2020 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team


The 2020 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team will represent the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Ragin' Cajuns will play their home games at Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana, and will compete in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They will be led by third-year head coach Billy Napier. The Cajuns will commence the season with a home rivalry game against McNeese State and will conclude the season at conference and other in-state rival Louisiana–Monroe.
Shortly before the season could begin, Offensive Line Assistant Coach D.J. Looney, 31, died of a surprising heart attack while at practice on August 1st, 2020.

Previous Season

The Ragin' Cajuns finished the 2019 season 11–3, 7–1 in Sun Belt play to finish in first place in the West Division for the second consecutive year in the Sun Belt Conference. The Ragin' Cajuns then played in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game, losing to Appalachian State 38-45. The Cajuns, finishing second overall in the Sun Belt, were invited to play in the LendingTree Bowl, their first time taking part in the annual Mobile, Alabama bowl game. They played Miami, OH and won their third overall bowl game by the score of 27-17. For the first time in decades, the Cajuns received upwards of 26 votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll and 2 in the AP Poll.

Preseason

Recruiting class

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released
Davey O'Brien AwardLevi LewisQBSenior
Doak Walker AwardElijah MitchellRBSenior
Doak Walker AwardTrey RagasRBSenior
Outland TrophyO'Cyrus TorrenceOLSophomore
Ray Guy AwardRhys BurnsPJunior
Wuerffel TrophyJalen WilliamsWRR-Senior
Maxwell AwardLevi LewisQBSenior

References:

Sun Belt coaches poll

The Sun Belt coaches poll will be released on July 24, 2020

Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams

Offense
1st team
2nd team
Defense
1st team
2nd team
Special Teams
1st team
2nd teams

Athlon Sports Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams

Offense
1st team
2nd team
3rd team
4th team
Defense
1st team
2nd team
3rd team
4th team
Special Teams
1st team
References:

Lindy's Sports Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams

During the announcement, Lindy's also picked the Cajuns to win their third-consecutive Sun Belt West Division Championship as well as named Senior running back Elijah Mitchell to the Preseason Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year.
Offense
1st team
2nd team
Defense
1st team
2nd team
Special Teams
1st team
References':

Personnel

Schedule

The 2020 schedule consists of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Ragin' Cajuns will travel to Sun Belt foes Appalachian State, Georgia State, Texas State and Louisiana–Monroe. The Cajuns will play host to Sun Belt foes Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, Arkansas State, and South Alabama.
The Ragin' Cajuns will host two of the four non-conference opponents at Cajun Field, McNeese State, from NCAA Division I FCS and the Wyoming of the MW, and will travel to New Mexico State.
Louisiana had a game against Missouri, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Game summaries

McNeese State

StatisticsMcNeese StateLouisiana
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
McNeese StatePassing
McNeese StateRushing
McNeese StateReceiving
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving

Wyoming

StatisticsWyomingLouisiana
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
WyomingPassing
WyomingRushing
WyomingReceiving
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving

at Georgia State

StatisticsLouisianaGeorgia State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving
Georgia StatePassing
Georgia StateRushing
Georgia StateReceiving

Georgia Southern

StatisticsGeorgia SouthernLouisiana
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Georgia SouthernPassing
Georgia SouthernRushing
Georgia SouthernReceiving
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving

at Appalachian State

StatisticsLousianaAppalachian State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving
Appalachian StatePassing
Appalachian StateRushing
Appalachian StateReceiving

Coastal Carolina

StatisticsCoastal CarolinaLouisiana
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Coastal CarolinaPassing
Coastal CarolinaRushing
Coastal CarolinaReceiving
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving

at New Mexico State

StatisticsLouisianaNew Mexico State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving
New Mexico StatePassing
New Mexico StateRushing
New Mexico StateReceiving

at Texas State

StatisticsLouisianaTexas State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving
Texas StatePassing
Texas StateRushing
Texas StateReceiving

Arkansas State

StatisticsArkansas StateLouisiana
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Arkansas StatePassing
Arkansas StateRushing
Arkansas StateReceiving
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving

South Alabama

StatisticsSouth AlabamaLouisiana
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
South AlabamaPassing
South AlabamaRushing
South AlabamaReceiving
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving

at Louisiana–Monroe

StatisticsLouisianaLouisiana–Monroe
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
LouisianaPassing
LouisianaRushing
LouisianaReceiving
Louisiana–MonroePassing
Louisiana–MonroeRushing
Louisiana–MonroeReceiving

Rankings