Disappointment and defeat are two accurate words to describe the end of Louisiana football’s 2024 college football season.
The Ragin’ Cajuns (10-4) faced TCU in Isleta New Mexico Bowl 2024bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, looking for a chance to prove they could hang on in a Power 4 program. That chance quickly revealed itself when the Horned Frogs (9-4) manhandled them for a 34-3 victory against the Cajuns.
Things started snowballing quickly after UL kicker and 2024 winner Lou Groza Kenneth Almendares had a rare missed field goal from 54 yards out. The field goal would have made the score 7-3, but instead the Horned Frogs got the ball back and immediately got back into scoring position.
Leading them was second-year quarterback Josh Hoover. During a fourth and goal already trailing 7-0, the 6-foot-2 slinger seemed to have nowhere to go. He did nothing, dodging defenders until he found Eric McAlistar for a touchdown.
Hoover and the Horned Frogs were just getting started and the Cajuns had no answers on either side of the ball. He lit up the Cajuns secondary every chance he got and, along the way, broke TCU’s single-season passing yards record. Hoover finished the game throwing for 252 yards and also set a record for most passing touchdowns thrown in a bowl game for TCU (4).
MANDATORY READING: Isleta New Mexico Bowl: UL football stunned by TCU to finish 2024 season
A grim return for Louisiana football quarterback Ben Wooldridge
While the Horned Frogs were successful, UL’s offense was almost non-existent. Fifth-year quarterback Ben Wooldridge played his first game since Week 11, and the rust was more than apparent. On top of that, Wooldridge was without two of its top receivers this season, tight end Terrence Carter and wide receiver Harvey Broussard to the transfer portal.
If that wasn’t enough, he also had a different protection group with two starting offensive linemen sitting out the game. Wooldridge did what he could against TCU’s pesky defense and a secondary that rarely left guys wide open.
Wooldridge finished the game throwing for a season-low 61 yards and completed only seven passes. His return did not have the result hoped for by him or head coach Michael Desormeaux. After scoring just three points against Marshall in the Sun Belt Conference championship without Wooldridge, the thinking was this go-around would be different.
With this loss and the SBC Championship loss, the Cajuns lost some of the momentum they had built up over the course of the season. But everything is not over, as there was a record of 10 victories and an appearance in the SBC championship.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Do you have questions about HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at [email protected].
This article was originally published on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana football can’t capitalize against TCU in New Mexico Bowl
