MONROE, La. — In an exciting conclusion to the regular season, Louisiana-Lafayette triumphed over in-state rival UL Monroe with a final score of 37-23, securing their spot in the Sun Belt Championship game for the fifth time in its seven-year history. Zylan Perry was a key player in this victory, rushing for 150 yards and scoring two touchdowns.
Louisiana-Lafayette finished the season with a strong 10-2 record, marking their fourth season of achieving ten or more wins in the program’s history. With this win, they have now taken the lead in the all-time series against the Warhawks, with a record of 34 victories to 26 losses.
The game saw a pivotal moment just before halftime when Max Larson kicked a 47-yard field goal, tying the game at 13-13. However, Louisiana-Lafayette shifted momentum in the third quarter, as quarterback Chandler Fields spearheaded a seven-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a 4-yard touchdown pass to Tavion Smith, putting ULL ahead 20-13— a lead they would maintain for the remainder of the contest. UL Monroe’s Larson did manage to close the gap with another field goal, bringing it to 20-16, but Perry’s second touchdown run ultimately sealed the victory for ULL.
Kenneth Almendares had an impressive performance in his 60th career game. Despite having his first PAT attempt blocked, he successfully converted his next four attempts and added a 26-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. This achievement allowed him to surpass former Arkansas State kicker Blake Grupe, positioning him in second place on the Sun Belt’s all-time scoring list.
Fields demonstrated solid performance statistics, completing 17 of 26 passes for a total of 188 yards, including two touchdown throws, though he did throw one interception. Bill Davis contributed significantly as well with 17 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown for Louisiana-Lafayette.
On the other side, Ahmad Hardy shone for UL Monroe, carrying the ball 28 times, amassing 172 rushing yards, and scoring one touchdown. He concluded his season with impressive stats, totaling 1,179 yards on 209 carries while achieving over 100 yards in eight games and crossing the 200-yard mark on two occasions, with a remarkable tally of 12 touchdowns.
Aidan Armenta, the quarterback for UL Monroe, finished the game with a completion rate of 15 out of 31 passes for 168 yards and one touchdown but struggled with three interceptions. The Warhawks wrapped up their season with a record of 5-7 overall and 3-5 in conference play.
