Magic number for a bowl game is... 8?

[wcd35]

Maybe, but our expectation level is up after this year and 8 should be our minimum expected wins. We have to start thinking big and winning big if we are to move our program forward.

That has nothing to do with the number of wins it actually takes to get into the NO Bowl. Of course we expect more than 6 wins.

[TuffGuy84]

First of all, I think the cajuns will get bowl eligible, and I don't think that the Money games are gonna kill us. I consider ourselves starting essentially 2-2 from the get go. I think we'll lose to OSU and Florida, but I also think that we are shoe-ins to beat our FCS opponent and USA at home, so that should negate the 2 money games. After that, we need to go 4-4 against Tulane at home, and the rest of our schedule to get bowl eligible, which its very possible for us to not just do that, but be better than that. I'm fairly sure that we will be more than competitive in conference next season, and no reason why we can't beat Tulane. The top of the mark for us would have us at 10-2, minimum in my opinion has us at 6-6, but I think our future will lie between those 2, somewhere between 7-5 and 9-3. Regardless, I don't care if New Orleans takes us or not, whichever bowl has a tie in to the conference that doesn't select us will drool over taking us after we flooded new orleans this past season.

[HoustonCajun]

Well here are some magical numbers for the Cajuns---+15K which was the increase over the largest crowd that the NO Bowl had ever had----45K the number at the game that put the NO Bowl in the middle group of bowls attended this year-----Now looking at the number to qualify and that remains at 6----now looking at the chances of getting there which will be much tougher this year and this is why-----remember that we crept up last year on EVERYBODY and were very lucky to win some games therefore (ergo) those wins will come through harder circumstances----also except for PEE Wee we were VERY fortunate in injuries-----Our defensive side of the ball will be hurt a lot by graduation---the kicking game should be good on FGs but again who will kick off???? As far as punting goes we are OK but if you talking about punters look at LSU and TECH. that is field position---On Offense we lose an All-American of which we Cajuns don't have often---------And now the Bright side---On Defense we do return some really good players and I trust HUD to fill in some areas with damn good surprises----I guess our receivers are as good as anybody's--Off line all back---look for backs to be pretty good---G-Chay and B-Way at QBs will be fine---How about the coaching staff of which all I think are staying---this is tremendous as we take our schemes and add to an existing playbook with a lot more things to help----We should beat Southern and Tulane we certainly can---We should be picked to lose by about 17 points against Fla and Okie ST---Everybody will be better in conference but so should the Cajuns---I think that we have 6 home games and if we win 5 we should get to 1-2 of the conference road wins----Now we are at 6 or 7 wins and that puts us in NO again and that is magic for me!!!! Nothing under 10K is acceptable for our spring Game!!!!!!

A couple of other magical numbers---we win ALL of our home games, which we did this year and was a major goal of Coach Hud---that gives us 6 wins right there --- Protect Our House. Attendance avg. goes up from 29,000 this year to 35,000. Season Ticket holders goes over 12,000 this year and growing.

Just saw on the C-USA board that the University of Memphis has Fed Ex (home office in Memphis) as a major athletic sponsor and their name is on all of the Memphis facilities. Similar to Ok State with J Boone Pickens. Is there any major company whose home office is in Lafayette or Acadiana that might now start to step up and do something similar? Tabasco is the only one I can think of that is not only recognized nationally but world wide, but don't think they would do it. Whatever happened to that Tabasco/UL alliance that was announced a year or so ago? Haven't heard much about it.

[RaginWaldo]

If we just play for 6-6 no one will give a rats @ss nationally if we make it to the New Orleans Bowl or not. Its about building a foundation for our program. and that means outright winning seasons or nothing.

[cajun4life]

Next year is the last year, I think, that we will have 2 so called money games. Once South AL is eligible for the Belt Championship we will play all 9 member schools. This will reduce our OOC games to 3, we will most likely schedule a FCS @home, mid-major and money game. With that scheduling technique it could very well be possible if you schedule the right teams and have the breaks go our way to be 11-1 or 10-2 every other year or so. With the momentum gained from this season, we "should" take the next step forward and think about the Boise model of scheduling. They got to where they are by having weak schedules, but beating nearly everyone that lines up in front of them. If we can continue to do that like we did this season, in 5 years we will be the best mid major in the South. There is no question about it, we will be able to lock down the "next best" in Louisiana and snag guys out of the golden triangle of Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. But we must continue to improve, hold onto HUD for 3 more years and follow through on ALL of the facility improvements.

[CajunNation]

I predict a 2012 win over OSU.

I predict another NOLA Bowl birth and a winning season.

[DieHard1280]

I predict another NOLA Bowl birth and a winning season.

They're gonna have TWO New Orleans Bowls?

[Bandwagon King]

8 is the magic number because with 8 wins, a team will rarely NOT get a bowl game. UL is virtually guaranteed the NO Bowl with 8 wins, barring very unusual circumstances.

With the attendance numbers of the New Orleans Bowl this year, UL has put themselves in an absolute lock to be a bowl participant anytime they get 8 wins, would be the odds on favorite against any non AQ school & some AQ schools save for tie ins with 7 wins, & would likely outfavor many non AQ schools with 6 wins from now on. The attendance at that game was critical for the future bowl chances of UL & it was great.

[locoguano]

I was just curious if anyone had the numbers on what UL would lose from playing a mid-major opponent at home (and hopefully putting 30k in the seats) instead of going to a UF or OSU.

We seem to schedule for an expected split of non-conference. When you look at the lower level BCS teams, they schedule cupcake games for non-conference so that they can have a 4-0 padding. If a Kentucky or Vanderbilt wins TWO conference games, they become bowl eligible.

I just feel like W's will bring in the crowds and the recruits.

[Boomer]

I wonder on a Fla game trip that we get 1 mill----How much do we end up Netting??? I have always wondered about the cost of a charter---guess that is the big expense along with the rooms and meals!!!!

[BirdofParadise]

I wonder on a Fla game trip that we get 1 mill----How much do we end up Netting??? I have always wondered about the cost of a charter---guess that is the big expense along with the rooms and meals!!!!

Depending on the price of fuel at the time and the length of the trip, the team spends roughly 150,000 on a road trip.

This past season, you can multiply that by 7, which was the number of flights we took.

[Boomer]

Wow ---Money games make money---LOL!!!!! Now say we pay 150K to a visitor--what would we take in for a 30K crowd????