Sun Belt championship game: Scouting report for UL Ragin' Cajuns vs. Appalachian State football
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns have won 11 in a row since a season-opening loss at Texas.
Appalachian State has won six straight since losing 41-13 to UL on Oct. 12 at Cajun Field.
UL (11-1, 8-0 Sun Belt Conference) and App State (10-2, 7-1) meet again Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN) this time in the Sun Belt Championship game at Cajun Field.
App State’s only other loss came on Sept. 11 at then-No. 22 Miami. Each of its five wins has been by 24 or more points.
It could be the final game at UL for Billy Napier, who was named Florida's coach on Sunday. No official announcement has been made if he will coach the Cajuns in a bowl game.
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App State’s offense
Former Clemson backup and Duke starter Chase Brice (2,901 passing yards, 22 touchdowns) leads an App State offense featuring three receivers – Corey Sutton, Thomas Hennigan and Malik Williams – with at least 700 yards and five TD catches.
Running back Camerun Peoples (764 yards, team-high 13 touchdowns) dealt with an ankle injury earlier this season, but Nate Noel (1,034) has given the Mountaineers a 1,000-yard rusher for a 10th straight season.
A UL defense led by inside linebackers Lorenzo McCaskill (team-high 73 tackles) and Ferrod Gardner (60), outside linebacker Chauncey Manac (team-high 12 TFL including 9.5 sacks), safety Percy Butler and defensive lineman Andre Jones, Zi’Yon Hill and Tayland Humphrey will be tested by a unit that’s outscored opponents 151-31 in its last four games.
Levi Lewis
Levi Lewis, a left-handed dual threat, makes his 41st start as UL’s quarterback in his final appearance at Cajun Field.
The super senior is 33-7 as a starter. He’s the school's career touchdown passes leader with 72 after passing Jake Delhomme and is second to Delhomme (9,216 yards) in career passing yards with 8,711.
UL pass catchers
Lewis, who’s thrown for 2,437 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, spreads the ball around. Fifteen Cajuns have at least three catches.
Favorite receiver targets are Peter LeBlanc (33 receptions, 350 yards), Kyren Lacy (21, 295, team-high five TD catches) and Dontae Fleming (22, 285).
Tight end Neal Johnson Jr. has 22 receptions for 287 yards. Wideout Michael Jefferson, an Alabama State transfer, is a deep-ball threat averaging a team-high 25.5 yards with three TDs on 13 catches. TCU transfer John Stephens Jr. has just 10 grabs but four touchdowns.
Cajun running backs
The Cajuns use a three-man backfield rotation within an offense that rushes 58% of the time and has outscored opponents 281-146 in conference play.
Chris Smith, a speedster who also returns kicks, has 834 yards and eight touchdowns on 144 carries. Freshman Montrell Johnson Jr. has 776 yards and a team-leading 11 TD runs on 135 attempts. Emani Bailey, who’s looked strong after returning from minor in-season knee surgery, averages a team-high 6.1 yards per carry with 431 yards and five TDs.
UL injuries
Starting right guard O’Cyrus Torrence, starting cornerback Mekhi Garner and Butler are back in their No. 1 spots on a depth chart released Wednesday.
Torrence missed two game due to a concussion sustained in an automobile accident. Napier said Garner (undisclosed injury) was held out last week's game because he “didn't feel confident to go.” Butler (elbow inflammation) was a game-time scratch.
With those three out, guard David Hudson made his second straight start, Trey Amos made his second start this season at corner and Cam Solomon made his third start of the year.
Prediction
App State 28, UL 25: The Mountaineers have rolled since losing to the Cajuns in October, and while it could go either way this one shouldn’t be nearly as lopsided as then. Homefield advantage should help UL, but if it comes down to field goals the Cajuns will be in trouble.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Ragin' Cajuns vs. App State football: Scouting report, prediction
