The 2020-21 college football season was going to be a weird one, and it took no time to make that fact. Saturday morning No. 23 Iowa State took on the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa to kick off the season for both teams. Brock Purdy has received plenty of praise this offseason, and Iowa State has been pushed as a dark horse Big-12 champion, but it seems they might have been a little ahead of themselves.
Dropped passes nagged the Cyclones all night which caused the offense to never really find a groove. Brock Purdy finished the night with 146 yards passing, no touchdowns and an interception. The lone bright side would be sophomore running back Breece Hall, who rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on the night.
Two special teams touchdowns, one in the second quarter and one in the fourth, were key to keeping the Ragin’ Cajuns ahead. Their defense also held Iowa State to just 14 points, which is extremely impressive considering some of the numbers the Cyclones put up last season. Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Levi Lewis, threw for 154 yards and one 78 yard touchdown pass.
This win is one of the biggest in program history for Louisiana-Lafayette, marking the first time they have beaten a Top 25 team on the road. Before today’s win, the Ragin’ Cajuns were 0-26 vs Top 25 opponents on the road. The last time Louisiana-Lafayette has beaten a Top 25 opponent was Texas A&M back in 1996.
