Week 11 Preview: Texas State at Louisiana - Sun Belt Syndicate November 5, 2025

With all the hype surrounding this season for Texas State, it has been one gut punch after another in conference play. For Louisiana, the Ragin’ Cajuns are one loss away from their third losing season in four years under head coach Michael Desormeaux.

At the beginning of the season, Sun Belt Syndicate listed both coaches as “Not Going Anywhere” based on their success in 2024. That is the funny thing about college football — a coach’s goodwill with their fan base can vanish after one bad season.

If the Bobcats want to notch a conference victory for the first time since Nov. 29, 2024, they will have to do something the program has never done before: defeat Louisiana.

If the Rajun’ Cajuns want to stay alive for a bowl bid, they will have to continue their dominance against Texas State at home, where they have won by an average of 23.3 points.

Louisiana

Last week, Louisiana (3-6, 2-3 SBC) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 31-22 road win over South Alabama. Quarterback Lunch Winfield etched his name in the record book, completing 14 for 15 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. His 93% completion rate broke the school record previously held by Chandler Fields, who went 18 for 20 (90%) against ULM in 2023.

Lunch to Shelton for 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗖𝗛𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔! 🗣️

📺https://t.co/IVFJ54UnB2
📻https://t.co/hvactbaZju
📊https://t.co/DvjGCaUuNC #cULture | #GeauxCajuns pic.twitter.com/z8EgNBohCQ

— Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns® Football (@RaginCajunsFB) November 1, 2025

Desormeaux said he has seen improvement across the board.

“We got guys that are making more plays,” Desormeaux said. “But, I think as a whole on offense…we’re playing a little bit better, [especially] in the throw game.”

One of those players, wide receiver Shelton Sampson, Jr., Winfield’s favorite target against the Jaguars (2-7, 1-4 SBC). The redshirt sophomore transfer from LSU had a career day, with six catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

Desormeaux praised his performance.

“He works a release, he wins, he stacks it, he does a really good job of keeping the man between him and the ball,” Desormeaux said.

Louisiana scored on their first five drives of the game.

Linebacker Jaden Duggar led the defense with 11 tackles and one interception — the fourth straight game in which the Cajuns’ defense recorded a pick.

Tyree Skipper added a sack, just the second of his career and his first since Sept. 17, 2022, against Rice.

Texas State

The Bobcats (5-3, 0-4 SBC) have had 11 days off since their last matchup, a 52-20 home loss to James Madison. It was just the third time Texas State has played a game on a Tuesday, and they fell to 0-3 in those games.

The Bobcats rallied in the second quarter but still trailed 28-20 at halftime.

Tuesday nights like these hit different in San Marcos🤌 pic.twitter.com/2Hp05ZbW81

— Texas State Football (@TXSTATEFOOTBALL) October 29, 2025

Head coach GJ Kinne said his team needed to play nearly perfect football against the Dukes (7-1, 5-0 SBC).

“Yeah, we probably didn’t play our best versus a really good team like that, you got to play your best,” Kinne said. “It [was] going to take a flawless game and obviously we started the way we did. [That] hurt us and then just kind of snowballed on us.”

The swagger Texas State showed during its nonconference slate has faded. To avoid the program’s first five-game losing streak since 2020 — and to finally defeat Louisiana for the first time in 13 meetings — the Bobcats will need to regain their confidence.

“We need to have confidence, that swagger,” Kinne said. “Your attention to detail, your effort when those adversity plays hit, be able to bounce back and know that you’re going to find a way to win.”

Historically, the Bobcats have bounced back well after playing on a Tuesday. In both 2014 and 2024, after losing to Louisiana on a Tuesday, Texas State won its next Saturday game.

Texas State at Louisiana

Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 8 at 5:00 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN+

Radio: Ragin’ Cajuns Radio Network (Louisiana), (also on Varsity Network app); KTSW 89.9 (Texas State)

For information on tickets, fans can click here. Fans can also contact the ticketing office via phone at 337-482-4685. Texas State fans can email the ticket office at gametickets@txstate.edu with any additional questions.