FRB Recap: Louisiana 31, UTSA 24

By Troy Phillips

DALLAS – You just knew the “Fun Belt Conference” would make it so, even if it meant letting off the gas a bit.

Louisiana’s No. 19 Ragin’ Cajuns (10-1) did their part to give the surging Sun Belt Conference a 4-0 record in 2020 bowls so far, turning a three-score lead into an interesting contest. Stubborn UT-San Antonio (7-5) rallied to tie, but UL held for a final fourth down to win the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl 31-24 at Ford Stadium.

UL’s offense salted away the final 4:37 after taking a last lead with 7:16 showing. UTSA had trailed by as much as 24-7, but tied the game at 24 on a short Hunter Duplessis field goal 3:33 into the fourth quarter. 

UL’s defense made a crucial stop on three consecutive plays after UTSA drove to the Cajuns’ 3-yard-line.

“We all sensed the tide had turned,” said UTSA offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who served as acting head coach after UTSA’s Jeff Traylor was quarantined with Covid-19. “The whole stadium felt it as we came back. Guys were playing with a lot of enthusiasm. We just couldn’t finish the game.”

Lunney said the finish was in keeping with UTSA’s season.

“When we got the ball down there and had to come away with a field goal, that petered out the momentum,” he said. “We had gotten bogged down a few times this year and had to kick field goals. We have to finish those drives with TDs and not field goals to take those next steps.”

UTSA’s comeback and UL’s late victory bucked a trend of bowls averaging 19.4 points in margin of victory this postseason. Buffalo’s 17-10 win over Marshall in the Camellia Bowl was the only previous one-score victory in seven bowls.

UTSA’s second bowl appearance in only 10 years of playing football didn’t start well. Louisiana quarterback Levi Lewis (146 passing yards, two TDs) carved up the Roadrunners on the opening drive before drawing UTSA’s defense out of coverage.

Lewis found an all-alone Jalen Williams for a 15-yard touchdown and 7-0 Cajuns lead. UTSA went to work on offense and drove downfield with the aid of two pass-interference calls on Louisiana.

That scoring threat ended when UTSA quarterback Frank Harris (208 passing yards, 91 rushing) threw into traffic, and UL’s Percy Butler made a diving interception.

Lewis and the Cajuns rolled downfield again, this time helped by a 31-yard completion to Chris Smith along the left sideline. Smith’s 17-yard run to the UTSA 12 had UL knocking again, but the Roadrunners held firm.

On fourth down, UL kicker Kenneth Almendares faked a 29-yard field goal, and holder Dalen Cambre’s pass to Tanner Wiggins in the end zone was deflected by UTSA’s Trevor Harmanson.

UL held back UTSA’s offense and Doak Walker Award finalist Sincere McCormick (122 yards rushing) in check most of the first half, including on third-and-2 on the Roadrunners’ next drive. McCormick had given UTSA three first downs.

But UTSA’s Duplessis missed a 48-yard field goal attempt, and Louisiana answered with an 11-play drive and 31-yard field goal by Almendares for a 10-0 lead.

Harris kept for first downs on UTSA’s next drive, including a 11-yard keeper to pull the Roadrunners within 10-7 after another UL pass interference.

UL took a 17-7 lead to the half after Lewis threw a 10-yard TD pass to Kyren Lacy. The Cajuns made it a quick 24-7 lead in the third after a backwards pass by UTSA’s Harris landed incomplete, deeming it a fumble that backed up the Roadrunners to their end zone.

UL’s Ferrod Gardner recovered, and Elijah Mitchell scored from 3 yards out to give the Cajuns a three-score lead.

UTSA turned a fumble recovery by Harmanson into seven points, as Harris found Zakhari Franklin for a 29-yard TD with 10:14 to play.

UTSA’s defense held, and Harris later hit Joshua Cephus (10 yards) to pull the Roadrunners within 24-21 with 4:09 showing. That drive covered 89 yards in six plays. Despite threatening after a long Harris pass to Oscar Cardenas, UTSA couldn’t punch it in and had to settle for the Duplessis kick to tie.

“We found a way to finish there at the end,” said UL coach Billy Napier, whose team is 21-4 the past two seasons. “Great way to cap off the final chapter in 2020. They [UTSA] have the pieces to create a lot of problems for you.”

Napier said UTSA’s 17 unanswered points didn’t so much surprise him, but UL showed much in the end result.

“At that point, we had the character to regroup and make adjustments,” he said. “You compete in the ups and downs, or you don’t. It’s a reflection of what we have developed over time. That doesn’t happen overnight.”