LAFAYETTE, La.– The ULM football team (3-9, 1-7 Sun Belt) saw a shootout during rivalry weekend at the Ragin' Cajuns (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt), falling 30-27. After both teams scored in the first two minutes, it was a fight to find who would get the winning tally. After tying the game with a field goal, the home team went on to secure victory with another field goal in overtime.
 
"Extremely proud of this football team," said head coach Bryant Vincent. "Especially proud of our seniors. They laid the foundation."
 
The Warhawks broke 500 yards in total offense in a game for the first time since 2021, averaging 6.8 yards per play. ULM also led in first downs (29) and possession time (30:21). The Ragin' Cajuns led with 70 total tackles, three sacks and recovered a fumble.
 
Aidan Armenta tied his career high of 19 completed passes, going 19-of-31 for 311 yards and three touchdowns. Armenta also collected 11 yards rushing with eight carries. The last time a quarterback saw over 300 passing yards in a game was Blake Murphy in 2023. 
 
Nic Trujillo led the receiving core, becoming the first Warhawk since 2022 to tally 100+ rushing yards and two touchdowns. He posted 133 yards off four receptions, including a 52-yard reception to secure a career high. Braylon McReynolds and Zach Palmer-Smith follow closely behind, both collecting 22 yards off three receptions.
 
"We have a young receiving core that has continued to get better," said Vincent. "This team's very tough, very resilient."
 
Palmer-Smith led the running backs as the team rushed for 205 yards. He broke 100 yards as well for the first time while at ULM, posting 114 yards off 20 attempts, also logging a touchdown. McReynolds notched 49 yards off 11 carries to contribute as well.
 
Jalen Foster led the defense for the first time all season, posting eight tackles and a quarterback hurry. Noah Flemmings followed behind with seven tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry. Tae Woody led with 1.5 tackles for loss on the day, also collecting five tackles.
 
The game opened with a kickoff return touchdown by Ja'Corian Green, returning the ball 96 yards to the endzone for an early 7-0 score, just 13 seconds into the game. The Warhawks responded with a two-minute drive, two long balls from Armenta to Trujillo got ULM to the endzone for the response. Trujillo first notched a 52-yard ball to reach the 30-yard line, then a 25-yard pass got Trujillo the ball again for the touchdown. A blocked extra point left the home team with the 7-6 advantage with 13:19 on the clock.
 
The Warhawk defense, anchored by Flemmings, held the Cajuns to a punt on the next drive, placing the offense back on the field. McReynolds and Palmer-Smith traded rushes to move ahead, a foul pushing the offense ahead even further. A 15-yard gain for McReynolds placed the Warhawks back in the redzone, as Palmer-Smith reentered for the seven-yard rush and touchdown for the 13-7 edge.
 
While the home team was able to pick up a few first downs on its next drive, Jabari Tiller shut them down on third down, forcing a punt. A four-yard punt gave ULM great field position, but the ball went right back to the Ragin' Cajuns when a fumbled snap was recovered by the opponent. A 29-yard pass and short improvements had the Cajuns entering the redzone, a four-yard rush securing the touchdown and the lead, 14-13. 
 
The Warhawks returned on offense to run down the clock, Palmer-Smith rushing short yardage to enter opponent territory. An 11-yard pass to Nate Sullivan Jr. had ULM crossing midfield as time in the first quarter ran out. A pass to Bibbs opened the second quarter as the Warhawks reached the redzone. But a handful of incomplete passes set up a 37-yard field goal attempt, missed, to prevent another lead change.
 
The Cajuns began to march back downfield, while the ULM defense worked to prevent another score to extend the lead. Quarterback hurries by Foster and Calender forced third down, but a keeper by Lunch Winfield had the home team crossing midfield for another first down. But a tackle for loss by Marcus Ross to force the third and long had the Cajuns stopped on the 38-yard line. Kicker Tony Sterner was able to get the ball through the uprights from 55 yards, extending the lead to 17-13.
 
After an early complete pass 13 yards to Trujillo and a 21-yard rush from Bibbs, the passes were falling incomplete for Armenta. Rushes by McReynolds continued to push the Warhawks ahead to the 17-yard line, but a seven-yard quarterback sack set up fourth and long. A shot at the endzone fell incomplete, as ULM turned over the ball on downs. 
 
Three first downs were picked up over the next drive for the Ragin' Cajuns, as they slowly found yardage to reach midfield. A penalty on the offense then pushed the drive back five yards as two incomplete passes and a short rush set up fourth and long. Sterner missed the 44-yard attempt to maintain the 17-13 score. While the Warhawks made a drive attempt with a minute left in the half, they were forced to punt in the final seconds.
 
ULM opened the second half on offense, working on a drive with positive yardage from Julian Nixon and Palmer-Smith. But an incomplete pass and a sack had Makenzie Ryan punting yet again. As the Ragin' Cajuns were able to slowly move ahead, another offsides call for the Warhawks had them advancing further. Pullen and Flemmings combined for a tackle for loss of quarterback Winfield to force third down, the Cajuns eventually punting and returning the ball to ULM.
 
Armenta picked up 10 yards on a quarterback keeper as the Warhawks looked to put a complete drive together. But short yardage prevented the first down and forced another punt, both teams remaining scoreless in the second half. Another punt came for the Cajuns to conclude the third quarter, Warhawks opening the fourth with possession.
 
In the first play of the fourth quarter, Armenta notched the ball to Bibbs, who ran 68 yards to the endzone for the score to regain the lead, 20-17 just 10 seconds into the quarter. Ryan changed his tune from punting to kicking, making the extra point. The Cajuns returned the favor just two minutes later, as Bill Davis ran for 76 yards to the endzone for the lead yet again.
 
Palmer-Smith carried the responding drive, rushing for 13 yards to cross midfield. It was a 43-yard reception from Armenta to Trujillo, their second touchdown connection, that gave the Warhawks the 27-24 lead with nine minutes remaining. New quarterback in Walker Howard for the home team got the Cajuns to the 15-yard line, but the Warhawk defense, led by Jyren Ester, forced the team to settle for a field goal. The game held tied at 27 with 3:36 left in the contest.
 
Both teams traded punts in the final minutes, unable to find the game winner. ULM had the final possession in regulation, finding a first down and taking a few shots at the endzone, to no avail. For the first time since 2019, the Warhawks headed for overtime. 
 
A deep shot from Armenta to Rylan Green got ULM to the seven-yard line, but two short rushes left the team with nothing. Hunter Herring entered the game at quarterback and took a final shot at the endzone, but it was intercepted by Brent Gordon Jr. After the Warhawk defense stopped the Cajuns three times, they sealed the victory with an overtime field goal, 30-27.