The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

[Oldman]

i would hope that fans/people who come to the football game, came to see the Cajuns! but maybe not, i'm sorry you guys, how foolish of me to think that, i know most come to see the B I G name school " a la," BCS; for me i'm going to see the cajuns, i don't care who they play i support the cajuns, i let the coaches handle that, they know what they are doing and i trust they will do what's best for this football team, what we need now more than ever is a competative schedule (which it is), get back to winning on a regular bases, and get to the bowl game.
my suggestion to you (if you are a cajun fan)is, don't be too concern with the schedule, we are having 5 home games, i happy. come on guys, get on board lets have some fun and cheer on "THE CAJUNS."

[USLJim]

Our Schedule is like it is because other conference schools have a schedule already made out and the conference schools have to take what is offered. Example. Why are we not playing Utah, Think about that one. Why didn't we play Arkansas State last year. Because this conference has no balls when it comes to enforcing rules.

[RaginFan2]

You're probably right,Hound, but UNT did play Oklahoma this past season. I think they also played a couple of other "name" schools, but I can't remember.

[Turbine]

Hey cajunreality what is your opinion of next years schedule?

Game Date	Location	Opponent
S 04	The Swamp	Northwestern State
S 11	Ruston, LA	Louisiana Tech**
S 18	Manhattan KS	Kansas State
S 25	The Swamp	Middle Tennessee*
O 02	Miami FL	Florida International*
O 09	LasCruces NM	New Mexico State*
O 16	Moscow, ID	Idaho
O 23	The Swamp	Arkansas State*
O 30
N 06	The Swamp	North Texas*
N 13	The Swamp	Troy State*
N 20	Monroe, LA	Louisiana at Monroe*
		New Orleans Bowl

[cajunreality]

OK Turbine, here is my honest take on the 2004 season:

Sept. 4 vs. Northwestern = W
**a MUST & BETTER win type of game.**
Sept. 11 vs. LA Tech = L
**the LA Tech jinx continues.**
Sept. 18 vs. K. State = L
**waaaay to much of a mis-match!!**
Sept. 25 vs. Middle Tenn. = W
**should be a shootout with cajuns on top.**

Oct. 2 vs Fla. Int. = ?W?
**this one may catch the cajuns sleeping.**
Oct. 9 vs. New Mexico St. = W
**win hands down.**
Oct. 16 vs. Idaho = W
**see notes from NMS.**
Oct. 23 vs. Ark. State = W
**see notes from NMS & Idaho.**
Oct. 30 vs. Open datel = L
**just kdding! I know this isn't a Saints team!!**

Nov. 6 vs. North Texas = L
**cannot put my hand on it. Something just gives me bad vibes about this game.**
Nov. 13 vs. Troy State = L
**see above notes for North Texas.**
Nov. 20 vs. UL-Monroe = ?W?
**cajuns may be in a lull from previous two games. better watch out.**

I am predicting a 7-4 season, with the potential to be 5-6. However, I can foresee drastic improvement from the 2003 season. I will go out on a limb here and say that it will come down to the wire between the cajuns and "someone else" to determine the New Orleans bowl. Who that someone else is, I do not know. Just my opinion only!

On the 2004 schedule, only two teams had a winning record (K. State & North Texas). All of the 2004 teams combined have a less than .500 record that the cajuns need to and better take advantage of to start heading in the right direction!! If the cajuns do end up with ANOTHER loosing season, I do not foresee things getting better anytime soon, AND I cannot foresee the administration really doing something about it (i.e. coaching change). I think the administration will then say "to hell with it" and just settle for the good ol' 6-5 & 5-6 seasons they were having a few years back. AGAIN,........this is just my opinion! What's your take?

[El Sidonio]

Well, I'm a rabid Cajuns fan, and I love football, but i don't know a whole lot about football in depth, so my predictions are based off of the little I do know, and my gut feelings.

Sept. 4th - Northwestern St. - Win
Sept. 11th - La. Tech - Win (we catch them sleeping)
Sept. 18th - Kansas State - Loss, but somewhat close
Sept. 25th - Middle Tennessee - Win
Oct. 2nd - FIU - Win
Oct. 9th - NMSU - Win
Oct. 16th - Idaho - Win
Oct. 23rd - Ark. St. - Win
Nov. 6th - UNT - Win, but a close one
Nov. 13th - Troy State (aren't they I-AA) - Win, but don't know by how much since I don't know who the heck they are and how good they are
Nov. 20th - ULM - Win

I am an eternal optimist, full of hope for the future, and have predicted a 10-1 season. If we do not have a better record than this past season, even if it's only by 1 win, you can say "good-bye big money, hello Div. IAA".

--God Bless--

[El Sidonio]

p.s.- Turbine,what's your prediction?

