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Here's a look at every opponent Louisiana football will play in its 2026 season and its fifth under coach Michael Desormeaux.
This will mark the 35th meeting between the Ragin’ Cajuns and the Cardinals, and the first meeting in more than a decade. Lamar ended the 2025 season with a solid 8-5 record last season with the rushing attack carrying its offense. The Cardinals graduated its top rusher from 2025 in senior Xavier Coleman, but they do return their starting quarterback, Aiden McCown. McCown was a dual-threat in his sophomore campaign, throwing for nearly 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns.
McCown rushed for a tied team-high four touchdowns, racking up 317 rushing yards on 76 carries. Defensively, the Cardinals will return defensive edge Andrew Huff and linebacker C.J. Miller. Miller racked up the third most tackles on the team with 71 total tackles, while Huff led Lamar in sacks with 6½ sacks for 28 yards lost.
The Cajuns will be making their first-ever trip to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to face off against the Trojans in their first-ever meeting. USC ended last season with an 9-4 overall record with quarterback Jayden Maiava leading the charge. Maiava will be back for his senior season after throwing for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns in his junior campaign.
Maiava will have some new targets this season in NC State transfer Terrell Anderson, who was a four-star prospect out of high school. The 6-foot-3 wideout had his breakout season in 2025, catching for 629 yards and five touchdowns.
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The Blazers are coming off a 4-8 record only winning two of their non-conference games in the 2025 season. Sliding into the QB1 role this season will be Ryder Burton after playing behind Jalen Kita last season.
Burton’s primary targets will be tight end Antonio Ferguson, who is projected to be UAB’s starting tight end for 2026. Also returning is wide receiver AJ Johnson, who will look to play a bigger role this fall. Georgia transfer Roderick Robinson II will look to make an impact on the run game.
This marks the first-ever meeting between the Cajuns and the 49ers for UL’s second road trip of the season. Charlotte won one game last season, beating Monmouth 42-35 in non-conference play.
The 49ers will return their starting quarterback in Grayson Loftis, who threw for 1,415 yards and 8 touchdowns. They also return the team’s top tackler from last year in linebacker Kadin Schmitz, who racked up 66 total tackles.
The Cajuns kick off Sun Belt Conference play against the Red Wolves, a team they handed a 34-30 loss to last season. They have beaten Arkansas State in the past two meetings with both of them coming down to the wire.
The Red Wolves will have some key incoming transfers looking to make waves in 2026 — such as former Vanderbilt quarterback Drew Dickey and former Florida State offensive lineman Manasse Itete. Quarterback Jaylen Raynor will be their star returner after throwing for nearly 3,400 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2025.
For the first time since 2015, the Cajuns and Bulldogs will reignite their cross-state rivalry on the gridiron. And this time it’ll be for more than bragging rights as both teams vie for the SBC Championship this fall as LA Tech joins the Sun Belt.
The Bulldogs ended 2025 with an 8-5 overall record and return a core of their offense for 2026. Quarterback Trey Kukuk will take over as the main signal caller, while newcomer and running back Jaden Miller will look to make an impact on the ground after a strong spring.
The Cajuns will be looking for revenge this go-round against the Trojans, who beat them last season on the road, 35-23. Troy ended 2025 with an 8-5 overall record and return weapons on both sides of the ball for 2026.
It’ll be a battle for QB1 between Tucker Kilcrease and Goose Crowder, who shared the job last season with Kilcrease playing in 11 games and Crowder in eight. Defensively, the Trojans remain a pass-rushing threat with defensive edge Donnie Smith returning after leading the SBC in sacks last year.
The Golden Eagles handed the Cajuns a homecoming loss in last year’s meeting as they went on to finish 7-6 overall. Under a new head coach and former offensive coordinator, Blake Anderson, USM will rely on a rebuilt roster this season.
A key weapon for the Golden Eagles this season will be wide receiver Mario Sanders II after transferring from Illinois. In the backfield, running back Robert Briggs will look to be the primary back.
