The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

[RaginFan2]

Thanks! How did it look from out on the west coast?

[BabbForHeisman]

Being that UL and LSU now have identical record of 3-2, I was wondering when the last time this actually happened, so I did a little research.

Trivial cases:
Both teams 0-1
August 31, 2002
September 2, 1995
Both teams 1-0
September 1, 2001

Real deal:
UL 6-5
LSU 6-4-1
November 18, 1995

And if you don't consider that identical records, so can always jump back a week for the last time UL had a better record than LSU:

UL 6-4
LSU 5-4-1
November 11, 1995

I feel the tide turning...

[ragincajun4life]

haha i love it!!

[Bert]

Could UL have beat LSU in 1995? I think there is a chance.

[KimoSC]

Originally posted by RaginFan2
Thanks! How did it look from out on the west coast?

Wow, just tuned in to catch the end of another replay on FCSA. Wish I'd seen the first half. Does Jordan Jackson play? I keep seeing shots of him shaking hands after the game. Dude looks like a football player! ( BTW _ just noticed that FCSA is going to show it again tonight - 11:30 Pacific)

Was great to see the team on tv - the new uniforms look great.

Babb and Co. seem to be on to something. Though I was surprised it was that close. I knew the score before I watched the game and wasn't expecting it to come down to some last-minute scoring. the stat line was well in the favor of the Cajuns. If your D can stifffen up I think you'll be happy with more results this year.

[fiz]

Good luck to you guys next week against Cal.

[KimoSC]

Originally posted by fiz
Good luck to you guys next week against Cal.

Thanks - Cal's good. Their coach is destined for bigger and better things real soon. (Anyone who can coach Cal into the top 10 has skills!) We kinda choked against them last year, but even then they had the maklings of a good team - and were well-coached. And we're beatable - don't know if it'll be Cal, but I'm taking nothing for granted.

Hope I can stay up late and catch the Cajun replay tonight!

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — University of Louisiana played Apollo Creed to Florida International’s Rocky Balboa in last Saturday’s 43-34 road victory in Miami.

The Ragin’ Cajuns had the superior team, and seemed to have a feisty opponent on the ropes more than once, but couldn’t seem to provide the knockout blow.

Late in the first half, the Cajuns were on the move with a 17-10 lead and looking to take a double-digit bulge into the locker room at the break. But a deflected Jerry Babb pass landed in the hands of Greg Moss, who raced 77 yards for a tying touchdown.

It’s that kind of 14-point swing that drives coaches to distraction. But Babb brought his team back down the field for a touchdown pass to Travis Smothers to regain momentum.

Babb hit 30 of 42 passes — a career-best 71.4 percent — for 302 yards, but it is a mark of Babb’s rapid growth that coach Rickey Bustle saw the need for improvement.

“It was not one of Jerry’s better games,” Bustle said. “It would have been big to hit that open receiver on the deep ball.”

Babb and Kemmie Lewis missed connections on a touchdown from the FIU 35 two snaps before the pickoff by Moss.

“But,” Bustle said, “he kept finding ways to make plays.”

Babb hit nine different receivers in the game, including 11 for 99 yards to B.J. Crist.

The Cajuns also ran for 143 yards, including 66 yards by Dwight Lindon and 56 by Chester Johnson, while controlling the clock for 34:10.

The common denominator in that success was UL’s offensive line.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

MIAMI · A road win could not be appreciated more than by Louisiana-Lafayette coach Rickey Bustle, whose Ragin' Cajuns defeated Florida International 43-34 on Saturday at the FIU Community Stadium.

The third-year coach's teams at Louisiana-Lafayette had a 1-15 road record entering the game.

After starting 0-12 away from home under Bustle's watch, the Cajuns finally won with a season-ending 57-51 victory at Middle Tennessee that took four overtimes to complete.

The Cajuns visit New Mexico State next then Idaho.

Although the Golden Panthers' home game was long in coming, they'll be on the road for their next two games, visiting Stephen F. Austin and Louisiana-Monroe before returning home to play McNeese State on Oct. 23.

Bustle was the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, where he coached quarterback Michael Vick, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001.

Louisiana has another connection to the Falcons.

The rest of the story

By Ed Gray
Sun-Sentinel

[Turbine]

UL vs NMSU Yards per game averages

	UL	NMSU
	Offense Yd made	Offense Yd made
Rush	148.8	75.6
Pass	223.2	151.8
	Defense Yd Allow	Defense Yd Allow
Rush	210.8	261.6
Pass	181.6	210.4

[NewsCopy]

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LOUISIANA'S RAGIN' CAJUNS FOOTBALL HEAD COACH RICKEY BUSTLE’S PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING SATURDAY’S GAME AGAINST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL

On last week’s game…
“My concern all week was handling our victory from last week. I think 90
percent handled it well.”

“We didn’t have our best game. We just have to make sure we are focused.”

“We played pretty consistently and threw the long ball well.”

“We don’t really have any superstars, just guys that are all working together to score points.”

“I thought we played really well up front. We have to find a way to get more pressure on the quarterback.”

On this week’s game against New Mexico State…

“There’s no doubt that we have to be more focused for our next game.”

“Defensively they look pretty good.”

“I think it’s going to be a typical Sun Belt New Mexico State-UL game. “

“They’ve played good teams. It’s hard to find out about your team until you play in your conference.”

On Babb…
“I think his performance was good. He always gives you an opportunity to be successful.”

“He made some good throws, one of which was the touchdown before half.”

“He’s playing smart and patient. It’s hard to be patient when we are in a spread out offense.”

On New Mexico State’s two QB system…

“It makes you prepare differently for the two quarterbacks.”

“The thing they do now is they keep them both on the field. They’ll line one up as a wide receiver.”

“If it’s just a matter of substitution, we have a game plan and can go to our chart. But when you keep them both in the game you don’t know which one is coming to the line of scrimmage and I think that is more effective.”

On teams early success…
“I think they are very appreciative of where they are. We can’t lose sight of our goal, which is competing for the conference championship. As you win, each game gets bigger.”

“I just told them don’t start getting caught up in the talk. Just think about the small things that got you where you are.”

“We will practice hard today, hard tomorrow and hard on Wednesday.“

On the running game…
“It’s coming along and that’s a credit to our offensive line. We had a couple of drives that ate up the clock.”

“I think it’s been very effective.”

On development of BJ Crist…
“He’s been a guy that has never lost hope or faith in himself. He’s hung in there and now he’s reaping the benefits of his hard work.”

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — This could become a special season for UL Lafayette’s Ragin’ Cajuns, but only if they keep the same focused approach they’ve had en route to a 3-2 start.

Coach Rickey Bustle’s squad held off Florida International 43-34 last Saturday and jumps back into Sun Belt Conference action this week at New Mexico State.

It’s the second leg on an 8,800-mile road swing that concludes next week at Idaho, and the Cajuns figure to be favored over both NMSU and Idaho (both 1-4). The only way to assure a pair of victories is to maintain a high level of play.

“Winning at Florida International was very important for us, and for the program,” defensive end Travis Bass said on Monday. “It started a three-game road trip, and we hope we’re on the way to a Sun Belt championship.

“When we win, we take all the congratulations and then put it behind us so we can start preparing for the next week. We’re always looking to our next game, because that’s our most important one.”

“We’re very appreciative of where we are,” Bustle said. “We can’t lose sight of our goal, and that’s still a long way off. I’ve said before, as you win, each game gets bigger. Then you have to focus on doing the little things.”

It’s easier to keep that focus when you win, of course, and the Cajuns know how much better 3-2 feels than last year’s 0-5 (en route to 0-7) start.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com