What to know about UL football's New Mexico Bowl Game opponent TCU
In a little over a week, Louisiana football will play in its final game of the 2024 college football season.
The Raginโ Cajuns (10-3, 7-1 SBC) have one final road trip to Albuquerque as they are set to make their first appearance in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at 1:15 p.m. CT on Dec. 28 at University Stadium. They will face a Power 5 and Big 12 opponent TCU another first for them in program history.
All these firsts arenโt phasing head coach Michael Desormeaux and his staff as they are determined to end this season with a championship. The remaining Cajuns left after the transfer portal opened, and even those who have entered, may elect to still play in the bowl game โ looking to erase what happened the last time they stepped on the field.
The 31-3 loss to Marshall in the Sun Belt Conference championship game at home is far from how the Cajuns want to end the season. With a new test on the horizon in the Horned Frogs (8-4, 6-3 Big 12), the Cajuns will have one more chance to go out on top.
A lethal and familiar pass game
TCU and UL have never faced each other before, but Desormeaux and his recruiting staff are familiar with one of the Horned Frogs' key weapons this season. TCUโs leading wide receiver Jake Bech is a Lafayette native and was more than likely a prospect for the Cajuns during his time at St. Thomas More.
Bech took his talents to Fort Worth and has been a go-to target for TCUโs sophomore signal caller Josh Hoover this season. The 6-foot-2 senior wideout has recorded more than 1,000 yards this season and found the endzone nine times.
Hoover hasnโt been connecting with Bech, though. The sophomore is currently ranked seventh in the nation in passing yards (3,697) this season. He is also 205 yards away from breaking the schoolโs record for most passing yards in a single season.
The Horned Frogsโ wide receiver room will look to help him break that record against the Cajuns, who have a solid secondary led by fifth-year safety Tyrone Lewis and senior Keyon Martin.
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Return of QB1
Itโs been about five weeks since Cajun country has seen quarterback Ben Wooldridge suit up for a game after going down with an injury. Since then, fifth-year quarterback Chandler Fields and true freshman Daniel Beale have filled in for him. The Cajuns are hoping Wooldridge will be back just in time for bowl season though.
With so many weapons entering the transfer portal, having Wooldridge back would give the Cajuns' offense some security and familiarity heading into the bowl game. With Wooldridge at the helm, the Cajuns offense averaged around 30 points and won eight games.
Along with Wooldrige, ULโs ground game will also need to get going if they want to get past TCU. Against Marshall, the running lanes were closed for the Cajuns finishing with a season-low 56 total rushing yards. One of their running backs junior Dreโlyn Washington entered the transfer portal leaving the remaining of the load to redshirt freshman Bill Davis and redshirt sophomore Zylan Perry.
With Wooldridge's possible return and hopefully establishing a run game will be enough to land the Cajuns a bowl game victory.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Raginโ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.