The Cajuns will host the Jaguars for their 15th meeting overall after splitting the past two meetings. In 2025, UL came away with the victory, beating South Alabama 31-22 as the Jaguars finished 4-8 overall.
South Alabama will return its starting quarterback Bishop Davenport, a known dual threat for its offense. Also returning is running back Keenan Phillips, who rushed for over 600 yards last season and will look to be the primary back this fall.
The Warhawks saw their 2025 season end at the hands of the Cajuns with a 30-27 overtime loss to close out their 3-9 overall record. After an underwhelming season, ULM hit the transfer portal this offseason looking for a rebuild.
Key incoming transfers for the Warhawks include quarterback Austin Carlisle from Houston, running back Don Chaney from Charolette and tight end Bryce Anderson from Memphis.
This will mark just the fifth meeting between the Cajuns and the Chanticleers as the teams sit tied 2-2 in all of their meetings so far. In 2025, Coastal Carolina finished below .500 after losing to LA Tech in the 2025 Independence Bowl game.
It’ll be a new look for the Chants this year as they reloaded their roster with transfers from various programs. Competing for QB1 will be JUCO transfer Trey Guara, Missouri State transfer Deuce Bailey and Arkansas State transfer Trevor Jackson.
The Panthers only won one game in the 2025 season, beating Murray State 37-21 in non-conference play. After a forgettable finish, Georgia State and third-year coach Dell McGee, will be looking for more from their returners.
Quarterback Cameran Brown will return at the helm of the Panthers’ offense, serving as a weapon on the ground and in the air. Brown threw for nearly 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns while also rushing for a team-high four touchdowns.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on X, formerly known as Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Previewing every Louisiana football opponent in the 2026 season
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vs. Lamar (Sept. 5)
This will mark the 35th meeting between the Ragin’ Cajuns and the Cardinals, and the first meeting in more than a decade. Lamar ended the 2025 season with a solid 8-5 record last season with the rushing attack carrying its offense. The Cardinals graduated its top rusher from 2025 in senior Xavier Coleman, but they do return their starting quarterback, Aiden McCown. McCown was a dual-threat in his sophomore campaign, throwing for nearly 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns.
McCown rushed for a tied team-high four touchdowns, racking up 317 rushing yards on 76 carries. Defensively, the Cardinals will return defensive edge Andrew Huff and linebacker C.J. Miller. Miller racked up the third most tackles on the team with 71 total tackles, while Huff led Lamar in sacks with 6½ sacks for 28 yards lost.
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at USC (Sept. 12)
The Cajuns will be making their first-ever trip to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to face off against the Trojans in their first-ever meeting. USC ended last season with an 9-4 overall record with quarterback Jayden Maiava leading the charge. Maiava will be back for his senior season after throwing for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns in his junior campaign.
Maiava will have some new targets this season in NC State transfer Terrell Anderson, who was a four-star prospect out of high school. The 6-foot-3 wideout had his breakout season in 2025, catching for 629 yards and five touchdowns.
REQUIRED READING: Lafayette-area high school football head coach tracker: Who's been hired, fired?
REQUIRED READING: Lafayette Christian football turns heartbreak into hunger ahead of 2026 season
Vs. UAB (Sept. 19)
The Blazers are coming off a 4-8 record only winning two of their non-conference games in the 2025 season. Sliding into the QB1 role this season will be Ryder Burton after playing behind Jalen Kita last season.
Burton’s primary targets will be tight end Antonio Ferguson, who is projected to be UAB’s starting tight end for 2026. Also returning is wide receiver AJ Johnson, who will look to play a bigger role this fall. Georgia transfer Roderick Robinson II will look to make an impact on the run game.
At Charlotte (Sept. 26)
This marks the first-ever meeting between the Cajuns and the 49ers for UL’s second road trip of the season. Charlotte won one game last season, beating Monmouth 42-35 in non-conference play.
