South Alabama opens Sun Belt Conference play in week five of the 2022 season on the road at reigning conference champion Louisiana, a team that has advanced to all four conference championship games.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns were picked to win its fifth-straight Sun Belt West Division title in the 2022 Sun Belt Football Preseason Coaches' Poll, garnering 12-of-14 first place votes. The Ragin' Cajuns defeated App State, 24-16, in last year's championship game before winning the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, 36-21 over Marshall.
 
Head coach Michael Desormeaux's team carries an FBS-leading 13-game winning streak into the 2022 campaign, and the first-year head coach will guide a roster that returns nine All-Sun Belt selections from 2021 and five players named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt teams. They also had five student-athletes listed on national preseason award watch lists ahead of the 2022 season.
 
Louisiana has appeared in four-straight bowl games – winning the last three, including the aforementioned New Orleans Bowl win over Marshall in Desormeaux's first game at the helm.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns will rely on five preseason selections headed into the 2022 season including Zi'Yon Hill-Green (defensive line), Andre Jones (linebacker) and Eric Garror (defensive back) on the defensive side of the ball and all-purpose star Chris Smith. They also have one of the top specialists in the conference in punter Rhys Byrns.
 
The two will meet in Lafayette on October 1. Tickets are still available by visiting USAJaguars.com or by calling the South Alabama ticket office at (251) 461-1USA (1872).
 
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