MONROE, La. -- The ULM football team completed the 2024 season by falling to the Sun Belt Conference West Champions Ragin' Cajuns on Saturday (Nov. 30) at Malone Stadium by a score of 37-23.
After the score was tied at halftime 13-13, the Ragin' Cajuns seized a 14-point lead with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. An Ahmad Hardy touchdown trimmed the deficit to one score with less than four minutes left, but the Cajuns sealed the win with a Bill Davis 24-yard rushing score.
ULM (5-7, 3-5 Sun Belt Conference) ended the season on a six-game losing streak and finished just short of bowl eligibility. The 2024 season was the highest win total for a ULM team since 2019 and Bryant Vincent earned the most wins of a ULM first-year head coach since Todd Berry's 2010 season.
"I'm proud of these kids," said Vincent. "I'm proud of these seniors, and I'm proud of this football team. I want to thank the fans, the community and all our alumni."
Hardy reached the 100-yard mark for the eighth time this season after chalking up 172 yards on the ground and crossed the goal line for his 13th rushing score of his freshman season. He wrapped up his freshman campaign third all-time for rushing yards in a single season with 1,351 yards. His 13 touchdowns tied for the second-most in a single ULM season with Frank Goodin in 2009 and Greg Robinson in 1992.
"Ahmad Hardy is special," said Vincent. "He brought mentality, toughness and passion. He is probably one of the hardest practice players I have ever seen. To have the season he did as a true freshman speaks volumes."
Aidan Armenta completed 15 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown with three interceptions. Tyler Griffin secured a touchdown to put the Warhawks ahead in the second quarter and finished with two catches for 37 yards. Artis Cole led the Warhawks with three catches while tight end Nate Sullivan Jr. finished with 39 receiving yards and two catches.
Senior linebacker and Monroe native Carl Glass Jr. ended his ULM career by making a team-high 11 tackles, including one tackle for loss. Senior defensive back Travor Randle racked up 10 stops and broke up a pair of passes. Korian Wilson and David Godsey Jr. both forced fumbles and Wydett Williams Jr. recovered a fumble. Lynard Harris intercepted a pass and made seven tackles at safety.
For the Ragin' Cajuns, Zylan Perry averaged 7.9 yards per carry and finished with 150 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns. Davis added 78 yards on the ground and one score. Chandler Fields passed for two touchdowns and 17 completions on 26 attempts for 188 yards. Jacob Bernard tallied the most receiving yards for the Cajuns with 42 while Lance LeGendre and Tavion Smith both brought down touchdown receptions.
ULM generated 335 yards of total offense and 20 first downs while the Cajuns totaled 411 yards of offense on 21 first downs. ULM was 7-for-15 on third down conversions and 1-of-1 on fourth down while the visitors converted 5-of-12 third down opportunities and 3-of-3 fourth downs. Both teams were 5-for-5 in red zone chances.
Harris intercepted Fields' pass on the Cajuns' first drive of the game on a batted ball by Tyrese Hopkins that gave ULM favorable field position. The Warhawks struck first after Larson split the uprights on a 25-yard field goal for the first points of the day. A sack by Kevontay Wells on the next Ragin' Cajuns possession forced a punt. Kody Jackson of the Cajuns intercepted Armenta on the next ULM drive and flipped the field. Perry punched in a one-yard rush to get the Cajuns on the board. Williams Jr. blocked the extra point attempt to keep it a 6-3 Ragin' Cajuns advantage at the end of the first.
ULM answered and pulled back in front after Armenta swung a pass to Griffin on from seven-yards out. Godsey Jr. jarred loose the football from Perry's arms and Williams Jr. recovered and gave possession back to the Warhawks. On the first play of ULM's drive, Jackson picked off Armenta and dragged a foot in bounds on an acrobatic catch to swing possession back to the Cajuns. The Ragin' Cajuns marched the football 88 yards on 11 plays to retake the lead after Fields connected with LeGendre on third and goal from the six. Larson tied the game just before the half on a 47-yard field goal and The Battle on the Bayou was even at intermission, 13-13.
Out of the locker room, the Cajuns regained control of the lead after a seven-play, 80-yard drive that concluded with a Fields touchdown to Smith on a four-yard completion. ULM was knocking on the doorstep of the Cajuns' end zone and drove the ball all the way to the Cajuns' five-yard line. A sack and an incompletion forced ULM to settle with a field goal, and Larson converted a 29-yard attempt to bring the Cajuns' lead to four points.
Kenneth Almendares lined up a field goal attempt from the ULM 22-yard line and split the uprights before the Warhawks were called for an illegal formation penalty that extended the Cajuns' drive. The Ragin' Cajuns capitalized on the penalty with a Perry five-yard touchdown and increased the lead to 27-16 early in the fourth. Following a ULM three-and-out, Almendares made a 26-yard field goal to push the Cajuns' lead to 14. ULM fought back and Armenta exited the pocket and made an athletic throw to Sullivan Jr. on the run to give ULM first and goal at the Cajuns' eight-yard line. Hardy bulldozed his way into the end zone on the next play and brought the Warhawks within one score with 3:52 on the clock.
The Ragin' Cajuns continued to pick up first downs and eat up the clock. Perry rushed for seven yards for the Cajuns' third first down of the drive and ULM began burning timeouts. The Warhawks stopped the Cajuns on 3rd and 3 from the 26 and called its last timeout of the game. Davis entered the game on 4th and 1 and bolted down the left side for a touchdown to seal a Cajuns victory, 37-23.
"I love these kids, this team and this community," said Vincent. "We will continue on this journey. This team is tough. Without toughness, you can never accomplish anything."
"We've got to continue to fight and come together," said Vincent. "This is just the start. You will get everything I have every single day to continue to build this program."