How Will Tulane Fare Against the Ragin’ Cajuns This Season?

Tulane takes on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns this season in week four. What does their roster look like, and what should you expect from the Wave against this team?

Dec 15, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns quarterback Levi Lewis (17) runs out of the pocket as Tulane Green Wave linebacker Lawrence Graham (35) defends during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Tulane will take on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns on Sept. 21st, the Wave’s last matchup before beginning conference play. Now Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier led Louisiana to three consecutive ten-win seasons between 2019 and 2021, but the Ragin' Cajuns have only won six games each season since then. In Tulane coach Jon Sumrall’s two seasons at Troy, he had Louisiana’s number, finishing 2-0 against them.

Going into the 2024 season, the Ragin’ Cajuns are predicted to finish third in the Sun Belt conference behind Appalachian State and Texas State. However, the biggest question for their roster is who the starting quarterback will be. Last season, Ben Wooldridge started the season before suffering a season-ending injury early against the UAB Blazers in Week 3. When Wooldridge went down, Chandler Fields took over for the rest of the season but was serviceable at best. Either could be the starter heading into the Tulane game.

The receiver room is thin for Louisiana. Robert Williams and Jacob Bernard are both okay, but the room leaves a lot to be desired apart from those two. Dre’lyn Washington appears to be the starter at running back, but true freshman Elijah Davis may be the better player. Davis offers more speed and quickness than Washington, but unlike Davis, Washington has spent multiple years in the system. The strength of Louisiana’s offense will be their offensive line, led by seniors AJ Gillie and Landon Burton.

On defense, the Ragin’ Cajuns struggle to defend the run, which could be problematic as Tulane boasts one of the best running backs in the country, Makhi Hughes. In the secondary, corner Keyon Martin is one of the best players in the Sun Belt, but the cupboard is relatively dry apart from him. It could be a long season if Tulane cannot put up points in bunches against this defense. On paper, this matchup is one of the easier ones for Tulane this season, which will be much needed after having to play against Oklahoma and Kansas State the two weeks prior. At least the Ragin’ Cajuns is a fantastic mascot.