem Malone on the Cajuns first play of the fourth quarter, cutting the Eagles lead to 27-17, before tossing a 26-yard strike to Jarrod Jackson with 11:00 left.

Malone caught six passes for 106 yards to lead Louisiana with Hoggins rushing for 80 yards. Tracy Walker, playing in his final game at Cajun Field, recorded 14 tackles to lead all players with Justin Middleton posting 11.