Billy Napier was quick to point out the positives, both from Saturday and from the season as a whole, not long after his UL-Lafayette football team ended its season in hugely disappointing fashion.
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Saturday, December 15, 2018
'A lot of lessons to be learned': Billy Napier laments slow start, shaky ground game in Cajuns' loss
After relying on its three star running backs for much of this season, UL-Lafayette was hoping to get another big performance from them Saturday in the Cure Bowl against Tulane.
Tulane president Mike Fitts said he would take Tulane's point total if it won, multiply it by 100 and donate that money for the bowl's primary cause of fighting breast cancer.
Saturday, December 15, 2018
ORLANDO, Fla. — When the final second ticked off the clock, Cure Bowl MVP Darius Bradwell raced off the field, removed his helmet and skipped along the front row of Camping World Stadium while Tulane fans celebrated.
Friday, December 14, 2018
The uniquely-Louisiana slogan “laissez les bon temps rouler” is a good fit for UL-Lafayette’s men’s basketball team right now.
The Cure Bowl winner on Saturday will earn short-term bragging rights, but both teams should have plenty to boast about in the years to come.
Friday, December 14, 2018
The Cajuns love to run right at opponents, and the Green Wave prides itself on stopping the run.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Much of the bowl game's proceeds go to breast cancer research, and UL-Lafayette AD Bryan Maggard talked about his wife being diagnosed with the disease recently.
UL-Lafayette fans and opponents have both struggled to compartmentalize the Ragin’ Cajuns’ running back corps all season.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Four Downs, What's at Stake, Key Matchups and more. Plus, beat writers Guerry Smith and Dan McDonald have contrasting predictions on the winner.
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
They want to enjoy their time in Orlando, but they know the only real satisfaction will
UL-Lafayette goes into Saturday’s AutoNation Cure Bowl with one of the nation’s most uncommon quarterback rotations.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Matt Barnes is five days away from ending a journey he never expected, and one with more ups and downs than the roller coasters at Universal Studios.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Being creatures of habit, UL-Lafayette’s football team had to make some adjustments and get used to some unusual distractions this week.
Nobody can accuse UL-Lafayette’s men’s basketball team of softening up its early-season schedule, if this week’s AP poll means anything.
Saturday, December 08, 2018
The surprising success of this year’s UL-Lafayette football team comes at a price.
Thursday, December 06, 2018
Other than some group workout sessions and the extra opportunity for lifting and conditioning, participation in next weekend’s AutoNation Cure Bowl won’t result in the extra practice sessions for UL-Lafayette.
Wednesday, December 05, 2018
Even JaKeenan Gant was surprised that Southern’s Jaguars kept bringing the basketball inside.
Monday, December 03, 2018
Before UL-Lafayette’s football team turned its full thoughts to the Dec. 15 AutoNation Cure Bowl and in-state rival Tulane, the Ragin’ Cajuns squad and coaches took Sunday to review the reasons they’re playing in Orlando and not in New Orleans.
Sunday, December 02, 2018
Five years ago, UL-Lafayette and Tulane played the first all-Louisiana bowl game in NCAA history, drawing a record 54,728 fans to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
Saturday, December 01, 2018
Sources said UCF's comeback win against Memphis cleared the way for the Green Wave and Ragin Cajuns, who already have accepted an invitation, to meet in a bowl game for the second time in six years.
The New Orleans Bowl could be a champion-versus-champion matchup.
BOONE, N.C. — UL-Lafayette took a page from Appalachian State’s playbook Saturday at the inaugural Sun Belt Conference football championship game — and for three quarters, the Ragin’ Cajuns had a chance to beat the Mountaineers at their own game, …
Friday, November 30, 2018
Corey Turner wasn’t sure any of this could happen.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
UL-Lafayette was almost an afterthought on the All-Sun Belt Conference football team Thursday, with only one player among the 28 first-teamers — even though the Ragin’ Cajuns won the West Division and ranked second in the league in scoring and tot…
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
UNO led for almost all of the first 30 minutes at Lakefront Arena but could not hold on in a competitive contest.
Reaching the inaugural Sun Belt Conference championship game should be reward enough, but UL-Lafayette’s claim to the West Division title came with a significant added benefit.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Appalachian State coach Steve Satterfield this week downplayed his team’s earlier win over UL-Lafayette, saying the Ragin’ Cajuns have improved since the Mountaineers defeated them 27-17 on Oct. 20.
The stakes for the first Sun Belt Conference championship football game have been made clear.
Monday, November 26, 2018
Before his Ragin’ Cajuns football team turned its full attention to Appalachian State and Saturday’s inaugural Sun Belt Conference championship game, UL-Lafayette coach Billy Napier said there were lessons to be learned from last weekend’s pulsati…
Sunday, November 25, 2018
“Smoke ‘em, if you got ‘em.”
Saturday, November 24, 2018
MONROE — It was fitting that the most maligned segment of UL-Lafayette’s football team was on the field at the end Saturday.
MONROE — All Andre Nunez could do was watch and hope. But UL-Lafayette’s quarterback had confidence in the Cajuns defense.
Friday, November 23, 2018
The two teams have played 52 games, dating to 1951, and they have played 17 times since they were among the original members when the Sun Belt Conference began football competition in 2001.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
If familiarity with the opposing program means anything, UL-Lafayette’s football staff has a built-in advantage Saturday when the Ragin’ Cajuns face off with UL-Monroe for the Sun Belt Conference West Division title.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
No one should blame UL-Lafayette’s defensive veterans if they’re approaching Saturday’s pivotal Sun Belt Conference West Division showdown at UL-Monroe with a measure of trepidation.
Both coaches have been in this position before, facing a rivalry game at the end of a college football season that means more than bragging rights.
Monday, November 19, 2018
UL-Lafayette coach Billy Napier saw a lot of things on film that his Ragin’ Cajuns squad could have done better last Saturday, and those issues came in virtually every area.
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Louisiana-Lafayette did not take the path of least resistance to arrive one victory from playing in the inaugural Sun Belt Conference championship game.
Saturday, November 17, 2018
LAFAYETTE — Slow and steady might win the race, but scoring quickly and often was the victory formula for Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday against South Alabama.
UL Lafayette defeated USA 48-38 at Cajun Field Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018.
Friday, November 16, 2018
The invitations are nearly ready to be sent, ones that will welcome Sun Belt Conference fans to a party next weekend that will determine the West Division champion and a berth in the league’s first championship game.
The winner of the inaugural Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game will represent the conference at the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the conference announced Friday.
Thursday, November 15, 2018
UL-Lafayette will have some new faces seeing action Saturday when the Ragin’ Cajuns host South Alabama, and it won’t hurt anybody's eligibility status.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
His head coach and position coach both insist Raymond Calais has become a much better inside runner than in past years.
Monday, November 12, 2018
UL-Lafayette coach Billy Napier hasn’t had many chances to heap praise on his defensive unit this season, so he took full advantage Monday.
Sunday, November 11, 2018
It appears Louisiana-Lafayette football fans are going to be seeing more of junior running back Raymond Calais, whether leading rusher Trey Ragas comes back or not.
Saturday, November 10, 2018
Louisiana-Lafayette took another step toward the Sun Belt Western Division title Saturday on the legs of their Nos. 2 and 3 running backs.
Cajuns top Georgia State 36-22 to reach .500 on the season.