Cajun's Sideline View

A six-game winning streak for the Sun Belt Conference-leading Ragin' Cajuns came to a stunning end with a 42-23 loss on Oct. 22 against the host Hilltoppers. It was the first conference loss of the season for the Cajuns (6-2, 4-1 Sun Belt) and ended an 18-game home losing streak for WKU (3-4, 3-1).

The upset in Bowling Green, Ky., came one year after the Cajuns suffered a 54-21 loss to the Hilltoppers on homecoming in Lafayette.

"They got some good breaks that we had been getting earlier in the year," said first-year Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth, whose program was off to its best start since 1976. "But give them credit: They lined up and whipped us, and I tip my hat to them."

The Cajuns, the first Sun Belt team to start a season 6-1, outgained WKU in total yardage 540-507 but couldn't slow down running back Bobby Rainey. The star senior rushed for a career-high 206 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries to give the Hilltoppers their first three-game winning streak since 2007.

While Rainey led a WKU rushing attack that gained 234 yards, the Cajuns rushed for only 121 yards. The majority of those yards came on Aaron Spikes' 79-yard scoring run early in the second quarter.

The lack of a running game -- and their inability to stop Rainey on the ground -- resulted in the Cajuns getting outscored 21-6 in the final two quarters and facing a 21-17 halftime deficit. The career-high 419 passing yards and two touchdown passes from quarterback Blaine Gautier weren't enough for the Cajuns with their defensive struggles.

"Offensively we moved the ball up and down the field, throwing and catching," Hudspeth said. "But we could not run the ball."

It won't get any easier for the Cajuns moving forward. They play three of their next four games on the road, starting with an Oct. 29 meeting against Middle Tennessee (2-4, 1-2). The loss to WKU dropped the Cajuns into second place in the league standings behind Arkansas State (5-2, 3-0) with four games left in the regular season.

"I just think that it was a poor effort by our defense, our defensive coaches and our whole staff in general," Hudspeth said. "We've got to do a better job of getting our guys ready to play."

NOTES, QUOTES

--The career-high 419 passing yards by QB Blaine Gautier were the third-most in school history, and his 32 completions were the fifth-most. Gautier's streak of 157 consecutive passes without throwing an interception ended when he got picked off late in the fourth quarter. --Time of possession loomed large in the loss. WKU had the ball for 35 minutes and 42 seconds, while the Cajuns had it for 23:08. On average this season the Cajuns had the ball only 21 fewer seconds than their opponents.

--For the 10th time in school history the Cajuns had a pair of 100-yard receivers in the same game. WR Harry Peoples (140 yards on 10 catches) and WR Javone Lawson (102 yards on eight receptions) both topped the 100-yard mark.

KEEP AN EYE ON:

The defense -- The 42 points and 507 yards were the most allowed by the Cajuns since giving up 61 points and 666 yards in a 61-34 loss at nationally ranked Oklahoma State on Sept. 3. The Cajuns had given up a combined 27 points and 634 yards in their previous two games, wins over Troy and North Texas.

LOOKING GOOD:

The Cajuns gained 540 yards behind a career-high 419 passing yards and two touchdowns by QB Blaine Gautier. WR Harry Peoples (10 catches-140 yards), WR Javone Lawson (8 catches-102 yards) and TE Ladarius Green (8 catches-59 yards-2 touchdowns) had big games. RB Aaron Spikes scored on a 79-yard run. S Lionel Stokes (12 tackles) and LB Jacob Molbert (10 tackles) had double-digit stops.

STILL NEEDS WORK:

Defense. The Cajuns gave up a season-high 234 rushing yards as RB Bobby Rainey ran for a career-best 206 yards and three TDs on 32 carries. Offensively, the Cajuns rushed for 121 yards -- with 79 of those yards coming on Aaron Spikes' TD run in the second quarter. The Cajuns allowed Gautier to get sacked three times -- they had zero sacks -- and had two turnovers.

QUOTE TO NOTE:

"I don't know if it was not about being sharp. I just think that we absolutely got whipped at the point of attack." -- Cajuns' coach Mark Hudspeth after his team's 42-23 loss to Western Kentucky.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL PLAYER NOTES:

TE Ladarius Green -- He caught two touchdown passes for the second consecutive week to give him five this season and 19 for his career. The senior was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award and an All-American last season and recently made the midseason watch list for the Mackey Award.

RB Alonzo Harris -- He was held to 19 rushing yards on nine attempts. It was his lowest production this season other than when the freshman did not play against Kent State in Week 2. Harris had rushed for a combined 324 yards and three scores on 75 carries in the previous five games.

RB Aaron Spikes -- Rushed for a team-high 77 yards on three carries at Western Kentucky, with the highlight being a 79-yard scoring run in the second quarter. The sophomore had rushed 26 times for 47 yards and zero touchdowns this season going into the game. Last season he led the team with 339 rushing yards.

ROSTER REPORT

--RB Qyen Griffin left early in the WKU game with a concussion. The future status for the freshman from Mississippi was not immediately known as of Sunday.

--K Hunter Stover and DS Matt Rosenbalm both left the WKU game with knee injuries and were expected to undergo MRIs on Sunday. Their status was unknown as of Sunday.