By: Matt Sullivan | Director of Athletics Communications
LAFAYETTE – Zeon Chriss, in his first collegiate start at quarterback, rushed for a pair of touchdowns and passed for another and the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns erupted for 35 points in the second half to earn a wild 45-38 win over Mid-American Conference member Buffalo on Saturday at Cajun Field.
Jacob Kibodi eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the second consecutive game with 100 yards while Dre'lyn Washington recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game with 103 as Louisiana (3-1) gained a season-high 518 yards of total offense.
Patrick Mensah returned an interception 24 yards for a touchdown for Louisiana, which scored 40-plus points in consecutive games since 2019 against Texas Southern (77) and Ohio (45).
Chriss, who finished 22-for-29 through the air for a career-high 249 yards while rushing for 70 yards on 11 carries, was 16-for-22 for 159 yards in the first half and connected with Neal Johnson on an 8-yard scoring pass with 2:57 remaining in the first quarter to cap a seven-play, 49-yard drive.
Kenneth Almendares connected on a 22-yard field goal in the second quarter to extend his consecutive made streak to 17 – one shy of the school record – as Louisiana led 10-0 at the break.
Both teams picked up the pace in the second half with each team scoring three TDs in the third quarter as Louisiana maintained a 10-point lead (31-21). Buffalo (0-4) would score twice late in the fourth quarter with Jacqez Barksdale plunging in on a 1-yard run with 2:00 remaining and attempted to knot the game late before Tyree Skipper sealed the win for Louisiana with an interception off UB quarterback Cole Snyder.
Chriss scored the first of two long TD runs in the third quarter for Louisiana when he scrambled and raced 54 yards to give the Ragin' Cajuns a 17-0 lead.
Buffalo got on the board on the following drive in the third quarter on CJ Ogbonna's 4-yard scoring run which capped a six-play, 70-yard drive. The Bulls' picked up 49 yards on Mike Washington's run up the middle to the UL 21 on the opening play of the drive before Ogbonna scored five plays later.
Louisiana would respond with a 75-yard drive on the ensuing possession as Kibodi raced 69 yards to the end zone on third-and-4 to extend the Ragin' Cajuns lead to 24-7.
The Bulls would capitalized on a pair of turnovers in the period to cut into a 31-7 deficit as Ron Cook scored on runs of 4 and 12 yards.
Chriss called his own number on Louisiana's next possession as he scored on a 1-yard burst to cap a six-play, 75-yard drive.
Louisiana's defense held Buffalo to 56 yards of total offense, the fewest allowed by the Ragin' Cajuns since facing Nicholls in the 2001 season-opener.
Louisiana will return to action on Saturday (Sept. 30) when it travels to face Big 10 Conference member Minnesota (2-2) in an 11 a.m. contest at Huntington Bank Stadium.
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