The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

[CAJUNJUDO]

You missed one hell of a game!!

We SHOULD have pulled it off!!

[El Sidonio]

I'll tell you what happened at the end. Part of it was maybe our O-line not getting back to the line of scrimmage fast enough. I THINK, most of it was the slow, fat-a*s*s ref who didn't set that ball down quick enough for us to get off another play. I felt robbed in that sense, but overall I was VERY impressed with how our boys played. They showed some strength and resolve and comeback that I haven't ever seen. I'm very impressed. Now, I'm not making predictions, and I hope this doesn't sound ridiculous, but Kansas State better watch out! I mean seriously though, weirder things have happened, like FAU beating UNT!
--God Bless--

[CajunRebel]

I don't know how anyone can be fustrated with that game tonight.

Keep in mind...
2003: LaTech 34 Louisiana 3
2004: LaTech 24 Louisiana 20

This Bulldog team has gotten alot better since last year, so it's even more impressive that we can make it that close after last year's whoopin.

[CajunCharlie]

When you play away you can expect some homecooking. That is what happened when precious seconds were allowed to run off the clock, and the official not having them put back on. Except for Moats Tech is no better than the Cajuns. He is one fine running back. We gave him some pretty good shots, and you could tell he was hurting and tired, but he always came back and gave it 100% plus. I am bushed and off to bed. Even though I was on the Alumni sponsored bus that ride back from Ruston is an ~~~ whipper.

[CajunCharlie]

Plus, getting to Ruston is a chore!

[NewsCopy]

Upset bid against old rival runs out of time

RUSTON — It was a night of missed chances, and the end result was the first loss of 2004 for UL Lafayette.

Louisiana Tech prevailed 24-20, rallying after the Cajuns had fought back from a 17-0 first half deficit to take a 20-17 lead late in the third period.

But the Bulldogs wasted three potential scoring drives before grabbing that 17-0 margin, serving up a pair of fumbles and an interception deep in UL territory.

“When you have three turnovers in the red zone in the first quarter, that’s a nightmare,” said Tech coach Jack Bicknell, whose team improved to 2-0.

“You almost figure that it is just not your day.”

Tech’s first-half possessions began on its 38, UL’s 41, Tech’s 41, the Cajuns’ 38, Tech’s 19 and UL’s 47 and 41 before the Bulldogs took a knee to end the half.

UL’s offense, meanwhile, was backed up most of the time.

The rest of the story
Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

Cajuns scare Tech

RUSTON — A few yards, a couple of seconds.

That’s all that separated Louisiana and Louisiana Tech here on Saturday, as the Bulldogs held off the Ragin’ Cajuns 24-20 before 22,467 fans and a regional TV audience.

The game was in marked contrast to the last five games between the two — all of them runaways by Tech — but the end result was still a gut-wrenching defeat for the visitors.

Sophomore quarterback Jerry Babb had the Cajuns on the Tech 8-yard line as time expired, needing perhaps one or two more snaps to complete a remarkable comeback.

“I just knew they were going to get it into the end zone,” said Cajun safety Antwain Spann, whose 57-yard return of a blocked Tech field goal set up a UL field goal for a 20-17 lead in the third period.

“It was tough,” Babb said. “Our receivers were doing a good job of getting out of bounds and stopping the clock. We ended up about 8 yards short. Give credit to their defense, though. They bowed up at the end.”

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

Cajuns-Bulldogs statistics

La. Tech 24, UL Lafayette 20

UL Lafayette 0 7 13 0 — 20

Louisiana Tech 0 17 0 7 — 24

Second Quarter

LTU—FG Oestriecher 30, 9:30.

LTU— Franklin 19 pass from Allen (Oestriecher kick), 6:44.

LTU—Moats 13 run (Oestriecher kick), 3:03.

ULL—Babb 1 run (Comiskey kick), :39.

Third Quarter

ULL—FG Comiskey 41, 11:02.

ULL—Sampy 59 pass from Babb (Comiskey kick), 7:07.

ULL—FG Comiskey 33, 1:21.

Fourth Quarter

LTU—Allen 3 run (Oestriecher kick), 10:49.

A—22,467.

UL LTU

First downs 22 27

Rushes-yards 27-83 43-304

Passing 327 193

Comp-Att-Int 32-55-2 17-28-1

Return Yards 6 20

Punts-Avg. 6-31 4-26

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-2

Penalties-Yards 6-51 10-95

Time of Possession 27:31 32:29

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Louisiana-Lafayette, Johnson 7-33, Levier 6-21, Babb 10-18, Lindon 3-10, Cones 1-1. Louisiana Tech, Moats 34-257, Allen 6-39, Wilson 2-9, Team 1-(minus 1).

PASSING—Louisiana-Lafayette, Babb 32-54-2-327, Team 0-1-0-0. Louisiana Tech, Allen 17-28-1-193.

RECEIVING—Louisiana-Lafayette, Sampy 8-107, Lindon 6-52, Crist 5-50, Lewis 3-53, Campbell 3-13, Smothers 2-17, Johnson 2-15, Cones 2-14, Carter 1-6. Louisiana Tech, Cosby 5-53, Newman 3-50, King 3-31, Franklin 2-24, Wilson 1-16, Moats 1-13, Hawthorne 1-4, Chambers 1-2.

How they scored

The rest of the story

[Cajun1997]

Originally posted by cajuncharlie
Plus, getting to Ruston is a chore!

cajuncharlie and cajunjudo, LaTech belongs in the Big East (with Memphis), just ask them

[Cajun Express]

Originally posted by SwampHound
I went over to BB&B to see what they were saying about the game. Their post just reminded me why I despise them. Did you know we just lost by 4 to a potiential future Big East member?

After an extended stay in Ruston many people become phycotic. It is kind of the Cabin Fever syndrome. Let's be honest here, the Big East would NEVER take ANYONE from Louisiana for a future member. FAU has a better chance than Tech. Still as long as they are not in touch with reality, that can only be good for us.

[NewsCopy]

RUSTON - On a night when the Louisiana Tech offense failed to potentially put the contest away in the first half, it was the Bulldog defense that made the play that won the game.

With UL-Lafayette driving deep in Tech territory in the final minute of play, junior linebacker Barry Robertson tackled wide receiver Dwight Linden on the Bulldog seven yard line as time ran out on the timeout-less Ragin' Cajuns, giving Tech a 24-20 win before 22,467 fans at Joe Aillet Stadium.

"I have never been through a game like that and I don't want to go through a game like that again," said Tech head coach Jack Bicknell, who saw his team improve to 2-0 on the year. "It seems like every big play we had there was a flag. It was a tough nasty game but we came out of it with a win."

The rest of the story

Louisiana Tech Athletics Media Relations

[Turbine]

I thought the Cajuns were awesome after the first quarter Saturday

There are many reasons the Cajuns should have lost, and yeah you will hear how Tech squandered a 17-point lead, but the point where Louisiana failed to win (in my view) is NOT when time ran out.

They failed to win when they they settled for 3 instead of getting a TD after Spann's fantastic return.

I know it was a fantastic rush and Jerry was sacked for a 10 yard loss, but a TD there and I promise you the Cajuns would have won. Yeah I know the game would have had different twists and turns, but at the end they easily would have made the needed easy FG.

Louisiana's defense has allowed 7 points in the 2nd half this year.