The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns have added the Lamar Cardinals to their 2026 football schedule, according to Louisiana’s official athletics website.
Louisiana will host Lamar at Cajun Field in Lafayette, La., on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. The game, which will be the season-opener for both schools, will mark the 34th overall meeting between the two teams on the gridiron.
Louisiana and Lamar first played in 1923 in Beaumont, Texas. The Ragin’ Cajuns have won three consecutive games against the Cardinals, including a 40-0 victory in their most recent meeting in 2012, and currently lead the overall series 21-12.
Lamar is a member of the Southland Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Cardinals are 6-5 overall and 3-3 in Southland play this season.
With the addition of Lamar, Louisiana now has three of its four non-conference opponents set for the 2026 season. Other opponents for the Ragin’ Cajuns include the UAB Blazers on Sept. 19 at home and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Sept. 26 on the road.
Lamar also has three opponents set for the 2026 season, which should be it if the Southland Conference returns to playing an eight-game league schedule. The other opponents on the slate for the Cardinals are the Idaho Vandals on Sept. 12 and the Sacramento State Hornets on Sept. 19, both on the road.
Football Schedules