The pressure is on for Louisiana football as it enters Week 8 of the 2024 college football season and the meat of their Sun Belt Conference schedule.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (5-1, 2-0 SBC) are fresh off of their third win in a row, taking down Appalachian State 34-24. Now they are back on the road taking on a somewhat familiar foe in Coastal Carolina (4-2, 1-1 SBC) for the Chanticleers’ homecoming game.

“We got invited to their homecoming game, so that's nice, and I think our team does need a little bit of a chip on our shoulder,” UL football head coach Michael Desormeaux said. “I told them that’s something where they pick you because they don’t think you’re very good. That says everything you need to know about it.”

With a chip on their shoulders, and SBC Championship hopes on the line, the Cajuns are looking to maintain their winning ways in Conway, South Carolina.

Fixing the fixable

While UL’s defense stole the show last week, forcing five takeaways on four interceptions and a fumble, the Cajuns' offense could improve. Against the Mountaineers, the ground game was limited to only 175 yards as a team, and the two rushing touchdowns weren’t scored by a running back.

Fifth-year quarterback Ben Wooldridge scored one and fifth-year offensive lineman Landon Burton scored the second on a fumble recovery in the endzone. Wooldridge is currently leading the team in rushing touchdowns so far this season (4) while redshirt freshman Bill Davis follows with three.

“When you're talking about in the run game, tight end to center, and everything in between, from side to side, it's all the same techniques,” Desormeaux said. “It's hat placement, it's hand placement, it's pad level, it's your shoulder square, it's your footwork. It's all the same thing. So it's very fixable, but some of this crap still isn't fixed.”

Getting more out of the run game will be crucial against Coastal Carolina, which has allowed its opponents to rush for 1,200 yards this year. The biggest defender for the Cajuns to watch out for is fifth-year senior linebacker Shane Bruce, who leads the Chanticleers’ defense with 43 total tackles.

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Journey to a conference championship

After ending last year with a 6-7 overall record, UL football is looking to change the narrative that they are a 6-7 team. Week 8’s matchup will be a stepping stone to prove that they aren’t.

“We're not going six and seven, no more, like that's not us,” UL football’s redshirt sophomore tight end Terrance Carter said after Week 7’s win over App State. “It never was. So we got to keep playing the way we're playing now, to not let that happen.”

A win over Coastal Carolina would put the Cajuns one step closer to their goal of returning to the SBC Championship. The last time they competed for the title was in 2021 when they beat App State 24-16. Since then, they have been itching to get back to that spot and with this solid start to the season, they are on the right track.

“Our guys have worked really hard to be in this position where there is a little bit of pressure to it,” Desormeaux said. “If you had, two or three losses already right now, probably wouldn't matter a whole lot just go have some fun and try to win. But, I mean, you're in a position where you got a chance to do something special.”

The Cajuns will have to maintain under pressure and lockdown Coastal Carolina’s multi-run attack led by big-body running backs Christian Washington and Brayden Bennett. The duo has rushed for a combined 510 yards and nine touchdowns.

Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: UL football's travels to Coastal Carolina for Week 8 matchup