Tyrone Howell 89-yard reception vs. Cajuns 2022
ULM Photo Services
17
ULL ULL 2-2 , 0-1
21
Winner ULM ULM 2-2 , 1-0
ULL ULL
2-2 , 0-1
17
Final
21
ULM ULM
2-2 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
ULL ULL 14 3 0 0 17
ULM ULM 7 0 0 14 21

Game Recap: Football |

ULM Claims STATEment Win Over Rival Louisiana Lafayette, 21-17

By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

MONROE, La. – Some wins just mean more.

Basking in the glow of ULM's 21-17 win over Louisiana Lafayette Saturday night at Malone Stadium, head coach Terry Bowden made that point perfectly clear.

"I told our players last night, some Ws are more important than other Ws," Bowden said. "There are several reasons why Lafayette is more important. Obviously, it's a rival. Our school, our alumni, our town, our fans, they have a special feeling when we win that game. Our players will learn to understand that. I do (understand) how important a rival is, especially one that our fans are passionate about."

On a night when ULM's defense held the line, it was fitting that the final play was a sack by Caleb Thomas and Fitzroy Gardner. The two Warhawks dropped ULL quarterback Chandler Fields for an 8-yard loss at the 50 as time expired.

"It's truly encouraging when we play defense like that," said ULM quarterback Chandler Rogers, who completed 14-of-26 passes for 192 yards. "You always know you're one play away. It was 17-7 for the majority of the game. We were dropping balls, had an interception, had three-and-outs. With our defense playing the way they did, it kept us in the game."

The Warhawks (2-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) trailed by 10 at the half but pitched a second-half shutout. The offense scuffled at times, but dialed up just enough big plays to turn the tide.

"Mostly," Bowden said, "it was about never giving up."

With ULM trailing by three points with 8:11 left in the game, Rogers hit Tyrone Howell for an 89-yard pass play that took the ball to the ULL 1. Two plays later, Malik Jackson powered in for a 2-yard touchdown that gave the Warhawks their first lead at 21-17 with 6:51 left in the game.

After Jackson's score gave ULM its four-point lead, the Cajuns took over at their 20 with 6:51 remaining. Facing fourth-and-4 from the ULL 46 with 4:19 left, Fields scrambled 12 yards to keep the chains moving.

Then on third-and-10 from the ULM 42, Car'lin Vigers intercepted Fields at the 26 and returned the takeaway to the ULM 35 with 3:36 showing.

"We told each other, play assignment ball and we can get out of here with a W," Vigers said. "We just did it. It felt good. Coming into this week, all we talked about was it's been a few years since we beat these guys. We had to do it tonight."

ULL (2-2, 0-1 Sun Belt) had one final chance after its turnover but saw the final drive expire at midfield. The win was ULM's first over ULL since a 56-50 decision in Lafayette in 2017, ending a four-game losing streak to the Cajuns.

The Cajuns, who saw a 15-game winning streak end last week at Rice, had their 13-game Sun Belt Conference winning streak end at Malone Stadium.

Running back Andrew Henry was one of ULM's top offensive performers with a career-high 123 yards on 11 carries. His 75-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the first sign of life for the Warhawks.

"It's amazing because of all the work and effort we put in," Henry said. "Having the city of Monroe behind us, having the fans and students out there supporting us, having the 2012 team here, it was just set up for us to be successful."

A Kansas State transfer, Howell caught three balls for 124 yards in his breakout game. The Warhawks finished with 419 yards of total offense while holding the Cajuns to 354.

ULM took the opening kickoff and drove 51 yards on nine plays but came away with no points when Calum Sutherland missed wide left on a 41-yard field-goal attempt.

The Cajuns came back with a more fruitful march, gobbling up 76 yards on six plays and scoring on a 9-yard touchdown run by Fields to go up 7-0 with 7:56 showing in the first.

Henry provided a rapid response, bolting 75 yards on the second play of ULM's next drive to tie the score at 7 with 7:02 left in the quarter.

