By Matthew Golden
SouthernPigskin.com

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Louisiana made history Saturday afternoon after gaining their first ever road win against a ranked opponent

1) Louisiana made history Saturday afternoon after gaining their first ever road win against a ranked opponent. The Ragin Cajuns were considered double digit underdogs heading into their matchup against Iowa State, but when it was all said and done, they looked like the more talented team. While things were tight at 14-10 heading into halftime, the second half was completely controlled by Louisiana as they outscored Iowa State 21-0 to secure themselves a historic win.

2) The Ragin Cajun’s special teams performance was just that, special. After a scoreless first quarter, Iowa State would take a 7-0 lead that would hold up for exactly fourteen seconds. Tailback Chris Smith would return the following kickoff 95 yards for a score, knotting the game at 7 apiece. The Ragin Cajuns would also add a 30-yard field goal with time expiring in the first half. But thats not it. The play of the game , and pretty much the nail in the coffin, came early in the fourth quarter as the Louisiana special teams unit would strike again with an 83 yard punt return for a touchdown at the hands of Eric Garror.

3) Louisiana quarterback Levi Lewis would finish with 13 completions on 21 attempts, good for 154 yards on the day. While these numbers do not jump off the page, he did exactly what he needed to do in a week one contest against a favored opponent. The brightest moment of the day for the signal caller would come after a one play, 78-yard scoring drive, in which Lewis connected with receiver Peter LeBlanc to take a 17-14 lead late in the third quarter.

4) On a rather surprising note, no Louisiana running back would rush for more than 50 yards on the day. Even more surprising, no running back would rush for over 50 yards and the Ragin Cajuns still walked away with a 17-point victory. Trey Ragas led the way in terms of carries, totaling 14 with 49 yards on the ground. Elijah Mitchell and Chris Smith would both receive eight carries apiece, Mitchell gaining 46 yards while Smith would tack on 25. This can easily be considered a top 10 back field in the nation, so Id expect the production on the ground to increase in the following weeks.

5) Louisiana picked up its first win over a ranked opponent since they beat Texas A&M in 1996 and it is the programs first win over a Power 5 opponent since its victory over Kansas State in 2009. While I am sure there will be a fair share of celebration in Lafayette, itll be imperative for the Ragin Cajuns to put the historic performance behind them as they head into Sun Belt conference play next week with Georgia State awaiting them.