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FACTS & STATS: Site: Cajun Field (31,000) -- Lafayette, Louisiana. Television: Sun Belt Network. Home Record: North Texas 0-2, ULL 2-0. Away Record: North Texas 1-1, ULL 0-2. Neutral Record: North Texas 0-0, ULL 0-0. Conference Record: North Texas 0-1, ULL 0-0. Series Record: North Texas leads, 8-5.

GAME NOTES: The UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns will open Sun Belt Conference action this Saturday night when they host the North Texas Mean Green at Cajun Field.

The Mean Green opened the season with a 20-10 decision over Ball State, but since then the team has dropped its last three games, including a 37-21 setback to Middle Tennessee on September 26th. North Texas is 1-1 on the road this season, but over the three previous years, North Texas has posted an awful 2-19 mark as the visitor.

As for the Cajuns, they began the year with back-to-back wins over Southern (42-19) and Kansas State (17-15), but since then the team has been embarrassed by LSU and Nebraska by a combined score of 86-3. Both the Cajuns victories have come at home, where the team finished last year with a 4-1 mark.

The Mean Green lead the all-time series against ULL by an 8-5 margin, but the Cajuns have won three of the last four meetings, including a 59-30 decision over North Texas last season in Denton.

The Mean Green come into this weekend averaging a healthy 367.5 total ypg, but that has not translated into many points, at just 19.5 ppg. The ground game has done well for the most part this year, as the team is churning out 157.2 ypg on a solid 4.4 yards per attempt. Cam Montgomery is pacing the team with 244 yards and also has two touchdowns, while Lance Dunbar has contributed 198 yards and three scores on the year. Where the offense has struggled is through the air, as quarterback Riley Dodge has thrown for just 646 yards and two scores against four interceptions. Dodge had an inauspicious start the last time he was on the field, as the signal caller threw for 313 yards, but did not post a touchdown and tossed three interceptions in a loss to Middle Tennessee. Dodge did add 57 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground, but the true option out of the backfield in the loss was Dunbar, who churned out 101 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries.

On the defensive side of the football the Mean Green have been abused for 32.8 ppg on 380.0 total ypg. The team is giving up 210.2 ypg through the air, but the real problem for this unit has been its inability to stop the run, as teams are pounding North Texas for 169.8 ypg on 4.3 yards per attempt. The defense has also been unable to force many big plays on the year, as the Mean Green come into this contest with only six takeaways (two interceptions and four fumbles) and six sacks. In the recent loss to Middle Tennessee the defense had no answers for MT's ground game or passing attack, as the Mean Green surrendered 187 rushing yards, and another 269 yards through the air. North Texas was unable to force a turnover in the matchup and collected just one sack.

The Cajuns have struggled to produce points in the early stages of this season, as the team comes into this game averaging 15.5 ppg on just 328.5 total ypg. The ground game is churning out 130.2 ypg, and the main option out of the backfield has been Undrea Sails, who has 281 yards and two scores on 4.3 yards per attempt. Chris Masson has also been inconsistent under center for ULL, as the signal caller has thrown for just 729 yards and three scores against four interceptions. In the 55-0 loss to Nebraska, Masson had one of his worst starts on the year, throwing for just 102 yards on 13-of-22 passing. Masson finished with no touchdowns and was intercepted once. The ground game was also bottled up by the Cornhuskers, as the Cajuns finished with just 102 yards on a mere 2.8 yards per attempt. Sails paced the team, but tallied just 41 yards, while Yobes Walker chipped in with 37 yards.

On top of the poor offensive play, the ULL defense has also had trouble this season, surrendering 30.0 ppg, behind 380.0 total ypg. The team has been unable to stop the run or pass, as opponents are churning out 152.0 ypg on the ground and another 228.0 ypg through the air. The Cajuns have also been unable to make many big plays and come into this matchup with just six takeaways and only two sacks. The defense continued to struggle in the loss to Nebraska, as the Cornhuskers punished UL-Lafayette for 433 total yards. The main problem for the Cajuns in the contest was allowing 300 yards and two scores through the air. The team also had trouble creating big plays and that definitely played a role in the loss to Nebraska.

Neither team has played particularly well this year, but the Mean Green have been terrible on the road, and should continue to suffer away from home in this matchup.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: UL-Lafayette 31, North Texas 28