As one era of Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football came to an end, another one started off with an impressive overall performance.

Levi Lewis, playing in his final game in a Louisiana uniform, completed 19 of 31 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown while the No. 16-ranked Ragin' Cajuns scored three touchdowns in the final 8:20 to claim a 36-21 victory over future Sun Belt Conference member Marshall in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Saturday at the Caesars Superdome.

In the debut for head coach Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana (No. 16 Associated Press, No. 17 USA Today/AFCA Coaches Poll, No. 23 CFP) won its 13th consecutive game since a Sept. 4 loss at Texas. The 36-year-old Desormeaux joined his predecessor, Billy Napier (2018), and Sam Robertson (1980) as the only Louisiana coaches in the Division I era to win in his debut.

Emani Bailey scored on runs of 4 and 2 yards in the fourth quarter while New Orleans native Montrell Johnson added a 3-yard run as Louisiana (13-1) overcame a 21-16 deficit in its first-ever matchup against Marshall (7-6).

Louisiana scored on its first two possessions to take a 10-0 first-quarter lead as Lewis engineered a 13-play, 81-yard drive on the opening possession with a 9-yard scoring pass to Kyren Lacy before Nate Snyder booted a 42-yard field goal.

Marshall, making its New Orleans Bowl debut and the 21st different school to play in the event, used the legs of running back Rasheen Ali to take a 14-10 lead in the second quarter. Ali, who rushed for 160 yards on 20 carries, scored on a 63-yard run late in the first quarter before giving the Herd a 14-10 lead with his 14-yard TD run around the right side with 10:32 remaining in the half.

Louisiana got a 25-yard field goal from Snyder with 1:28 left in the half to cut Marshall's lead to 14-13 before Bralen Trahan's interception helped the Ragin' Cajuns take a 16-14 lead when Snyder kicked his third field goal of the game – a 24-yarder – at the first-half buzzer.

Ali scored his third TD of the game on a 9-yard run up the middle to cap a 13-play, 63-yard drive and give Marshall a 21-16 lead.

But after forcing Marshall to punt on its first drive of the fourth quarter, Louisiana took control of the game as it controlled the football for 10:11 in the final stanza.

Lewis connected with Michael Jefferson on a 48-yard strike on third-and-13 to the Marshall 12 before Bailey capped the 8-play drive with a 4-yard TD run with 8:20 remaining. The Ragin' Cajuns defense forced a three-and-out on Marshall's next possession and immediately drove 73 yards in six plays as Johnson scored on a 3-yard run to put Louisiana ahead, 29-21.

Lewis and Jefferson connected on a 54-yard pass to the Marshall 17 – the only pass thrown by Lewis on the drive.

Another three-and-out by the Thundering Herd led to a 6-play, 52-yard for Louisiana as Bailey scored his second TD of the night – a 2-yard run with 1:41 left.

Bailey led a trio of rushers who had 10 or more carries with 94 yards on 17 attempts. Lewis added 74 yards on 12 carries, including a 55-yard run that set up Snyder's second field goal of the game. Johnson added 54 yards on 19 carries as Louisiana recorded 498 yards of total offense including 220 on the ground.

Jefferson posted 108 yards on three receptions for Louisiana while Jacob Bernard, who had three receptions for 25 yards entering the game, caught a pair of passes for 59 yards highlighted by a career-long 42-yard grab late in the second quarter.