LSU suffering its first loss of the season on a frustrating afternoon at Ole Miss dominated headlines Saturday.
But all four of Louisiana’s other FBS programs earned big early-season victories, highlighted by a memorable comeback and two-overtime win by Louisiana (Lafayette).
Louisiana Tech and Tulane won on the road as UTEP and Tulsa, respectively, and ULM took care of business at home against Arkansas State.
Here’s a look at how the state’s Division-I programs fared.
[LSU’s lingering shortcomings prove costly at Ole Miss.]
[D’Wanye’ “Lunch” Winfield leads thrilling Cajuns comeback.]
TULANE SHAKES BACK IN AAC OPENER
The Green Wave (4-1, 1-0) rebounded effectively from last week’s lopsided loss at Ole Miss, their first of the season, to start American Athletic Conference play on the right foot.
Tulane never trailed Saturday at Tulsa (2-3, 0-2), pacing the teams’ back-and-forth opening quarter and a half before scoring 17 unanswered points in the second and third quarters and shutting out the Golden Cyclones in the second half.
Freshman running back Javin Gordon rushed 15 times for 78 yards and three touchdowns, and junior Arnold “Duda” Barnes III (Booker T. Washington-NO) added 48 yards on eight carries.
Quarterback Jake Retzlaff and the passing attack also shook back with his 17-for-30 (56.7%) day for 242 yards, led by Omari Hayes‘ four catches for 89 yards and Shazz Preston‘s five for 54.
Sophomore safety Jack Tchienchou and senior linebacker Sam Howard tied for the team lead with seven tackles each.
Sophomore linebacker Dickson Agu (Dutchtown) recoveryed a fumble, sophomore defensive back Jahiem “Joker” Johnson (Hammond) intercepted a pass and junior defensive lineman Santana Hopper‘s 1.5 sacks led a six-sack team effort.
LATECH SHUTS OUT UTEP INTO FOURTH
Louisiana Tech (4-1, 2-0) shut out UTEP (1-4, 0-1) into the fourth quarter Saturday. And when the Miners finally scratched the scoreboard, the Bulldogs’ defense outscored its hosts with a pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Both senior Jakari Foster and freshman Alonzo Jackson Jr. (Haynesville) found the end zone from 67 and 23 yards, respectively, to help highlight a five-pick performance and punctuate the 30-11 win.
Sophomore quarterback Blake Baker finished 18-for-26 (69%) for 137 yards, a 5-yard first-quarter touchdown to junior receiver Marques Singleton Jr., and an interception. And sophomore Clay Thevenin rushed for Louisiana Tech’s lone offensive score of its 20-point fourth quarter.
Senior linebacker Kolbe Fields (Archbishop Rummel) led the Bulldogs with eight tackles and interception, and Jackson had six stops, including 1.5 for loss, to go with his interception.
Junior defensive back Michael Richard Jr. (Edna Karr) and senior linebacker Sifa Leota joined Fields, Foster and Jackson with picks.
ULM DEFENSE SETTLES IN, SACKS WOLVES
Saturday evening in Malone Stadium didn’t start pretty as Arkansas State housed an early interception and built a 10-point lead that lasted most of the first half.
But ULM’s disruptive defense wouldn’t allow the Red Wolves (1-4, 0-1) an offensive touchdown all night, and the Warhawks (3-1, 1-0) finally found their scoring spark with a pair of touchdowns before the break en route to the 28-16 victory.
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Armenta completed 16 of his 25 (64%) of his passes for 175 yards and touchdowns to sophomore receiver Jake Godfrey and senior tight end Julian Nixon, and senior Zach Palmer-Smith and junior Braylon McReynolds led the ground game with 84 and 73 yards, respectively, and a score each.
Senior defensive back Kristopher Robinson finished with a team-high eight tackles, including one for loss, and an interception, and senior defensive lineman Dylan Howell‘s two sacks led five Warhawks to bring down the quarterback.
SLU CRUISES TO SOUTHLAND-OPENING VICTORY
Southeastern Louisiana (3-2, 1-0) scored three early touchdowns Saturday and never allowed UT Rio Grande Valley (4-1, 0-1) back within single digits in the teams’ Southland Conference opener.
Junior running back Deantre Jackson (Edna Karr) rushed 13 times for 121 yards and a touchdown, and junior wide receiver Jaylon Domingeaux (Comeaux) caught seven passes for 107 yards and a score.
Quarterbacks Carson Camp and Kyle Lowe finished a combined 20-for-25 for 252 yards and three touchdowns, plus another rushing, and running back Jaedon Henry and pass-catchers Kentrell Prejean (Teurlings Catholic) and Adyn Wilkinson (Central) all reached the end zone.
An interception by senior defensive back Ian Conerly-Goodly (Covington) and sacks by defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor (Oak Grove), linebacker Joshua Randall (Edna Karr) and defensive back Khamron Ford highlighted a balanced defensive effort.
SOUTHLAND, SWAC LOSSES
Southeastern Louisiana’s in-state league mates, McNeese State (1-4, 0-1) and Nicholls State (1-4, 0-3), were not so fortunate as they each suffered road losses at Stephen F. Austin (3-2, 1-0) and Eastern Kentucky (2-3).
Grambling State (3-2, 0-1) and Southern (1-4, 0-1) each lost their SWAC openers to Prairie View A&M (3-2, 2-0) and Jackson State (3-1, 1-0).
