A lot has changed for UL-Monroe since Oct. 24.

With about three minutes left in a game at Troy, the Warhawks trailed 14-3. If something didn't happen quickly, it was going to be 15 consecutive losses for the program.

But something most definitely happened.

The Warhawks scored 18 points in the final 2:34 to beat Troy 21-14. Two weeks later, UL-Monroe won 19-17 at Arkansas State.

Suddenly, the Warhawks will host the UL Ragin' Cajuns at 8 p.m. Thursday (ESPN2) with a load of confidence.

"You've got to be a pro about getting your body back because it is a quick five-day turnaround," UL redshirt junior tight end Caden Jensen said. "Like the coaches have said, it's a great opportunity because we're blessed to have the opportunity to get two wins in five days. That's very big momentum-wise."

Of UL-Monroe's 14 straight losses before the breakthrough in Troy, the only two in single digits were a 30-27 overtime loss at UL in last year's finale and a 26-20 loss at UAB earlier this season.

While the Warhawks (2-7, 2-3 Sun Belt) are peaking, UL coach Michael Desormeaux is still waiting for his team's best effort.

"For us, I don't think we've played as good as we can play this year," he said. "Is that a bad thing? I don't know. I don't care. To me, it's a good thing right now because it's something to chase. And so for us, that's where our focus is."

The Cajuns (6-2, 3-2) hope they can build on Saturday's 28-26 home win over South Alabama. The good news about that win was the offensive line led the way to 312 yards rushing. The bad news is that means it was an extra physical game just five days before this road game in Monroe.

Jensen said he expects the Cajuns to play as physically as they did against South Alabama.

"Most definitely, you can still do it," he said. "Most definitely. That's been the expectation."

Redshirt senior defensive tackle Maurion Eleam agrees.

"I think when you sign up to play football, I think you are taking ownership in the physicality part," he said. "I kind of like it, actually. It kind of reminds me of old-school football."

Jensen said the UL-Monroe defensive front looks better on film than South Alabama, so 300 yards rushing might be tougher to attain.

"They're better players, in my opinion," Jensen said. "And so not that South has bad players at all, but these guys are physical and they play hard. They've got a chip on their shoulder most definitely, and it's against us."

UL also lost another running back for the season with Anthony Reagan out with a knee injury. That means the rushing attack will be carried by redshirt freshman JJ Garner, redshirt sophomore Steven Blanco and quarterback Lunch Winfield.

On Saturday, Winfield took on an extra burden with 19 carries for 97 yards against the Jaguars. So how realistic is it for the redshirt junior to pull off that kind of a performance again Thursday?

"If anybody can do it, it's him," Desormeaux said. "I know I'd put my money on him if I was a betting man."

The belief in Garner is becoming strong. The redshirt freshman has rushed for a touchdown in six straight games and added a 100-yard kickoff return in Saturday's win. Garner ran for 136 yards on just 10 carries, highlighted by a 65-yard touchdown run.

"That's the most fun part about coaching ... not the talent level, it's just like the kid has made so much progress in the last year — just in everything, in every aspect of everything that he's doing," Desormeaux said. "When he started really doing things the right way, his focus has changed and like all these things have changes, sometimes like that's the carrot that says, 'All right, man.' " 

UL-Monroe running quarterback Austin Carlisle is also coming off a big game with 111 yards on 19 carries in the win over Arkansas State, while quarterback Aiden Armenta was 11-of-15 passing for 90 yards.

"Coach (Bryant) Vincent has always run it so well and runs it so much and runs it with good design that you have to play the run first," Desormeaux said. "So in the throw game, it's hard to get pressure on them because you're always playing the run."

The Cajuns want to limit the big plays that plagued them again last week against South Alabama.

"We take pride in stopping the run and eliminating big plays," Eleam said. "Southern Miss, we kind of overlooked them and they came out ready to play and they ran it right down our throat. So fixing it over the bye week, then coming into this week, we tried our best, going back to our fundamentals on our gaps and tackling real well."

UL-Monroe limited Arkansas State to 315 yards and intercepted quarterback Trey Owens twice.

"They run a lot of line games," Desormeaux said of the Warhawks defense. "Their fits weren't as fast early in the year. Truthfully, the run stunts were not very tight. They weren't very clean. The ball was hitting where it's not supposed to hit. So now the safety is out of the fit and you got these gashes. Their run games look really good right now."