Ragin’ Cajuns top Blue Raiders

Antwain Spann’s interception on the goal line preserved Louisiana-Lafayette’s 24-17 victory over Middle Tennessee State in the Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams Saturday night in Lafayette, La.

Jerry Babb completed 16 of 26 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns for the Ragin’ Cajuns (2-2).

Babb’s first touchdown pass to B.J. Crist from 10 yards out tied the score at 14 with 25 seconds left in the first half and the Cajuns never trailed again.

They took the lead midway through the third quarter, when Babb found Xavier Campbell with a 7-yard pass.

Sean Comisky added a 38-yard field goal for Louisiana-Lafayette before Middle Tennessee (1-2) pulled within a touchdown with 10:55 to go on a 37-yard field goal by Colby Smith.

The Blue Raiders were threatening in the final minute until Spann intercepted Clint Marks with less than 30 seconds to go.

It was the only interception for Marks, who completed 35 of 46 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown.

Elsewhere

Syvelle Newton had a 6-yard touchdown run and the South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1) held off an upset bid by the Troy Trojans (2-2) with a 17-7 victory in Columbia, S.C. … Dane King threw two touchdown passes in a 42-second span of the fourth quarter to secure Baylor’s 37-14 victory over North Texas in Waco, Texas. The Bears (2-1) avenged a 52-14 loss to the Mean Green (0-4) last year. … D.D. Cox ran for three TDs and 110 yards, and the New Mexico Lobos (2-2) shut down the New Mexico State Aggies (1-3) in Las Cruces, N.M. … Nick Noce threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third to help the Arkansas State Indians (1-3, 1-0) to a 28-21 win over the Louisiana-Monroe Indians (0-3, 0-1) in a conference opener in Monroe, La. … Tony Pennyman and QB Travis Cox hooked up on a 79-yard TD pass as the Utah State Aggies (2-2) scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to beat the UNLV Rebels (0-4) in Las Vegas.