SAN MARCOS, Texas (KLFY) – Ben Wooldridge completed 18 of 28 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown while the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns defense forced a pair of crucial turnovers in the second half to earn a 23-17 victory over Texas State in a nationally-televised Sun Belt Conference game Tuesday night.

Kenneth Almendares booted three field goals – all in the second half – while Tyrone Lewis’ interception late in the fourth quarter helped Louisiana (7-1, 4-0 SBC) remain unbeaten in SBC play while winning its fifth straight game.

Dre’lyn Washington scored on a career-high 64-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and Wooldridge found Caden Jensen for a 1-yard TD pass in the second quarter to give Louisiana a 14-6 lead at halftime.

Texas State (4-4, 2-2 SBC), which fell to 0-12 in the all-time in the series against Louisiana, tied the game in the third quarter on Ishmail Mahdi’s 1-yard plunge and a two-point conversion.

Almendares booted a 42-yard field goal with 4:59 left in the third quarter for a 17-14 lead. The Ragin’ Cajuns would capitalize on Texas State’s first turnover of the game when Jaden Dugger’s forced fumble was recovered by Amir McDaniel and Almendares would hit his second field goal of the night – a 24-yard boot with 14:08 remaining.

The senior would convert on a 44-yard field goal with 7:07 left for a 23-17 lead and Lewis would seal the win when he picked off an RJ Martinez pass with 3:29 left after Texas State had driven to the UL 32.

Washington gained 94 yards on 10 carries for Louisiana, which held a 423-378 advantage in total offense with 171 yards coming on the ground. Lewis and McDaniel led the Ragin’ Cajuns with 10 tackles apiece.

Louisiana will return home for three of its final four regular-season games at Cajun Field, beginning with the annual Homecoming Game on Nov. 9 against Arkansas State. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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