[CajunFanatic91]

NWST-Never a ball game (W)
LaTech- Cajuns shut down the passing game leaving Tech without an O. (W)
KState-Best time to play 'em if K-State won big the previous week it'll be a ball game for a while, if they didn't blow out (L)
Mid Tenn- Same result as last year without the drama (W)
FIU- 2-10last year in 1-AA this is not a game (W)
NMSU (W)
Idaho (W)
Ark St (W) We are just simply better then these three teams
UNT- not a close game N. Texas comes in overconfident and get's walloped (W)
TSU- Caujuns lose a heart breaker head to New Orleans Bowl regardlessas TSu will have lost to USU and UNT USU will lose to most SBC opponents (L)

[CajunRebel]

My predictions for 2004:
Record: 7-4
Attendance: 17,500


-Northwestern St. - WIN
If we lose this one, I'll CRY!! Seriously.

-La. Tech - LOSE
Sorry guys, I don't think we are quite there yet.

-Kansas State - LOSE
We win only if the "rapture" happens and our good Cajun catholic boys are the only ones left on earth to field a football team.

-Middle Tennessee - WIN
Last year we were equals, this year our Bustle recruiting class shows up to play.

-FIU - WIN
Welcome to D1 panthers.

-NMSU - WIN
We'll WAC em real good!!

-Idaho - WIN
Mashed potaoes in the Kibbie Dome.

-Ark. St. - WIN
Not the first time we will whoop an Indian this season.

-UNT - LOSE
UNT is still leaps and bounds over rest of the Sun Belt. But we'll give them a good fight.

-Troy State - LOSE
This is a good team. Well, good by Sun Belt standards. This is the first school in a long time that has been added to the Sun Belt that will actually help and not hurt our confrence.

-ULM - WIN
No more losing to a 1-11 team!


A winning record is crucial this year!!!!
This is the year that things have to start turning around, and if they don't I see little hope for us in D1. Its DO OR DIE guys.

[RaginFan2]

I think 7-4 is very reasonable, based on the improvements in the team and the schedule. We could do better or a little worse, depending on how things fall. At this point, this is how I see it:

Northwestern St. - W
Despite being a 1-AA team, they always have some talent and play us tough. This will not be as easy as many seem to think. However, I do think we will prevail.

LA Tech - W???
While I think Tech is a more talented team than we are, their team seems to be in a bit of disarray at this point. We might be able to sneak by them and break their string against us this year.

K State - L
It will be interesting to see if we are able to match up with the Wildcats like we have against some of the BCS teams in the past couple of years (USC, Texas A&M, etc.) or if we get plastered like many expect (LSU unfortunately comes to mind). I think it will be more like the A&M game 2 years ago where we played a pretty good game physically but made too many mistakes to be able to completely hang with them on the scoreboard.

MT - W
A tough, hard-fought game where the Cajuns come back at the end.

FIU - W
I don't think FIU will be improved enough to make the game close at the end.

NMSU - W
Another tough victory for the Cajuns. Hopefully, it won't come down to the last minute again.

Idaho - W
I think the Cajuns a just a bit stronger of a team than the Vandals. Cajuns win by double digits.

Ark. State - L?
The Indians have been improving and this looks to be another difficult game.

UNT - L???
This could be the game of the year for the Cajuns. If they can put everything together for this game and eliminate the turnovers, they have a chance to spring the upset here. I look for an overtime thriller, with the good guys coming up just a bit short.

Troy State - L
This team is from Alabama. Enough said. The Cajuns usually seem to struggle against teams that state.

ULM - W
Revenge is sweet up in Funroe! It is time to get THAT monkey off our backs.


The 2004 Ragin' Cajuns will be a winner!

[bigearl]

S 04 The Swamp Northwestern State W 21-10
S 11 Ruston, LA Louisiana Tech** W 24-21
S 18 Manhattan KS Kansas State L 35-20
S 25 The Swamp Middle Tennessee* W 21-20
O 02 Miami FL Florida International* W 28-3
O 09 LasCruces NM New Mexico State* W 21-13
O 16 Moscow, ID Idaho W 17-13
O 23 The Swamp Arkansas State* W 24-10
O 30
N 06 The Swamp North Texas* W 31-27
N 13 The Swamp Troy State* W 20-10
N 20 Monroe, LA Louisiana at Monroe* W 31-7
New Orleans Bowl

[RaginRash]

Originally posted by bigearl
S 04 The Swamp Northwestern State W 21-10
S 11 Ruston, LA Louisiana Tech** W 24-21
S 18 Manhattan KS Kansas State L 35-20
S 25 The Swamp Middle Tennessee* W 21-20
O 02 Miami FL Florida International* W 28-3
O 09 LasCruces NM New Mexico State* W 21-13
O 16 Moscow, ID Idaho W 17-13
O 23 The Swamp Arkansas State* W 24-10
O 30
N 06 The Swamp North Texas* W 31-27
N 13 The Swamp Troy State* W 20-10
N 20 Monroe, LA Louisiana at Monroe* W 31-7
New Orleans Bowl

I'm with EARL!