The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns scored 28 unanswered points to beat in-state rivals ULM 42-21 in Sun Belt Conference football on Thursday night in Monroe, Louisiana Athletics reported.

ULM took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter when Austin Carlisle threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Jaiden Tucker, but Louisiana took control from there and never looked back.

The Ragin’ Cajuns finished with 274 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground, with JJ Garner and Steven Blanco both passing 100 rushing yards in the game. Blanco’s two-yard touchdown run with less than two minutes remaining settled the final score.

Fourth straight win over ULM

The win was Louisiana’s fourth in a row over their in-state rivals and their 16th in the last 19 meetings between the schools. Louisiana improved to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in Sun Belt play, while ULM fell to 2-8 and 2-4 in the conference.

ULM finished with 372 yards of total offence, including 260 rushing yards, and Carlisle ran for 102 yards and a touchdown in his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game, ULM Athletics reported, but the Warhawks could not keep pace once Louisiana’s running game took over.

Louisiana close their home schedule against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, 21 November, while ULM travel to Appalachian State on the same day.