Louisiana-Lafayette cornerback Sean Thomas (24) celebrates after intercepting a Tulane pass during the first half of the New Orleans Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Haber) / AP

UL has won their third consecutive New Orleans Bowl, defeating Tulane 24-21 in the Superdome.

The Ragin’ Cajuns were able to hang on to their lead after a last-minute field goal attempt by Tulane was no good.

Check back to theadvertiser.com shortly for a full game recap and analysis.

Scoring Plays:

• Hunter Stover’s first field goal attempt of the season was good from 27 yards to give the Cajuns a 24-21 lead with 9:56 left in the fourth quarter.

• With his third touchdown of the night, Orleans Darkwa’s 22-yard touchdown run has tied the game at 21 with 2:34 left in the third quarter.

• With his second touchdown of the night, Orleans Darkwa cuts the Cajuns lead to seven points with a 7-yard run with 1:58 left in the first half.

• Tulane hit a bomb on a fourth-and-short and that lead to a touchdown run by Orleans Darkwa to narrow the gap to 21-7 with 3:55 left until halftime.

• CB Corey Trim returned an interception 82 yards for the Cajuns for a touchdown. With Hunter Stover’s extra point, UL leads Tulane 21-0 with 12:31 left in the first half.

• Alonzo Harris runs in for a touchdown to cap a six-play, 73-yard drive for a 14-0 lead with 2:10 left in the first.

• After a review, officials determined that Elijah McGuire’s 27-yard run crossed into the end zone, giving the Cajuns a 7-0 lead with 10:57 left in the first quarter.

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UL in a Nutshell

WHAT HAPPENED

After UL jumped to a 21-0 lead, Tulane took advantage of two Terrance Broadway interceptions and used three Orleans Darkwa touchdown runs – 1 yard, 7 yards and 22 yards and tied the game at 21-21 in the third quarter. But UL kicker Hunter Stover made a 27-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and Tulane kicker Cairo Santos missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt in the final few seconds, giving the Ragin’ Cajuns a 24-21 win and their third straight New Orleans Bowl victory.

TURNING POINT

Tulane appeared to be driving for a tie to force overtime and maybe even the win, and had the ball at the 25, but Chris Hill’s sack of Green Wave quarterback Devin Powell forced Santos to attempt the 48-yarder.

MOST-SPECTACULAR PLAY

With 12:31 left before halftime, UL cornerback Corey Trim stepped in front of a Nick Montana pass intended for Sydie London and returned the pick-six untouched down the right sideline.

Trim’s interception was the third defensive touchdown in New Orleans Bowl history, and the first since 2008. All were pick-sixes.

GO FIGURE

Darkwa was named New Orleans Bowl MVP after rushing 16 time for 83 yards and the three TDs, and became the first member of a non-winning New Orleans Bowl team to win the award.

BY THE NUMBERS

Trim’s 82-yard interception was the longest of all three pick-sixes in New Orleans Bowl history, and the sixth-longest in UL history. … With his first-half TD run, UL’s Alonzo Harris tied Marcus Prier (14 in 1995) for fourth-most Cajun rushing touchdowns in a season. Only Brian Mitchell (15 in 1988, 19 in 1989) and Tyrell Fenroy (19 in 2008) had more. … Darkwa became the first player in New Orleans Bowl history with three rushing TDs, and the first in Tulane bowl history as well. … Stover’s first-quarter PAT was his first attempt and first make as a Cajun, and his 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter was his first career field goal make and attempt.

HE SAID IT

“I just want to say one thing: We’ve got the best fans in the country.” – UL head coach Mark Hudspeth, before presenting the New Orleans Bowl trophy for a third time for athletic director Scott Farmer and UL president Joseph Savoie.

RECORDS

UL finished 9-4. Tulane finished 7-6.