Coastal Carolina tops Louisiana-Lafayette 30-28

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Coastal's trick play lifts Chanticleers over Ragin' Cajuns

Andre Nunez on a reverse pass connects with Keenan Barnes for a 15-yard touchdown to give Coastal Carolina a 30-28 win over Louisiana-Lafayette.


LAFAYETTE, La. -- Marcus Outlow ran for 96 yards and two scores and Coastal Carolina held off Louisiana-Lafayette 30-28 on Saturday night in a Sun Belt Conference opener.

Bryce Carpenter, 5 of 5 for 82 yards, hit Isiah Likely on a 29-yard TD pass for a 30-21 Coastal Carolina lead, but the Ragin' Cajuns scored on their next drive, a 15-yard TD pass from Andre Nunez to Keenan Barnes with 5:20 left to play.

Facing third-and-10 on his own 25, Carpenter hit Jeremiah Miller for a key first down and Coastal Carolina ran out the clock for the win.

Outlow scored a go-ahead TD on a 2-yard run and the Chanticleers (3-1) led 16-7 at halftime after Kilton Anderson's 31-yard TD pass to Ky'Jon Tyler.

Outlow's 1-yard TD run put the Chanticleers up 23-7 in the third quarter, but the Ragin' Cajuns (1-2) closed to 23-21 on Elijah Mitchell's 30-yard TD run and Raymond Calais' 61-yarder.

Anderson was 7 of 11 for 104 yards passing and Outlow gained 96 yards on 20 carries.

Trey Ragas (103 yards on 15 carries) scored on a 3-yard run for Louisiana-Lafayette. Nunez was 7 of 14 for 133 yards passing.