Football: UL returning to the New Orleans Bowl

Kevin Foote, Daily Advertiser, Nov. 25, 2012

Before giving his official answer to the question of when the R?L Carriers New Orleans Bowl committee began considering the UL Ragin’ Cajuns for a return trip to its bowl in the Crescent City on Dec. 22, Jay Cicero gave his most honest response.

"Right after the game last year," joked Cicero, the president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.

Indeed, UL’s bowl experience in New Orleans last December was a perfect marriage, and neither side was ready for even a temporary separation.

So immediately after the Cajuns notched their seventh win of the season with a 52-30 win over South Alabama on Saturday at Cajun Field, Cicero and New Orleans Bowl executive director Ferrante officially invited the Cajuns to this year’s New Orleans Bowl on a makeshift podium at midfield surrounded by the football team.

There was no hesitation in the response.

"We proudly accept," shouted UL head football coach Mark Hudspeth.

So after a 41-year bowl drought, the Cajuns will headed to the program’s second bowl game in as many years.

This year’s game will be played at 11 a.m. Dec. 22 and the game will be televised on ESPN.

Not only did last year’s game produce arguably the most exciting finish of the bowl season with the 32-30 win over San Diego, but the crowd of 42,481 was a New Orleans Bowl record by over 12,000 fans.

"After not going for 41 years, last year was phenomenal," UL athletic director Scott Farmer. "And to go again, I think it’s starting to establish us as a program. It’s a stepping stone for us, and we hope to have many more of these in our future."

After accepting the bowl invitation, Hudspeth gave game balls to UL president Dr. Joseph Savoie and to Farmer, who later said it was his first game ball.

"That was my first," Farmer said. "It was great."

Cicero made it clear that the New Orleans Bowl wanted the Cajuns as soon as UL nailed down that seventh win.

"It is an advantage getting it done early," Cicero said. "We’re one of the first bowls, so this gives everybody more time to get things booked and get hotel rooms …"

Cicero said he’d prefer a Conference USA team to match up against the Cajuns, but will look for the "best team available" if that matchup doesn’t transpire.

"I could not be prouder of this team," Hudspeth said. "We’ve fought hard all season, and it’s nice to see all of that work pay off. Our players and fans couldn’t be happier to be going back to the Big Easy — let’s paint the town red, again."

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