His clothes still soaked from a celebratory post-game shower, UL coach Rickey Bustle remained optimistic about his team's bowl chances Wednesday night after a 42-28 win over Middle Tennessee.

"I am going to stick with what I said earlier in the week," said Bustle, whose program last played in a bowl game in 1970. "I thought that the winner of this game would get to a bowl game.

"I hope that I am correct."

While the Cajuns (6-6 overall, 5-2 Sun Belt) are bowl eligible for the third time in four years, they're hoping to avoid the disappointment that came in 2005 and '06. UL was one of eight six-win teams passed over in '05 and one of nine in '06. There were seven six-win teams left out last season.

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Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • December 5, 2008