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FACTS & STATS: Site: Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium (22,113) -- Bowling Green, Kentucky. Television: Local. Home Record: ULL 3-0, WKU 0-3. Away Record: ULL 0-2, WKU 0-2. Neutral Record: ULL 0-0, WKU 0-0. Conference Record: ULL 1-0, WKU 0-1. Series Record: UL-Lafayette leads, 2-0.

GAME NOTES: The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will try yet again to earn their first win of the 2009 season, as they play host to the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns in a Sun Belt Conference showdown on Saturday night.

The Cajuns should enter this clash with some momentum following a thrilling 38-34 victory over North Texas a week ago that snapped a two-game slide. ULL currently sits at 3-2 overall and 1-0 in SBC play, with all three victories coming at home. Both losses have come at the hands of ranked teams -- No. 9 LSU and No. 25 Nebraska.

As for Western Kentucky, it's been a tough first month and change as the Hilltoppers have yet to taste victory. The club's most recent setback, a 37-20 final against Florida International in its Sun Belt opener, dropped WKU to 0-5 overall. The Hilltoppers have now gone without a win in their last 13 games, a span that dates back to September 27, 2008.

This matchup marks the first meeting between these two teams since 1998, when the Cajuns prevailed in a 38-24 final. As a result, ULL leads the series, 2-0.

The Hilltoppers tallied just 381 yards of total offense in last week's 17- point loss to FIU, including a mere 118 yards through the air. The Hilltoppers were flat out stalled when it came to moving the ball offensively, as the squad achieved just 20 first downs and converted a lackluster 4-of-13 chances on third down in the contest. Bobby Rainey led WKU with 99 yards and a score on just nine rushing attempts in the losing effort, while Marell Booker added 62 yards on eight totes. Kawaun Jakes had a rough outing under center for the Hilltoppers, completing 16-of-26 passes for 118 yards and an interception. Jakes went without a touchdown pass in the game, but did find success on the ground, however, scoring twice to go with a 45-yard rushing effort. The WKU offense averages just 293.8 ypg, a tally that has left the club with a mere 13.8 ppg. Jakes has thrown for just 474 yards and two touchdowns through five games, and has completed 48-of-71 attempts with four interceptions. WKU has found moderate success on the ground, however, as three players have amassed triple-digit totals in yardage at this point, beginning with Rainey and his 311 yards. Brandon Smith has rumbled his way to 162 yards, while Jakes checks in with 107 yards. Jack Doyle leads all Hilltopper receivers with 20 catches for 178 yards.

Defensively, WKU hasn't fared much better, allowing a whopping 40.2 ppg to go with 496.8 ypg. The team has allowed foes to convert 33-of-60 on third down, as well as a miserable 23-of-26 in the red zone, 20 of which have been good for touchdowns. Thomas Majors leads the Western Kentucky defense with 49 tackles, but the squad has just two sacks on the season and eight turnovers. The Hilltoppers allowed FIU to score on four straight possessions to open the second half a week ago, accounting for 20 unanswered points. WKU allowed 486 yards of total offense to the Golden Panthers, 206 of which came via the run, in addition to the surrender of 5-of-6 red-zone scoring opportunities.

Trailing 34-24 entering the fourth quarter a week ago against North Texas, the Cajuns got a pair of touchdowns in the final period, including a two-yard strike from Chris Masson to Marlin Miller with just 27 seconds to go that accounted for the game's final score. Masson finished the contest with just 122 yards through the air to go with the decisive toss, but he also added 31 yards and a score on the ground as well. Undrea Sails ran for 93 yards on 18 carries in the win for ULL, which managed just 295 yards of total offense. Masson has completed 80-of-47 passes for 851 yards and four touchdowns so far this season, and four different receivers have double-digit catches through the first five games, beginning with Ladarius Green's 16 grabs for 210 yards. Luke Aubrey has caught 15 balls to go with a pair of touchdowns, while Miller checks in with 14 receptions. Sails has handled the majority of the load in the running game, logging 84 carries for 374 and two touchdowns for an average of 74.8 ypg, while Masson chips in with 102 yards and a pair of scores.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Ragin' Cajuns are led by Antwyn Zanders, who has 47 tackles on the year, four of which were good for a loss. Collectively, the ULL defense has picked off eight passes and forced five fumbles through the first five games. However, there is plenty of room for improvement, as the opposition averages better than 30 ppg against the club, thanks to 392.8 ypg. Opponents have also converted a healthy 48 percent on third down chances, and have put the ball into the end zone on 13-of-17 trips to the red zone. The Cajuns took some steps in the right direction a week ago against North Texas, as they picked off three passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown, to go with a sack and a forced fumble. The Cajuns also did not allow a passing score in the contest, but did allow the Mean Green to produce 444 total yards and score on all four trips inside the 20.

Expect ULL to pull out an impressive road win here against a inferior WKU club. The Hilltoppers just can't seem to get it together on either side of the ball.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: UL-Lafayette 42, Western Kentucky 24