NEW ORLEANS — Following its Sun Belt leading eighth-straight bowl appearance, Louisiana will commence its 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, when it hosts Lamar at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+. 
 
The matchup will be just the second between the two teams since the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. The Ragin’ Cajuns lead the all-time series 22-12, including a 40-0 victory in the most recent meeting in 2012.  
 
Louisiana’s non-conference slate also includes trips to USC (Sept. 12) and Charlotte (Sept. 26), bookending a home date with UAB (Sept. 19). Alongside annual matchups with their West Division brethren, the Ragin’ Cajuns will host Coastal Carolina (Nov. 21) and visit Georgia State (Nov. 28) from the Sun Belt East Division. 
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns were picked to finish second in the Sun Belt West Division, while claiming 1-of-14 first-place votes in last month’s 2026 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll. 
 
Fifth-year head coach Michael Desormeaux will lead a roster that returns one All-Sun Belt pick from 2026 and had four players named to the 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt teams.  
 
Louisiana went 6-7 in 2025, closing the regular season on a four-game winning streak to get bowl eligible for the eighth-straight season. The Ragin’ Cajuns were part of the Sun Belt’s 10-team Bowl Season contingent that paced the non-autonomy conferences for the fourth-straight year and have advanced a bowl game in every season under Desormeaux. 
 
In 48 seasons of FBS football, the Ragin’ Cajuns are 266-296-3, including reaching a bowl game in 13 of the past 15 seasons. Louisiana has appeared in the Sun Belt Football Championship Game a conference-leading five times in the postseason event’s eight-year history. 

To listen to head coach Michael Desormeaux, redshirt senior offensive lineman George Jackson and redshirt junior quarterback Lunch Winfield’s remarks from the 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days, visit the Sun Belt Conference YouTube page. 



2026 SCHEDULE

9/5	Lamar
9/12	at USC
9/19	UAB
9/26	at Charlotte
10/3	Arkansas State*
10/10	at Louisiana Tech*
10/17	Troy*
10/24	at Southern Miss*
11/7	South Alabama*
11/12	at ULM*
11/21	Coastal Carolina*
11/28	at Georgia State*

 
* Sun Belt Conference Game 
 
2025 ALL-SUN BELT RETURNERS
Honorable Mention
DB – Brent Gordon Jr., Louisiana (So., DB – Cecilia, La.) 

2026 PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT SELECTIONS
First Team
WR – Shelton Sampson Jr., Louisiana (RS Jr., WR – Baton Rouge, La.) 
DB – Brent Gordon Jr., Louisiana (So., DB – Cecilia, La.) 

Second Team
OL – Kaden Moreau, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Pineville, La.) 
DL – Fitzgerald West Jr., Louisiana (RS Sr., DL – Lafayette, La.)