Louisiana upsets #23 ISU in opener

Mistakes pile up as Iowa State drops opener 31-14

Mistakes pile up as Iowa State drops opener 31-14

SPORTS POWERED BY FAREWAY SCOTT: THERE WAS A BIG UPSET SATURDAY BUT IT WAS AT IOWA STATE’S EXPENSE LOUISIANA WAS 11 AND HALF POINT FAVORITES AND THEY WON BY 17. HERE’S WHAT JACK TRICE LOKO -- LOOKS LIKE. A FEW PARENTS GOT TO COME, THE BAND AND CHEERLEADERS WERE IN THE STANDS. LOUISIANA HAD A BIG RETURN FOR A TOUCHDOWN EARLIER. ISU WAS STILL DOING OK. 1:20 LEFT IN THE HALF, BREECE HALL SCORES FROM 11. 14-7 CYCLONE AT HALF THEY HAD 200 TOTAL YARDS THE SECOND HALD WAS FLAT O . AJ WASHINGTON MADE A GRAT PLAY FOR LA TO RIP AWAY AN INT. PURDYS ONLY PICK ON THE DAY. STILL 14-10 ISU IN 3RD QUARTER LEVI LEWIS AIRS IT OUT. PETER LEBLANC GETS BEHIND TH DEFENSE AND KEEPS ON GOING. A 78 YARDS CAR. WHILE ISU’S LONGEST PLAY WAS JUST 19 YARDS, THE RAGIN CAJUN WERE FLYING ALL OVER THE FIELD. ANOTHER HUG PLAY, ERIC GUHRAR ON THE FORURTH QUARTER PUNT RETURN HE IS GONE. 83 YARDS. THAT PUT THE CAJUNS UP 24-14 31-14 THE FINA ELGIN RUCKER WAS THERE ON A DAY NOTHING WENT RIGHT FOR THE CYCLONES ELGIN: ALMOST A YEAR GO TO THE DATE SPECIAL TEAMS IN THE ONE POINT LOSS TO IOWA. SIMILAR PAIN WITH IOWA STATE LOSING THEIR SEASON OPENER TO LOUISIANA, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF TO HUGE SPECIAL TEAMS MISTAKES. >> BOTH FEEL RETURNS. BO UPPER -- BOTH FIELD RETURNS. BOTH OPPORTUNITIES TO RETURN THE BALL BACK TO THE FIELD. WE WERE OUT OF OUR COVERAGE LANE AND THEY HAVE PLAYMAKERS TO MAKE PLAYS WITH IT. ELGI A 95 YARD KICKOFF RETURN SET THE TONE AND 83 ART RETURN WITH TWO MINUTES LEFT APPLIED THE PRESSURE FOR LOUISIANA TO TAKE FULL CONTROL OF THE GAME. THE FIRST TI IOWA STATE HAS A LOT OF PUNT AND KICK OFF IN THE SAME GAME SINCE 2013 AGAINST BAYLOR. >> OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO EXCUSE, IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE WORKED ON AND WE HAVE GOOD SPECIALISTS. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE GOOD ON SPECIAL TEAMS. BUT TODAY, HATS OFF TO THEM. THE MAY 2 BIG PLAYS -- TH MADE TWO BIG PLAYS THAT WERE GAME CHANGERS. >> IF IT WERE NOT FOR TWO BIG BLUNDERS AND LOUISIANA MISSING THE MARK ONTO FIELD GOALS, THIS GAME WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLOSE. >> IT IS NOT A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS. WE HAVE TAKEN PRIDE IN OUR SPECIAL TEAMS IOWA STATE AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE COACHED UP A LOT HERE THESE NEXT COPLE OF WEEKS. ELGIN: THE ISSUES DON’T STOP THERE. AT 10:00 I WILL SHOW HOW THIS OFFENSE CAME UP SHORT ON A LOT OF PASSES AND EXPECTATIONS IN THE SEASON-OPENING LOSS. REPORT

