Football: For Cajuns, it’s Tuesday Night Live on ESPN2 10/16/12

Football: For Cajuns, it’s Tuesday Night Live on ESPN2 10/16/12

Kevin Foote, Daily Advertiser, Oct. 16, 2012

The last time the national col­lege football audience saw the University of Louisiana at Lafay­ette’s football players, the Ragin’ Cajuns were running around the field at the Mercedes-Benz Super­dome, celebrating a thrilling 32-30 victory over San Diego State in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl back on Dec. 17.

Fast-for­ward to the 2012 season: Thee Cajuns have a goal of returning to bowl play this season, but coach Mark Hudspeth wants to accomplish that feat as Sun Belt Conference champions.

 

In its return to national tele­vision at 8 p.m. today at Apogee Stadium in Denton, Texas, the Cajuns hope to take a big step in that direction when they meet the North Texas Mean Green on ESPN2.

 

It will be the first of two straight weeks in which UL will play nationally televised games on Tuesday. The Cajuns will then host 2011 Sun Belt champion Arkansas State at 7 p.m. next Tuesday at Cajun Field, also on ESPN2.

 

“Great exposure for our uni­versity,” Hudspeth said. “Great exposure for Lafayette. Great ex­posure for our football program. Great exposure for our confer­ence.” And great experience for the coaches and players. Upon arriv­al at their Dallas team hotel late Monday afternoon, Hudspeth, co­ordinators Jay Johnson and Greg Stewart, as well as team leaders Terrance Broadway and Melvin White met with the ESPN2 broad­cast crew for pre-game inter­views, including 1989 Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware.

 

The Cajuns enter the game tied for first place in the loss col­umn in the Sun Belt standings at 4-1 and 2-0 — along with Western Kentucky at 5-1 and 2-0 and UL Monroe at 4-2 and 2-0.

"In Memory of Paul D. Dugas; 3/2/1964 – 1/13/2003; L’Acadien Copy Manager, 1985; Vermilion editor, 1987 and Kenneth Lane Spears; 7/23/39 – 7/28/97; USL Alumnus and High School Coach."