Staff Predictions: #21 Texas Longhorns vs. #23 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

[HornSports Staff]

The #21 Texas Longhorns open the season with a new quarterback and a new head coach as they host the #23 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns on Saturday.  

These two programs have met twice before with the Longhorns winning both contests by a combined score of 112-13.

Will Steve Sarksian notch his first win with the Longhorns by beating a ranked Louisiana team?

The HornSports Staff give their predictions on the outcome of Saturday's matchup at Darrel K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium.

Aaron Carrara

It's the first game of the season with new coaches and a new quarterback - there will be growing pains, especially on offense.  With that being said, I'm excited to watch the play of the defense as I think they have an opportunity to be special this season given the overall depth and experience in Pete Kwiatkowski's unit.  Louisiana is a formidable opponent but Texas has too much talent to allow an upset by the Ragin' Cajuns and should win this game despite the close proximity in rankings.  I like the defense to force a turnover or two and Bijan Robinson to rush for the century mark while Hudson Card and Casey Thompson dust off the cobwebs to lead this team in the post-Sam Ehlinger era.  Sark starts 1-0 in Austin and learns more about what this team is capable of and needs more work on in-game before a nasty trip to Fayetteville next week.

Score Prediction: Texas 34, Louisiana 17

Jameson McCausland

Texas is going to need to come out with a sense of urgency to start the Steve Sarkisian era. Louisiana returns pretty much everyone from a season ago when they went 10-1. The biggest concern for the Longhorns will be getting the new offense to click against a strong Ragin' Cajuns defense. I believe Sarkisian will be able to scheme up some stuff in the passing game while getting a strong performance from Bijan Robinson, which should be enough for a Texas victory.

Score Prediction: Texas 27, Louisiana 17

Tristan Larsen

Welcome to the Sarkisian era. While this is just Sarkisian’s first year in Texas, it’s still one that faces massive expectations. A potential sec move looming potentially in a year, an all new coaching staff, the start of Hudson Card, and the Bijan Robinson Heisman Hype train is All Gas, No Brakes. Texas opens this new season with a top-25 matchup against the upstart Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. After a 10-1 year during the pandemic, Louisiana is a household name now they’re ready to stay there as they return 90% of the roster that led to success already. Unfortunately, that huge win that the program needs will have to wait a little longer as Texas will open up with a win in a game that should hit the over easily.  Card and Robinson do their thing as the defense shows one of their more inspiring efforts in recent memory.

Score Prediction: Texas 38, Louisiana 27

Devon Messinger

At last, it is here. On Saturday, Billy Napier's Ragin' Cajuns will travel to Austin to try to do something that Texas fans are all too familiar with - an opening day upset. Napier's squad is incredibly experienced, returning 20 starters from last season, and will look to use this to their advantage at DKR.

The two keys for the Longhorns in Saturday's game will be Bijan Robinson and their defensive front. With inexperience at quarterback, Robinson will have to take pressure off of Hudson Card and begin this season with a bang. On the other side of the ball, Texas's defensive line will have to plug up Louisiana's running lanes and force quarterback Levi Lewis to beat the Longhorns with his arm.

Score Prediction: Texas 34, Louisiana 24

TFloss32

Week 1 predictions can be about as worthless as Tom Herman’s infamous binder, but I’m a fan of the good guys in this one. It’s understandable if any Texas fans are uncomfortable knowing what the Ragin’ Cajuns did to Iowa State this time last year, but all should be well sans any major special team gaffes and the multiple turnovers which occurred in Ames. It shouldn’t surprise if a brand new offense and a QB with zero starts struggles at times, but I expect Bijan to be Bijan and the best player on the field while Kwiatkowski’s defensive unit does everything it can to make an inefficient passer in Levi Lewis uncomfortable. Louisiana-Lafayette doesn’t go easy due to being one of the most experienced teams in the country, but Sark covers the spread and notches his first victory in Austin.

Score Prediction: Texas 34, Louisiana 20

Mitch Lovell

Louisiana is a good, sound football team but without starting LT Carlos Rubio, life could be difficult in front of a packed crowd at DKR. Louisiana has had struggles stopping the run in the past and that’s not a good recipe to stop the Bijan Robinson-led offense. Texas finally has the blue-blood coaching staff they have wanted and that will be the difference on Saturday.

Score Prediction: Texas 35, Louisiana 21

[Sirhornsalot]

Its funny that both teams may have the same game plan here. Stop the run, make the QB beat you.

LA's QB is nothing special. Average arm at best. Does run well with the ball. He is a veteran though.

[oldhorn2]

4 hours ago, Sirhornsalot said:

Average arm at best. Does run well with the ball

I kinda hope that with Coburn, Sweat, Collins, etc in the backfield all night he has a chance to put that to good use....

[Austin Horn]

It’s product launch day today. I’m officially judging the staff today.