Louisiana upsets #23 ISU in opener

Mistakes pile up as Iowa State drops opener 31-14

Louisiana-Lafayette got kick and punt returns for touchdowns to help secure one of its biggest wins in program history, 31-14 win over No. 23 Iowa State on Saturday.On a day when both offenses seemed overmatched, the Ragin’ Cajuns were ignited by Chris Smith’s 95-yard kickoff return in the second quarter and Eric Garror’s 83-yard punt return in the third.Levi Lewis also threw a 78-yard scoring pass to Peter LeBlanc to give Louisiana-Lafayette a 17-14 lead late in the third quarter.Louisiana-Lafayette beat a Top 25 opponent for the first time, having gone 0-26 against ranked foes away from home. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ only other win over a Top 25 team was in 1996 at home against Texas A&M. The Ragin’ Cajuns limited Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy to 16-of-35 passing for 145 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception. It was ISU’s fewest passing yards in two years.Iowa State’s Breece Hall rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.The Cyclone offense sputtered early with a series of dropped passes before putting together consecutive touchdown drives of 49 and 69 yards.Smith put Louisiana-Lafayette on the board immediately after Iowa State’s first score. The Ragin’ Cajuns drove 61 yards in the final 70 seconds of the first half, pulling within 14-10 on Nate Snyder’s 30-yard field goal.THE TAKEAWAYIowa State: The Cyclone offense was hampered by the absence of tight end Charlie Kolar, who caught 51 passes and scored seven touchdowns last season. He was out with a lower body injury. Right guard Robert Hudson also missed the game.Louisiana-Layette: The Ragin’ Cajuns were able to knock off the Cyclones despite two missed field goals by transfer kicker Nate Snyder and a struggling ground game. Louisiana-Lafayette averaged 6.3 yards per rush last season while totaling 3,604 yards. Iowa State limited the Ragin’ Cajuns to 2.7 yards on 22 attempts through the first three quarters.POLL IMPLICATIONSIowa State began the season ranked for a second straight year, but will likely drop out of the poll this week. The Cyclones were 3-0 all time against Sun Belt Conference opponents and listed as a double-digit favorite going into Saturday’s game.UP NEXTIowa State visits TCU on Sept. 26.Louisiana-Lafayette visits Georgia State on Sept. 19.

AMES, Iowa —

Louisiana-Lafayette got kick and punt returns for touchdowns to help secure one of its biggest wins in program history, 31-14 win over No. 23 Iowa State on Saturday.

On a day when both offenses seemed overmatched, the Ragin’ Cajuns were ignited by Chris Smith’s 95-yard kickoff return in the second quarter and Eric Garror’s 83-yard punt return in the third.

Levi Lewis also threw a 78-yard scoring pass to Peter LeBlanc to give Louisiana-Lafayette a 17-14 lead late in the third quarter.

Louisiana-Lafayette beat a Top 25 opponent for the first time, having gone 0-26 against ranked foes away from home. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ only other win over a Top 25 team was in 1996 at home against Texas A&M.

The Ragin’ Cajuns limited Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy to 16-of-35 passing for 145 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception. It was ISU’s fewest passing yards in two years.

Iowa State’s Breece Hall rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

The Cyclone offense sputtered early with a series of dropped passes before putting together consecutive touchdown drives of 49 and 69 yards.

Smith put Louisiana-Lafayette on the board immediately after Iowa State’s first score. The Ragin’ Cajuns drove 61 yards in the final 70 seconds of the first half, pulling within 14-10 on Nate Snyder’s 30-yard field goal.

THE TAKEAWAY

Iowa State: The Cyclone offense was hampered by the absence of tight end Charlie Kolar, who caught 51 passes and scored seven touchdowns last season. He was out with a lower body injury. Right guard Robert Hudson also missed the game.

Louisiana-Layette: The Ragin’ Cajuns were able to knock off the Cyclones despite two missed field goals by transfer kicker Nate Snyder and a struggling ground game. Louisiana-Lafayette averaged 6.3 yards per rush last season while totaling 3,604 yards. Iowa State limited the Ragin’ Cajuns to 2.7 yards on 22 attempts through the first three quarters.

#Cyclones highlights from a sloppy season-opening loss. https://t.co/WqgLJZl3tG
— Scott Reister (@scottreister) September 12, 2020

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Iowa State began the season ranked for a second straight year, but will likely drop out of the poll this week. The Cyclones were 3-0 all time against Sun Belt Conference opponents and listed as a double-digit favorite going into Saturday’s game.

UP NEXT

Iowa State visits TCU on Sept. 26.

Louisiana-Lafayette visits Georgia State on Sept. 19.

Louisiana upsets #23 ISU in opener

Mistakes pile up as Iowa State drops opener 31-14

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