FIU 38, OSM{LA-Lafayette} 17

November 20--It was a shaky start for both teams. LA-Lafayette fumbled the the opening kickoff, but they did recover and moved the ball well before having to punt, but they did down the ball at the FIU 2 yard line. After holding FIU to punt, LA-Lafayette had their second 10-play drive of the first quarter, but after a sack and fumble, it also ended with a punt, downed at the FIU 1.

However, this time FIU mounted a 16-play, 99-yard touchdown drive to draw first blood early in the second quarter. The Ragin' Cajuns followed with their third straight 10+ play drive, but this one ended in a 25-yard field goal.

FIU needed to punt again on the next drive, but LA-Lafayette blocked the punt, giving the Ragin' Cajuns four chances from the FIU 2. However, four quarterback sneaks by Blaine Gautier could only get 1 yard.

So FIU started their third possession of the first half inside their own 2. They punted after gaining only 2 yards, but LA-Lafayette could do nothing with it, and the first half ended with FIU leading 7-3.

But then in the first two minutes of the second half, LA-Lafayette allowed a 41-yard kickoff return, a 49-yard pass, a rushing touchdown, two personal foul penalties, and threw an interception that set up a field goal. The Ragin' Cajuns did follow with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Gautier to Ladarius Green, but they tried an onside kick trailing 17-10 in the middle of the third quarter. FIU rejoiced with their good field position, but they did not know what to do with it and punted three downs later.

The punt return was fumbled but LA-Lafayette recovered. This allowed them to false start twice before Gautier threw an interception that was returned 26 yards for a touchdown by Junior Mertile. Undaunted, Gautier three plays later rushed 55 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 24-17.

The fourth quarter saw a 15-play, 94-yard touchdown drive by FIU. Two plays later, Gautier threw another interception. On the next play, cajun Grant Fleming raged a little too much with a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the same play to set up another FIU touchdown run. LA-Lafayette fought until the very end, but Gautier was sacked on each of the last three plays of the game.