Football: Five reasons it’s good to be us right now 11/7/11

Daily Advertiser, Nov. 7, 2011

ULM played UL at Cajun Field Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, in Lafayette. UL defeated ULM 36-35. / (Photo by Brad Kemp/ bkemp@theadvertiser.com)

1. It has been 23 years since we were this good.

» The last time that the Saints, UL and LSU all had winning seasons in the same year was in 1988. Some other things that happened in 1988? Prozac was introduced, and CDs outsold vinyl albums for the first time ever.

2. All those people in their 30s who’ve never seen UL in a bowl? No more waiting.

» The Ragin’ Cajuns are enjoying their first eight-win season since 1993, and the invitation to their first bowl appearance since 1970 will be coming any week now.

» The fans are into, it too. The team set an all-time Cajun Field record with an average of 29,171 in five home games. And oh yeah: they won every one of those home games for the first time since 1987.

» The Cajuns will be playing Arkansas State for at least a share of the conference championship in Jonesboro, Ark., on Saturday.

» The defense leads the nation with six pick-six touchdowns this season.

3. We have the No. 1 team in the country — and Alabama doesn’t.

» The Tigers are in a great position to potentially win its third national title in the last 8 eight seasons. No school has won more national titles in the BCS era than LSU.

» LSU has already secured its 12th straight winning season.

» Former Acadiana High kicker Drew Alleman, who won the Rams’ first state title ever in 2006 with a last-second field goal, was the hero of the Game of the Century with three field goals in the 9-6 overtime win over Alabama.

4. Who Dat!

» The Saints are currently sitting on top of the NFC South, only having lost one division game so far. Still on the table though is a rematch with Carolina and two games against Atlanta.

» If the Saints finish with a winning record, it will be only the second time in franchise history that they’ve had three winning seasons in a row. The last time it happened was from 1987-1989.

5. Our high schools are ready to rock in the playoffs.

Going into the last weekend of the season:

» Defending state champion Acadiana and Carencro are two of the top contenders for 5A state title. Acadiana is number 11 in the 5A bracket and Carencro is seeded 7.

» St. Thomas More is the number 2 seed in the 4A bracket, Breaux Bridge is number 4 and Teurlings Catholic is number 6.

» Eunice was going to be the No. 1 seed in 3A, but was knocked off by Church Point. Now Eunice is number 8 and Church Point is 7. Notre Dame also had a strong showing in 3A, pulling the 6 seed.

» In the 2A bracket, Catholic High of New Iberia is the 4 seed and Loreauville is number 10.

» Vermilion Catholic is undefeated and got the number 2 seed in the 1A bracket. Westminster came up in the 10 spot.