The UL football team is booked for five notable TV appearances in 2013, it was announced Friday.

Three will be on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU, one will be on the SEC Network and one will be on the Big 12 Network — all of which has Ragin’ Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth smiling.

But the national exposure comes with a price in the form of a number of midweek games — something the Ragin’ Cajuns played with less-than-favorable results in 2012.

"One positive we’re trying to take from it is we’re the only Sun Belt team picked (for the conference’s ESPN package) three times," Hudspeth said by phone Friday. "You’re talking three prime-time spots when we’ll be the only game on in the country."

The downside?

"One byproduct of being in demand by television is that it tends to wreak havoc with your schedule and in this case, it certainly did," Hudspeth said in a statement released by the school.

"It also puts two of our most challenging games on the road a week apart."

Last season UL lost two ESPN2-televised games, both played on successive Tuesdays in October, at North Texas and at home against Arkansas State.

"We have to find a better way to prepare," Hudspeth said. "We not play well in either of those Tuesday games last season. Our coaching staff needs to take that as a challenge."

This year the Cajuns will play Sun Belt Conference games at Western Kentucky on either Oct. 15, a Tuesday, or Oct. 16, a Wednesday, and at two-time defending league-champion Arkansas State on either Oct. 22, a Tuesday, or Oct. 23, Wednesday.

The two games will be played on either ESPN or ESPN2, with the actual date to-be-announced sometime this spring and network choice also to-be-announced at a later time.

"It will be a huge challenge to start the season being tested by two historically great programs on the road," said Hudspeth, whose own program has gone 9-4 each of the past two seasons. "Those games will be a measuring stick."

Both Arkansas State and Western Kentucky played in bowl games last season, as did back-to-back New Orleans Bowl-champion UL.

The Cajuns also have a Sun Belt game scheduled at Troy on Nov. 7, a Thursday, that will be aired on ESPNU.

It comes just five nights after a late-scheduled, non-conference home game against independent New Mexico State on Nov. 2.

"The short turnaround late in the season for the Troy game will be something new," Hudspeth said. "But with the Sun Belt championship on the line in November, we will adapt and overcome the challenge."

UL and the Sun Belt both released composite schedules Friday, with all games TBA.

The Cajuns will open, as previously known, with non-conference Saturday games Aug. 31 at Arkansas of the SEC, Sept. 7 at defending Big 12-champion Kansas State, at home Sept. 14 against Nicholls State of the Southland Conference and Sept. 21 at Akron of the Mid-American Conference.

The Arkansas game will be broadcast on the SEC Network and the Kansas State game on the Big 12 Network.

UL begins Sun Belt play with an Oct. 5 home game against Texas State, a new conference member in a league that is losing North Texas, Middle Tennessee, Florida Atlantic and Florida International to Conference USA.

In addition to Western Kentucky, Arkansas State and Troy, the Cajuns also play Sun Belt games Nov. 16 at new SBC member Georgia State in Atlanta, Nov. 30 at Cajun Field against UL Monroe and, to close the regular season, Dec. 7 at South Alabama.

Those three are all Saturday games.

"Scheduling this year has certainly been a challenge, but I think we came away having put the program in a position to continue to grow a national following," UL athletic director Scott Farmer said in a statement.

LAGNIAPPE: The Cajuns are idle Sept. 28 and Nov. 23. "» The Texas State game will be UL’s only Saturday outing in October. "» The Cajuns will play four games against 2012-season bowl teams, including Kansas State and UL Monroe in addition to Arkansas State and Western Kentucky. "» UL’s Dec. 7 game at South Alabama will be the latest regular-season game in program history. The Cajuns previously played as late as Dec. 4 in 1976 against ULM. "» Akron, Georgia State and Texas State all will be first-time opponents for the Cajuns. "» According to the UL ticket office, football season-ticket holders will receive renewals in the mail sometime in mid-March. Spectators interested in adding seats, moving seats or purchasing new season tickets can email Cajuns ticket manager Matt Casbon at mcasbon@cajundome.com or go to the UL ticket office (open 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on weekdays) before the May 17 renewal deadline.