2005 NewOrleans Bowl USM-31 ASU-19

[KimoSC]

I might be able to make the bowl game if I can schedule it. I've never been to a game at Cajun Field - looking for some local info. for an out-of-towner. Like best place to park, to sit (if I get a choice), how far ahead to arrive? Am I going to be able to walk up and get tickets? Thanks in advance!

[Cajun Express]

I might be able to make the bowl game if I can schedule it. I've never been to a game at Cajun Field - looking for some local info. for an out-of-towner. Like best place to park, to sit (if I get a choice), how far ahead to arrive? Am I going to be able to walk up and get tickets? Thanks in advance!

You can get tickets at ticket masters across the country, and your can also get tickets at the game or across the stree at the Cajun Dome.

These two links will give you a close up of the stadium and streets surrounding it. You can park on a large parking lot that I am sure you will have to pay to use. Tickets may be sold at the baseball ticket boot shown on the star

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?ad.w=1&name=&qty=

[:confused: :confused:

[NewsCopy]

Christmas lights, Cajun music and Dwyer's downtown. Last year, scenes of the French Quarter and powdered sugar-coated glimpses of Café du Monde tempted viewers watching the New Orleans Bowl on ESPN. Hurricane Katrina changed that view for the thousands who will watch the game from home tonight as Southern Miss and Arkansas State take to Cajun Field. Snippets of the Hub City will be seen throughout tonight's broadcast. "We want to give the audience the feel of the city, so it's not just a game," said Ben Cerny, an ESPN associate producer. Monday night, Cerny and videographer Eric Grubb set out to capture the flavor of Lafayette. Iliana Medina, a recent University of Louisiana graduate in broadcast journalism, helped the two find spots of interests in town. After shooting street scenes downtown and of Dwyer's, the corner lunch plate spot, the group headed to the square at River Ranch. The bowl game organizers said they chose Lafayette at an alternate city following Katrina because it fit closest to New Orleans' cultural personality. The local footage will reflect that cultural kinship, Cerny said. The rest of the story Marsha Sills msills@theadvertiser.com

[El Sidonio]

I was there for the first half tonight, and it was not very well attended. We probably had more people for some of our regular season games.

[Turbine]

Arkansas State came to play looked good doing it.

To me the difference in the Bowl game came down to one teams abilty to capitalize on the other teams turnovers.

USM-31 ASU-19

[NewsCopy]

LAFAYETTE, La. - The University of Southern Mississippi football team seemed destined to land in the New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette. That's not exactly what the Golden Eagles were shooting for at the beginning of the season, but they were grateful after finishing with a 6-5 record. Southern Miss was thrown for a loop after Hurricane Katrina, as was the New Orleans Bowl. But both rebounded to finish strong. The bowl found a home at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and Southern Miss is playing Arkansas State (6-5) tonight. "It is (ironic)," USM coach Jeff Bower said. "There have been a lot of adjustments in schedules and plans. Obviously, they did a good job and Lafayette really helped out. "Yeah, there were a lot of similarities, no doubt." New Orleans Bowl associate director Billy Ferrante said his organization always knew there would be a game, but it took a little to get everything moving. "It was probably a week and a half before we could even start our communications to find out where everyone in the office even was," Ferrante said. "There really was never a question whether we were going to play the game or not. The question was, 'Where?' "As much as anything, the biggest challenge was we had to come in, learn a new city, learn a new stadium and all the nuances of the stadium." Ferrante credited UL-Lafayette as much as anyone for putting things together. He said moving the game was actually easier than predicted. "(They) told us, 'Whatever you need, you can have it,'" Ferrante said. "Basically the entire athletic department staff was at our disposal. We've never had to go find them and say, 'Hey, can you do this?' It has always been them coming to find us asking, 'What can we do for you today?' The rest of the story By Kareem Copeland

[NewsCopy]

It's not often that Cajun Field is busy in mid-December, but on Tuesday afternoon, fans from across the South gathered for the New Orleans Bowl, which was moved to Lafayette this year because of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans resident Claire Stephens, a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., was tailgating Tuesday and rooting for her hometown team of Southern Mississippi. Although she has visited Lafayette before, Stephens said the excitement of a college bowl game in town made for an especially fun atmosphere. "It's a good location," Stephens said. "We'd rather be up at Southern Miss, but Lafayette is a great city. We love it here." Stephens said she and her family especially enjoyed lunch at Prejean's Restaurant, a local favorite. "It was fantastic," she raved. "Crawfish enchiladas, those were great." Louis Falgout, a Lafayette resident and Ragin' Cajun fan, said although the UL team wasn't playing in the game, he enjoyed being able to mingle with fans from other schools. "It's pretty nice out here," Falgout said. "I wish they had a bowl game here every year. It's going to give Lafayette some really good national exposure." Lafayette native Rachel Lokitz was back in her hometown to cheer on Southern Miss, where her husband is attending graduate school. Lokitz said the best part of being back in her hometown was having a chef ready to provide tailgating cuisine. "My dad came out here and cooked for us," Lokitz said. "It's great having family down here. It's definitely a nice atmosphere for people. People are always nice down here." Although many Southern Miss fans already were familiar with the Lafayette area, some Arkansas State supporters were making their first trip to town. "It's a pretty nice town," said ASU fan Keith Thomas. "It has the same kind of food and culture as New Orleans. The atmosphere isn't quite the same, but there's only one New Orleans." The rest of the story Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvertiser.com

[BabbForHeisman]

I didn't know Brian Westbrook played for the Cajuns!

(See article from Hattiesberg newspaper)