LAFAYETTE, La.— The disappointment of a midweek embarrassment delivered by Louisiana-Lafayette has been simmering at Arkansas State for almost a year. That feeling will likely remain until it gets another crack at the team that has taken claim of Sun Belt Conference supremacy.
In a game against the teams that split last year's league title, Louisiana-Lafayette ran right at the Sun Belt Conference's best rushing defense for 419 yards, and not even a slew of big plays and tricks could get ASU completely back into a shootout it lost 55-40 in front of an announced crowd of 21,760 at Cajun Field.
ASU (4-3, 2-1) entered having held teams to a league-low 114.7 yards rushing.
Louisiana-Lafayette (4-3, 3-0) had that past by halftime as Elijah McGuire rushed for 265 yards and 4 touchdowns and Alonzo Harris rushed for 107 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Ragin' Cajuns also took advantage of a short field by a second-quarter interception that put it on the ASU 1 and a failed fake punt midway through the third quarter that put it on the ASU 5.
McGuire's total was the third highest in school history and it was the first time the Ragin' Cajuns has two players rush for over 100 yards since last year's 23-7 victory over ASU in Jonesboro, one in which some plays said last week had "embarrassed" them.
The latest game in the series wasn't taken any better after its defense gave
up seasons highs in points, total yards and rushing yards as it fell into a 34-9 hole in the second quarter.
ASU entered leading the Sun Belt in total defense, scoring defense and rush defense and Louisiana-Lafayette was coming off a performance in which it held Texas State to 94 yard rushing.
But Tuesday night’s game in front of a national television audience watching on ESPN2 showed it would be different when quarterback Fredi Knighten sprinted 60 yards to give ASU a 6-0 lead on its second drive to kick start a game in which ASU had 595 yards of offense and Louisiana-Lafayette gained 521 yards.
Knighten completed 26 of 37 passes for a career-high 344 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception and rushed for 61 yards. Michael Gordon rushed for 134 yards on 15 carries and 1 touchdown and Dijon Paschal caught 8 passes for 141 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more on this story.