"The touchdown run was really the O-line," Henry said. "All I did was press my landmark. The O-line has been working their tail off all year. It was just a moment to keep throwing the jabs."

ULL led 14-7 with 5:11 remaining in the first period after Fields found Michael Jefferson on a 50-yard touchdown pass. Jefferson caught the ball in traffic at the ULM 24 and ran untouched to the end zone.

ULM's defense settled in after a shaky start. Zack Woodard recovered a fumble early in the second quarter, then registered a quarterback sack at the ULL 2 on the Cajuns' second series that led to a punt. Woodard led ULM with eight tackles.

Taking over at its own 47, the Warhawks didn't take advantage as Rogers tossed an interception that ULL's Courtland Flowers returned to the ULM 20. The Warhawks made a nice stand though, limiting the Cajuns to 38-yard field goal by Preston Stafford. ULL led 17-7 with 7:25 to go before halftime.

ULM trailed by 10 at the half despite outgaining ULL, 226 to 184. The Warhawks punted five times, made one turnover and missed a field goal.

"It's a defensive battle," Bowden said at the half. "We've got to make some more first downs and move that ball on offense."

A scoreless third quarter still provided plenty of action.

The Warhawks fumbled away a promising drive on their first series of the third. The possession started with 10-straight rushes for 49 yards but fizzled when Boogie Knight fumbled at the ULL 28 after making a 10-yard catch.

The Cajuns drove into scoring position at the ULM 6 after the takeaway but came up empty on a bad snap and incomplete pass while lining up for a field-goal attempt.

The defense continued to make plays to keep ULM within striking distance in the fourth quarter. Cornerback David Godsey sacked Fields to force a punt, then an errant snap lost 23 yards and set the Warhawks up at the ULL 8 after the turnover on downs.

Two plays later, Rogers rushed in for a 5-yard touchdown to narrow the deficit to 17-14 with 11:07 left in the game to put the Warhawks back in business.

The comeback win improved ULM's record to 4-10 under Bowden when trailing at halftime and 6-2 at Malone Stadium under the second-year coach.

"It's the shot in the arm that we need to give credibility to the direction of our program," Bowden said. "We didn't play very well, but they can say the same thing. We didn't play well early; they didn't play well late. It probably was a wash and we won the game because we played a little better. We played until the end and won at the end and played a little better."

Something special: Members of ULM's 2012 Independence Bowl team joined the current team for the pregame HawkWalk. Back as part of a 2012 football reunion, quarterback Kolton Browning wore a vintage "Shock in Little Rock" T-shirt commemorating ULM's win over Arkansas.

Former coach Todd Berry also returned and joined Mike Hammett on the radio at halftime.

"It's been incredible," Berry said of his return to ULM. "For  a coach, anytime you see your players and they've grown up, and they're successful with families and children – for a coach, the culminating event is not the wins but seeing your young people have success down the road."

Good play: On third-and-5 in the first quarter, ULM cornerback Car'lin Vigers delivered a big shoulder blow on scrambling quarterback Ben Wooldridge after a 1-yard gain. Officials originally called targeting but waved off the penalty after review and ULL was forced to punt.

Good play II: Early in the second quarter with ULL driving, Anthony Campbell forced a fumble by Dre'lyn Washington and Zack Woodard recovered at the ULM 35.
 
Good play III: Rogers' 89-yard completion to Howell that set up ULM's game-winning touchdown marked the fourth-longest pass play in program history.

Up next: ULM continues Sun Belt Conference action with a road game at Arkansas State. Kickoff is 6 p.m.

Tail feathers: The game was the 31st in the series decided by a touchdown or less…. Henry's 75-yard touchdown was a career long. His previous long was 40 yards. … University of Louisiana System president Jim Henderson attended the game. … Will Derrick's reception for 13 yards in the second quarter was his first of the season.
 
 
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