The 49ers will return their starting quarterback in Grayson Loftis, who threw for 1,415 yards and 8 touchdowns. They also return the team’s top tackler from last year in linebacker Kadin Schmitz, who racked up 66 total tackles.
Vs. Arkansas State (Oct. 3)
The Cajuns kick off Sun Belt Conference play against the Red Wolves, a team they handed a 34-30 loss to last season. They have beaten Arkansas State in the past two meetings with both of them coming down to the wire.
The Red Wolves will have some key incoming transfers looking to make waves in 2026 — such as former Vanderbilt quarterback Drew Dickey and former Florida State offensive lineman Manasse Itete. Quarterback Jaylen Raynor will be their star returner after throwing for nearly 3,400 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2025.
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At Louisiana Tech (Oct. 10)
For the first time since 2015, the Cajuns and Bulldogs will reignite their cross-state rivalry on the gridiron. And this time it’ll be for more than bragging rights as both teams vie for the SBC Championship this fall as LA Tech joins the Sun Belt.
The Bulldogs ended 2025 with an 8-5 overall record and return a core of their offense for 2026. Quarterback Trey Kukuk will take over as the main signal caller, while newcomer and running back Jaden Miller will look to make an impact on the ground after a strong spring.
Vs. Troy (Oct. 17)
The Cajuns will be looking for revenge this go-round against the Trojans, who beat them last season on the road, 35-23. Troy ended 2025 with an 8-5 overall record and return weapons on both sides of the ball for 2026.
It’ll be a battle for QB1 between Tucker Kilcrease and Goose Crowder, who shared the job last season with Kilcrease playing in 11 games and Crowder in eight. Defensively, the Trojans remain a pass-rushing threat with defensive edge Donnie Smith returning after leading the SBC in sacks last year.
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At Southern Miss (Oct. 24)
The Golden Eagles handed the Cajuns a homecoming loss in last year’s meeting as they went on to finish 7-6 overall. Under a new head coach and former offensive coordinator, Blake Anderson, USM will rely on a rebuilt roster this season.
A key weapon for the Golden Eagles this season will be wide receiver Mario Sanders II after transferring from Illinois. In the backfield, running back Robert Briggs will look to be the primary back.
Vs South Alabama (Nov. 7)
The Cajuns will host the Jaguars for their 15th meeting overall after splitting the past two meetings. In 2025, UL came away with the victory, beating South Alabama 31-22 as the Jaguars finished 4-8 overall.
South Alabama will return its starting quarterback Bishop Davenport, a known dual threat for its offense. Also returning is running back Keenan Phillips, who rushed for over 600 yards last season and will look to be the primary back this fall.
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At ULM (Nov. 12)
The Warhawks saw their 2025 season end at the hands of the Cajuns with a 30-27 overtime loss to close out their 3-9 overall record. After an underwhelming season, ULM hit the transfer portal this offseason looking for a rebuild.
Key incoming transfers for the Warhawks include quarterback Austin Carlisle from Houston, running back Don Chaney from Charolette and tight end Bryce Anderson from Memphis.
Vs Coastal Carolina (Nov. 21)
This will mark just the fifth meeting between the Cajuns and the Chanticleers as the teams sit tied 2-2 in all of their meetings so far. In 2025, Coastal Carolina finished below .500 after losing to LA Tech in the 2025 Independence Bowl game.
It’ll be a new look for the Chants this year as they reloaded their roster with transfers from various programs. Competing for QB1 will be JUCO transfer Trey Guara, Missouri State transfer Deuce Bailey and Arkansas State transfer Trevor Jackson.
At Georgia State (Nov. 28)
The Panthers only won one game in the 2025 season, beating Murray State 37-21 in non-conference play. After a forgettable finish, Georgia State and third-year coach Dell McGee, will be looking for more from their returners.
Quarterback Cameran Brown will return at the helm of the Panthers’ offense, serving as a weapon on the ground and in the air. Brown threw for nearly 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns while also rushing for a team-high four touchdowns.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on X, formerly known as Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Previewing every Louisiana football opponent in the 2026 season
Continue reading...
