College Football Predictions – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns 2019 College Football Preview
2018 Recap
Record – 7-7
ATS – 8-4-2
That was some nice work.
First year HC Billy Napier did a great job in his first season in Lafayette guiding the Cajuns to a division title. They fell short in the inaugural Sun Belt Championship game but lost to a fantastic Appalachian St squad. A highly-motivated Tulane team gave them a beating in the Cure Bowl (L 41-24) but good things appear to be on the horizon for this program.
2019 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating
West Division – #1
Sun Belt – #3
Louisiana Rajun’ Cajuns 2019 Outlook
OFFENSE
There will be a new sheriff in town as it appears certain that former back-up Levi Lewis will take over the starting QB role. There are some interesting young players behind him on the current depth chart but Lewis has shown enough in limited action to make us think he will do a good job this year.
We have been doing college football research for a lonnnnnnnnggggg time but have rarely come across a RB group this loaded. The three-headed monster of Trey Ragas, Raymond Calais and Elijah Mitchell rumbled for a combined 2,900+ yards rushing and 28 (!!) TDs a season ago. These guys also like to get involved in the THROW GAME and guess what? They are all back, yo. The WR unit is also looking good with the return of two of their top-three men including Ja’Marcus Bradley who tallied 10 TD receptions a season ago. The HITS KEEP COMING when we talk about the offensive line. They return five (!) starters all of which are seniors.
The Ragin’ Cajuns posted 31.9 PPG LY (#2 Sun Belt) and we expect they will be just as potent in 2019.
DEFENSE
Louisiana struggled on defense last season allowing 34.2 PPG (#8 Sun Belt) and 436 YPG (#7 Sun Belt). They have allowed over 200 (!) YPG rushing in each of the previous two campaigns and need to get better in that department if they want to be serious contenders in the Sun Belt.
The DL returns a lot of experience and our SUN BELT DEFENSIVE LINE INSIDERS alerted us DE Joe Dillon who missed last season due to injury. Dillon had stem cell surgery to help regrow the bone in his hip and should be a key contributor on defense this year. Last year’s leading tackler LB Jacques Boudreaux is back for action and the Cajuns boast a pair of returning starters in the secondary including their excellent CB Michael Jacquet.
This has the look of a stop unit that will be much improved in 2019.
SPECIAL TEAMS
This has the makings of an average group across the board but note that Louisiana should get back PK Stevie Artigue who nailed 10/14 three-pointers in 2017 including 2/2 from 50+ yards.
Schedule Analysis
Overall – It’s a bit of a mixed bag. They draw a neutral-site game with Mississippi St to start the season and travel to face a scrappy Ohio team in week four. The Cajuns also play their main rival in the division (Arkansas St) on the road. The rest of the schedule looks fine and the tough game with Appalachian St is at home.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at Ohio (September 21)
This game falls after a couple of near-certain blowout wins (Liberty, Texas Southern) and before a big conference road date with Georgia Southern.
Season Win Total
Over 6 -145
Under 6 +125
MEGALOCKS says:
We’ll probably take a pass on this market. Our SUN BELT INSIDERS like the look of this team but there’s a small handful of really tough games.
MEGAmazing Tidbit
MEGALOCKS ATS Outlook: Positive
This team appears to have the MINERALS to make serious noise in the Sun Belt this season. If Levi Lewis can hold the line at QB there is no reason to think that the Cajuns can’t hit BACK-TO-BACK JACKS and make another trip to the conference title game.
Louisiana was a rock-solid 8-4-2 ATS in the first year of the Billy Napier experience and we think there may a bit more juice to squeeze out of the orange. OPPORTUNITY MAY KNOCK when the Cajuns are road dogs as they are 31-19-1 ATS (62%) over the past ten seasons in that role.
Want more Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun football ?
WEBSITE
http://ragincajuns.com/index.aspx?path=football
FORUM
http://www.raginpagin.com/louisiana/forumdisplay.php?21-FOOTBALL
NEWS
http://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/sports/ul_lafayette/
http://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/309/louisiana-ragin’-cajuns
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/louisiana-ragin-cajuns
http://bleacherreport.com/louisiana-lafayette-football
TWITTER
Hashtags – #GeauxCajuns, #cULture
Accounts to follow