South Alabama defends two-point try to escape with 24-22 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) Gio Lopez had short touchdown runs in the first and second quarters, Kentrel Bullock added a 2-yarder, and South Alabama thwarted a two-point conversion attempt by Louisiana-Lafayette to escape with a 24-22 victory on Saturday night.

Lopez ran it in from 2 yards out to put South Alabama (5-5, 4-2 Sun Belt Conference) up 7-0 after one quarter. He added a 9-yard touchdown run just 6 seconds into the second quarter, Bullock followed with his score, and Laith Marjan kicked a 35-yard field goal on the final play to put the Jaguars up 24-3 at halftime.

Louisiana-Lafayette's fourth-quarter comeback started with Kenneth Almendares' third field goal of the game. Backup quarterback Chandler Fields followed with a 66-yard scoring strike to Dre'lyn Washington to get the Ragin' Cajuns within 24-16 with 8:28 left to play. Fields finished off a 12-play, 86-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 1:16 remaining but the two-point try failed.

Lopez completed 24 of 34 passes for 285 yards with one interception for South Alabama. Jamaal Pritchett finished with 11 receptions for 170 yards.

Fields totaled 185 yards on 14-for-17 passing for the Ragin' Cajuns (8-2, 5-1) who suffered their first conference loss and saw a six-game win streak end. Starter Ben Wooldridge completed 8 of 13 passes for 91 yards with one interception.

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