Football: UL getting 1.3 million to play Arizona State in 2021

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, Oct. 7, 2016

UL will open its 2021 football season at Arizona State, the Ragin’ Cajuns announced Friday

The game is scheduled for Sept. 4, 2021, in Tempe, Arizona, near Phoenix.

The Cajuns will get a $1.3 million paycheck for the so-called "money game," The Daily Advertiser learned  Friday afternoon.

"This gives us another very good, competitive game against an opponent that we have not played in a long time," UL athletic director Scott Farmer said in a statement released by the school.

UL has played Arizona State just once previously, losing 63-27 in 2001.

The Labor Day weekend meeting against the Pac-12 Conference’s Sun Devils is one of several upcoming games the Cajuns have planned against programs from Power 5 conferences.

UL has one Power 5 opponent this season, visiting Georgia of the SEC on Nov. 19. Earlier this year, the Cajuns lost their 2016 season-opener 45-10 to Group of Five power Boise State of the Mountain West.

It previously has been announced that UL will play two Power 5 opponents from the SEC next season, at Texas A&M on Sept. 16 and at Ole Miss on Nov. 18.

The Cajuns also have a scheduled a two-game series with SEC-member Mississippi State, on Nov. 3, 2018, at Mississippi State, and on Aug. 31, 2019, at the Superdome in New Orleans in what is being called a "home" game for UL even though it isn’t being played at Cajun Field in Lafayette.

UL is 0-8 against Power 5 opponents under current head coach Mark Hudspeth, losing at Oklahoma State and Arizona in 2011, at Oklahoma State and Florida in 2012, at Arkansas and Kansas State in 2013, at Ole Miss in 2014 and at Kentucky last year.

The Florida game was a near-upset for the Cajuns.

"As a coach, and our players, we like playing good competition. We like going to great venues and playing in great stadiums in front of big, packed houses," Hudspeth said Friday. "So that will be a great opportunity to showcase our program.

"We’ve played well at times against some really nice opponents; sometimes we haven’t," he added. "So hopefully this one will be one of those times that we can."

Other previously announced future non-conference games for the Cajuns include ones Sept. 2 at home against FCS Southland Conference-member Southeastern Louisiana to open the 2017 season; Sept. 9, 2017, at Tulsa of the Group of Five American Athletic Conference; Sept. 21, 2019, at Ohio of the Group of Five MAC; Sept. 28, 2019, at home against Tulsa; and Sept. 18, 2021, at Ohio.

UL is idle Saturday and plays 3-2 Appalachian State in an ESPN2-televised Sun Belt Conference game on Wednesday night at Cajun Field.

The 2-3 Cajuns are coming off back-to-back overtime losses at Tulane and New Mexico State.

   MORALE IS GOOD

With his players being given Friday afternoon off from practice before going at it again Saturday morning in advance of Wednesday night’s game against Appalachian State, Hudspeth was asked Friday about the morale of his club coming off back-to-back overtime losses.

“The morale is actually really good,” he said, “I think, for the fact that these kids know they’re only a few plays away from being where they felt like they could be at this time.

“Now, if everybody doing jumping jacks and singing ‘Kumbaya?’ No, we’re not. But they’re excited because they see the opportunity for us to be a really good football team.”

Hudspeth said “all types of emotions” surfaced with the two losses, “whether it’s guys just upset, frustrated, disappointed.

“Which we all are anytime you’re 2-3,” he said. “We felt like we should be better than that.

“But you know what? That’s where we’re at, and everybody, (head coach), assistant coaches, players, have all taken ownership … and we know we can be a better team moving forward.”

INJURY UPDATE

Hudspeth said Friday that both starting running back Elijah McGuire (foot) and reserve running back/No. 1 kickoff returner Raymond Calais Jr. (quadriceps) “should be 100 percent for Wednesday.”

The Cajun coach previously had said that about McGuire, who was injured against Tulane and limited to six carries at NMSU.

But it’s the first time he’s said it about Calais, who was injured early in the loss at New Mexico State.

“Which will be a nice boost to have both those guys back,” Hudspeth said, “especially with Calais and the kick-return game.”

Calais was one of several Cajuns injured at NMSU, including three lost for the season: backup quarterback Jalen Nixon (broken ankle) and reserve defensive linemen LaDarrius Kidd (broken ankle) and David Lemoto (torn ACL).