The Louisiana Ragin' Cajun football team hasn't had an open date since late September, so Tuesday's return to practice felt a little unusual to the squad.

The length of the practice might also have felt unusual, since the Cajuns worked for only 90 minutes in its first session since Saturday's 28-7 victory over Florida International.

"We weren't out long," said Cajun coach Rickey Bustle, "but it was more a matter of focus, knowing what you want to do and knowing what you're getting out of it."

UL is open this Saturday, but plays its most important football game in over a decade Nov. 26 when the Cajuns travel to meet UL Monroe. A win in that 2:30 p.m. game would give the Cajuns (5-5, 4-2 Sun Belt) no worse than a share of the Sun Belt Conference title, and that win combined with an Arkansas State loss at North Texas would put UL into the Dec. 20 New Orleans Bowl at Cajun Field.

"The only scenario for us is to win," Bustle said. "There aren't any scenarios if we don't. Everybody's talking about that game, but you can't wish it to hurry up and get here. There's a lot of preparation we have to have. You take it a day at a time and it'll be here soon enough."

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com