Louisiana-Lafayette Tops UTSA in First Responder Bowl

Trey Ragas scored on a 1-yard plunge with 7:16 left, and No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette beat UTSA 31-24 in the First Responder Bowl.

DALLAS (AP) — Trey Ragas scored on a 1-yard plunge with 7:16 left and No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette beat UTSA 31-24 in the First Responder Bowl on Saturday at SMU’s Ford Stadium.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (10-1) drove 72 yards in 12 plays for the winning score after UTSA (7-5) overcame a 24-7 second-half deficit to tie it.

🙌 THAT'S 10!
🏆 𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔 WINS!

The 𝘙𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯’ 𝘊𝘢𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘴 are champions of the @FRBowl! #cULture | #GeauxCajuns pic.twitter.com/302IHZgfAG

— Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns® Football (@RaginCajunsFB) December 26, 2020

UTSA associate head coach/offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. directed the Roadrunners after first-year coach Jeff Traylor twice tested positive for COVID-19 this week and didn’t accompany the team.

Levi Lewis had first-half touchdown passes of 15 and 10 yards for Louisiana-Lafayette. Elijah Mitchell added a 3-yard touchdown run, and Kenneth Almendares kicked a 31-yard field goal, The Ragin’ Cajuns won their seventh straight game following a loss to Coastal Carolina in mid-October.

Frank Harris had touchdown passes of 29 yards and 10 yards and an 11-yard scoring run for the Roadrunners. Hunter Duplessis kicked a 20-yard field goal that tied with 13:32 left.