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Football: Sun Belt Champion Cajuns Release 2014 Football SchedulSUN BELT CHAMPION CAJUNS RELEASE 2014 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE The 2014 Spring Game will be held on Saturday, April 12 at 12 p.m., at Cajun Field.
LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS 2014 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
AUGUST
SEPTEMEBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
LAFAYETTE � Non-conference games in Cajun Field against in-state opponents Southern and Louisiana Tech, non-conference road contests against Ole Miss and Boise State, plus a challenging Sun Belt Conference schedule that features a pair of nationally-televised games highlight the Louisiana Ragin� Cajuns 2014 football schedule which was released on Saturday.
Louisiana, the defending Sun Belt Conference champion, will play six games at Cajun Field, including dates against league opponents Georgia State (Oct. 4), Arkansas State (Oct. 21), South Alabama (Nov. 1) and newcomer Appalachian State (Nov. 22).
"We are excited to host six quality home games this season at Cajun Field, which will create a tremendous college football atmosphere for our fans," Louisiana Director of Athletics Scott Farmer said. "Our non-conference home schedule features two tremendous in-state programs in Southern and Louisiana Tech, and our games at Ole Miss and Boise State will provide us with the opportunity to play against some of the top teams in college football while continuing to grow a national following.
"With our program playing at least three games on national television, including a mid-week game at Cajun Field, our program which has continued to progress under the successful leadership of Coach (Mark) Hudspeth, our University and our city will be able to reach millions of homes across the country."
The Ragin’ Cajuns, who earned their third-straight nine-win season that was capped by a 24-21 victory over Tulane in the R�L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, are scheduled to make three appearances on national television this season including games at Ole Miss (SEC Network), plus consecutive ESPN2 contests at Texas State (Oct. 14) and against at Cajun Field against Arkansas State (Oct. 21).
"I think it’s great for our fans to have two home games right out of the blocks, and I think that will create a lot of excitement," head coach Mark Hudspeth said. "Having six home games this season is another big boost. With five Saturday games and a nationally-televised Tuesday night contest, we will get a chance to showcase our University and our great city. It will be a great schedule and it will be a lot of fun for our fans."
After facing one in-state opponent to open the season, the Cajuns will face a second the following week when it hosts Louisiana Tech on Sept. 6. The meeting against Tech, the 80th in a series that dates back to 1910, will be the first between the schools since 2004 with the Bulldogs making their first trip to Cajun Field since 2003.
Back-to-back road games at Ole Miss (Sept. 13) and Boise State (Sept. 20) close out the non-conference schedule with the Cajuns opening Sun Belt Conference play on Oct 4 at home against Georgia State.
The game against the Rebels, who finished 8-5 that included a win in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, will mark the fourth meeting between the schools and the first since 2010. The game will also mark the first trip for Hudspeth, a native of Louisville, Miss., to his native state as a Division I head coach.
"That’ll be fun, heading back to my home state and playing an outstanding team in Ole Miss and competing against the SEC," Hudspeth said. "And facing one of the top non-BCS programs in the country in Boise State will be a great measuring stick for our program in determining how far we’ve come and how far we have to go."
The Cajuns will begin defense of their Sun Belt title on Oct. 4 when they play host to Georgia State before playing the first of consecutive Tuesday night contests on Oct. 14 at Texas State. Louisiana earned victories against both teams in the first-ever matchup between the schools, defeating GSU on the road, 35-28, and posting a 49-28 win at home over the Bobcats.
Louisiana will return to play its final Tuesday night game of the season on Oct. 21 when it faces Arkansas State at Cajun Field. The game will mark the second consecutive Tuesday night game between the schools with the Cajuns earning a 23-7 victory in last year’s nationally-televised contest.
The Cajuns will play five games in the month of November, beginning Nov. 1 at home against South Alabama and capped by a Nov. 29 contest at Troy. Louisiana will play consecutive road games at New Mexico State (Nov. 8) and ULM (Nov. 15) before closing out its home schedule on Nov. 22 against Appalachian State.
"We feel like we have a veteran team returning, beginning with our starting quarterback (Terrance Broadway)," Hudspeth said. "I like the direction that we’re heading and we’re looking forward to spring football as we start putting it all together for another great season.
"Once our season ticket campaign kicks off, I’m really going to count on our fans to make this one of the biggest campaigns we’ve ever had."
The 2014 Spring Game will be held on Saturday, April 12 at 12 p.m., at Cajun Field.
SCHEDULE NOTES Louisiana is one of six schools nationally to have won a bowl/postseason game in each of the past three seasons. The Cajuns, with three victories in the R�L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, are part of a list that includes Florida State (Champs Sports, Orange, BCS National Championship), Michigan State (Outback, Buffalo Wild Wings, Rose), Oregon (Rose, Fiesta, Alamo), South Carolina (Capitol One, Outback, Capitol One) and Texas A&M (Meinke Car Care, Cotton, Chick-Fil-A).
The Cajuns will face three teams (Ole Miss – Music City; Boise State – Hawaii; and Arkansas State – GoDaddy) that competed in bowl games during the 2013 season.
Louisiana has posted a 14-2 record at Cajun Field in the last three seasons under head coach Mark Hudspeth, going 5-0 in 2011, 5-1 in 2012 and 4-1 in 2013.
With the additions of New Mexico State, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Idaho to the Sun Belt Conference for the 2014 season, the Cajuns will play eight league games after playing seven SBC contests in 2013.
The Aug. 30 season-opener against Southern will mark the fourth time in school history the Ragin’ Cajuns will equal their earliest starting date. The Cajuns opened on Aug. 30 against Pitt (1997), South Carolina (2003) and Southern Miss (2008).
The Cajuns will face a pair of first-time opponents in 2014 – Boise State (Sept. 20) and Appalachian State (Nov. 22).
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