MOBILE, Ala. – Each of the last two seasons the University of South Alabama football team has concluded Sun Belt Conference play against Louisiana-Lafayette.  The way the two schools have played in the last month — combining to go 6-0 in October — it's too bad that won't be the case again in 2014.

Instead, the Jaguars and Ragin' Cajuns will meet Saturday in Lafayette with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m. on ULL's Homecoming weekend.  The Cajuns, defending league co-champions, are 3-0 and one of two remaining unbeaten teams in Sun Belt play, while USA has won four straight conference contests after falling to the other undefeated squad, Georgia Southern, on Sept. 20.

The contest will be carried live nationally on ESPN3 and can also be accessed via the iHeartRadio platform.

"This is why you play football," Jag head coach Joey Jones commented.  "As we were going through our conference schedule a couple of weeks ago I told them the next game is the most important one — I know it's cliché but it's the truth.  I believe if Louisiana-Lafayette doesn't have the best environment in the Sun Belt then it is top two, they have great crowd support.  Last time we went over there it didn't go very well, so we'd like to go over there and play better this time."

The game day atmosphere won't be the lone challenge the Jaguars face — stopping a running game that is averaging more than 300 yards per contest the last three weeks will be a tough task too.  Elijah McGuire is the reigning SBC Offensive Player of the Week after recording 265 yards and four scores in the Cajuns' 55-40 victory over Arkansas State last time out; not only does he lead the league in all-purpose yards (139.9 pg) and rank second in rushing (94.3 pg), the sophomore tops the nation in average yards per attempt gaining almost 10 per carry.  Alonzo Harris, who also has a four-touchdown game to his credit this fall, has added 435 yards and Terrance Broadway 382, with the latter also completing 60 percent of his pass attempts (117-of-195) for 1,219 yards.

"Elijah McGuire, in my opinion, is the best player in this league," Jones observed.  "Then you look at all the other talent they have around him, it's not like you can just focus on him.  Terrance Broadway is a great player, a three-year starter who understands their offense and has played in a lot of big games, and they have big linemen; they probably average 320 [pounds] up front.  Our defense is looking forward to the challenge."

USA comes into the contest pacing the conference in league games allowing 19.8 points and 358.6 yards per outing, and has held two of four opponents during its current winning streak to fewer than 100 yards on the ground.  In last week's 27-13 defeat of Troy, the Jags gave up just 107 yards in the second half and 309 total led by Antonio Carter's career-high 14 stops.

The Jaguars have averaged seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage over the last four contests and are led in the category on the season by Theo Rich, who has collected 9½ including a Sun Belt-best seven sacks.  Maleki Harris has added five and Jesse Kelley four, with the latter contributing three sacks as well.

Terrell Brigham paces the unit with 54 stops, seven pass break ups and two fumble recoveries, while Harris has been credited with 47 tackles and five passes defended.

Like the Ragin' Cajuns, the Jag ground game has played a significant role in their winning streak; USA has run for no fewer than 233 yards the last four contests, averaging 273.3 during that stretch.  The Jaguars had two individuals rush for more than 100 yards in the same game for the first time since September 2010 last week with Kendall Houston and Xavier Johnson recording 178 and 107, respectively.  Houston's 387 yards are six shy of the team lead, and both Johnson (295) and Brandon Bridge (282) are closing in on 300 yards this fall as well.

Should USA look to exploit a defense that is last in the conference allowing 268.4 yards per game passing, Bridge has connected on 103-of-204 attempts for 1,280 yards, with Shavarez Smith pacing the team with 26 catches, 396 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

Christian Ringo has been credited with 11 tackles for loss and six sacks, and Justin Hamilton has made five stops behind the line with three sacks to lead the ULL defense up front.  Linebackers Boris Anyama and Dominique Tovell have collected seven and six tackles for loss, respectively, with Tovell one stop behind team leaders Trae Johnson and Corey Trim, who have recorded a total of 38 each this fall.

"They are very good and very big on the defensive front, they are probably the biggest defensive front we will face.  I haven't looked at South Carolina yet, but I know the size of these guys is bigger than anybody in the Sun Belt," said Jones.  "They're well-coached and run to the football, they play with a lot of passion as you would imagine.  They are a very good defense.

"When you have a team with a good offense that's all people want to talk about, but their defense plays very well."

With the two teams combining to go 7-1 through the first month-plus of conference action, there is not much separation between the two programs.  The difference could come down to special teams, with the Jaguars leading the Sun Belt averaging 24.6 yards per kick return and the Ragin' Cajuns' Daniel Cadona second with an average of 44.8 yards per punt.  It could depend on who has more success in the red zone, where USA is on top of the SBC allowing the opposition to score 76.2 percent of the time and ULL ranks third converting more than 92 percent of its trips inside the opposition's 20-yard line.

Or it might be a matter of health.  In last year's meeting in Mobile — won by the Jags, 30-8 — the Cajuns were without Broadway while McGuire departed with an injury after gaining 13 yards on three carries.  This fall, USA's leading rusher Jay Jones (83-393, 3 TDs) will miss the matchup as well Jamal Robinson (15-260, 4 TDs), one of ULL's top receivers.

That's what makes the game intriguing — even if it won't wrap up Sun Belt play as it has in years past.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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