The Grambling State Tigers fell to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns 40-10 in their season opener Saturday night in Lafayette.
The game marked the debut of GSU Head Coach Mickey Joseph.
The Tigers kept it close early against the Cajuns, a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Sun Belt Conference.
Louisiana scored on a 6-yard run by Dre’lyn Washington with 9:04 left in the first quarter. But that was the only score of the quarter.
The Cajuns blew the game open and in the second quarter with 23 points and led 30-0 at the half.
Louisiana extended the lead to 37-0 in the third quarter before Grambling State scored its only touchdown on a 1-yard run by Ken’travion Hargrove with 4:35 left and n the period.
The Tigers’ Reed Harradine kicked a 50-yard field goal with 1:55 left in the game.
Louisiana finished with 481 total yards. GSU had 241.
Tigers quarterback Myles Crawley, who made the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award which goes to the Football Championship Subdivision’s best offensive player, completed 19-of-28 passes for 166 yards with one interception which was returned 50 yards for a touchdown by Caleb Kibodi in the second quarter.
Nine Tigers had receptions led by Nicholas Howard (5-68).
Hargrove led GSU on the ground with 61 yards on 12 carries.
Louisiana quarterback Ben Wooldridge completed 25-of-33 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.
Thirteen Cajuns had catches. Harvey Broussard led the way with four for 76 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown reception.
Wooldrige’s other TD passes went to Tavion Smith (56 yards) in the second quarter and Terrance Carter (10 yards) in the third.
Grambling State plays its home opener Saturday at 6 p.m. against Tuskegee.
Louisiana hosts Kennesaw State at 6 Saturday.