The 2021 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Ragin' Cajuns played their home games at Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana, and compete in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Billy Napier. The Cajuns began the season with an away matchup against Big 12's Texas and concluded their regular season at conference and in-state rival Louisiana–Monroe.
Napier was named the head coach of the Florida Gators on November 28. He announced that he would coach in the Sun Belt Championship Game on December 4 before departing. Napier led the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first outright Sun Belt championship win, defeating the Appalachian State Mountaineers, and left the Ragin’ Cajuns on a victorious note. On December 5, the same date as Napier's departure, Louisiana announced that then-offensive coordinator Michael Desormeaux would be promoted to head coach for the team's bowl game and the 2022 season. In his first game, Desormeaux defeated Marshall in the 2021 New Orleans Bowl.
Preseason
Recruiting class
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Source:
Award watch lists
Listed in the order that they were released
Preseason
Sources:
Sun Belt coaches poll
The Sun Belt coaches poll was released on July 20, 2021. The Cajuns were picked to finish first in the West Division and first in the conference.
Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams
Offense
1st team
O'Cyrus Torrence – Offensive lineman, SO
2nd team
Levi Lewis – Quarterback, SR
Max Mitchell – Offensive lineman, JR
Defense
1st team
Bralen Trahan – Defensive back, RS-JR
2nd team
Zi'Yon Hill – Defensive lineman, RS-JR
Lorenzo McCaskill – Linebacker, RS-JR
Eric Garror – Defensive back, JR
Special teams
1st team
Rhys Byrns – Punter, JR
Chris Smith – Return Specialist, RS-SO
Personnel
Schedule
The 2021 schedule consists of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Ragin' Cajuns will travel to Sun Belt foes Georgia Southern, South Alabama, Arkansas State, and Troy. The Cajuns will play host to Sun Belt foes Appalachian State, Texas State, Georgia State, and Louisiana–Monroe.
The Ragin' Cajuns will host two of the three non-conference opponents at Cajun Field, Nicholls, from NCAA Division I FCS and Ohio of the Mid-American Conference, and will travel to Texas of the Big 12 and Liberty, a FBS Independent.
Game summaries
At Texas
Nicholls
Ohio
At Georgia Southern
At South Alabama
Appalachian State
At Arkansas State
Texas State
Georgia State
At Troy
At Liberty
Louisiana–Monroe
Appalachian State (SBC Championship)
Vs. Marshall (New Orleans Bowl)