Cajuns To Face Tulane In R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Contact: Brian McCann

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Game 13: Tulane (7-5) vs. Louisiana (8-4)
When: Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013, 8:00 p.m. CST
Site: Mercedes-Benz Superdome (Artificial, 72,000)
TV: ESPN (Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham & Jeannine Edwards)
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Jay Walker, Gerald Broussard & Steve Peloquin)
Participating Network Stations
KPEL (1420 AM, Lafayette) Flagship
KXHT (107.9 FM, Lafayette)
WGSO (990 AM, New Orleans)
KTUX (98.9 FM, Shreveport)
KLCL (1470 AM, Lake Charles)
KJEF (1290 AM, Jennings)
KRJO (1680 AM, Monroe)
Series: Tulane Leads, 21-5
Last Meeting: Louisiana 41, Tulane 13 (Oct. 6, 2012, Cajun Field)

THE STORYLINE: For the third straight year, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns will spend the pre-holiday season in New Orleans before facing Tulane in the 13th Annual R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 21 beginning at 8:00 p.m. CST in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. . . the game will be televised nationally on ESPN with Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningam and Jeannine Edwards providing the commentary. . . the Cajuns will take a short break from practice this week to focus on final exams for the fall semester with bowl practice beginning on Wednesday (Dec. 11) and running through Tuesday (Dec. 16) before the team departs to New Orleans. . . after ending a 41-year bowl-less stretch in 2011, the Cajuns will be making their third straight bowl appearance this year, claiming wins over San Diego State (32-30) in 2011 and East Carolina (43-34) in 2012 to improve to 3-1 all-time in postseason action. . . 11 Cajuns were named to the Sun Belt Conference team on Wednesday, including Justin Anderson, Alonzo Harris, Andre Huval, Elijah McGuire and Darryl Surgent earning first team recognition and McGuire being tabbed the league's freshman of the year. . . senior Justin Anderson made 12 tackles at South Alabama to finish the year leading the Sun Belt and ranking 14th nationally with 123 tackles, the fourth-highest total by a linebacker in school history. . . junior Alonzo Harris picked up 60 yards rushing last week to raise his season total to 868 and rank fifth in school history in both yards (2,449) and attempts (524) and third in rushing touchdowns (31). . . although Tulane holds a 21-5 lead in the all-time series, the Cajuns claimed the only meeting since 2000 when they toppled the Green Wave, 41-13, last year in Cajun Field. . . Louisiana is 6-7 all-time in games played in the Superdome and 8-10 in games played indoors, including three straight wins.

SERIES VS. TULANE: The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will mark the 27th series meeting between Louisiana and Tulane with the Green Wave holding a 21-5 edge in the series that dates back to 1911. Tulane won the first 16 meetings before the Cajuns won four of five meetings from 1988-95. Louisiana used a 41-13 win last year to snap Tulane's four-game win streak.

RAGIN' CAJUNS IN THE SUPERDOME: The 2013 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl appearance marks the Ragin' Cajuns 14th appearance all-time inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, including 11 games against Tulane. Louisiana is 6-7 all-time in games played at the Superdome (4-7 vs. Tulane/2-0 in New Orleans Bowl).

AT HOME IN THE DOME: The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will be the 19th time that the Cajuns will play in an indoor venue. With victories in back-to-back New Orleans Bowls and a 35-21 win over Georgia State earlier this year in the Georgia Dome, the Cajuns are now 8-10 all-time while playing indoors. This will be the fourth indoor stadium that the Cajuns will play in, owning a 6-7 record in the Superdome, a 1-1 mark in the Idaho's Kibbie Dome and a 0-2 record in the Minneapolis Metrodome.

GOING BOWLING: After snapping a 41-year bowl-less stretch in 2011 by earning a berth in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the Ragin' Cajuns will make it bowls in three years in a row, receiving a bid to play in the 13th edition of the game on Dec. 21 in New Orleans. The accomplishment allows the Cajuns to join North Texas (2001-02-03-04) as the only schools to appear in three straight New Orleans Bowls.

HUDSPETH RANKED SIXTH AMONG FBS COACHES: Third-year Louisiana head coach Mark Hudspeth has made his mark nationally in a short time coaching, entering the week ranked seventh among active FBS coaches with a .736 winning percentage (92-33).

WE ARE LOUISIANA: There is confusion among the national sports organizations as how to refer to the Ragin' Cajuns. Our official name is the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, but much like our opponents around the country, we simply go by Louisiana when referring to our athletic programs. It is the same situation at the Universities of Texas (at Austin), Tennessee (at Knoxville) and California (at Berkeley), but years of use and understanding by the sports media has led to each of those schools to have their athletic monikers being simplified and accepted nationally. Although we proudly refer to our University with its full title for academic purposes, we ask that you use Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns or some combination of those terms, when talking about our athletic teams.

11 CAJUNS EARN ALL-SUN BELT HONORS: A school-record 11 Cajuns were named to the Sun Belt Conference team on Wednesday, including Justin Anderson (LB), Alonzo Harris (RB), Andre Huval (C), Elijah McGuire (RB) and Darryl Surgent (WR) earning first team recognition. Justin Hamilton (DT), Trevence Patt CB), Daniel Quave (RG) and Jamal Robinson (WR) earned second team honors with Jacob Maxwell (TE) and Dominique Tovell (LB) being accorded honorable mention all-league status. The 11 honorees breaks the old record of 10 set in 2011.

. . . AND McGUIRE NAMED SUN BELT FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Running back Elijah McGuire came on strong during the second half of the season to earn Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors. McGuire is the second Cajun player to receive the honor in the last three years, joining running mate Alonzo Harris, who received it in 2011. The only non-kicker freshman ranked in the top five in any of the major Sun Belt stat categories, McGuire enters the bowl ranked fourth in the conference averaging 73.2 rushing yards per game. The Houma, La., native has carried 92 times for 818 yards, a league-best 8.9 average and seven touchdowns while catching 15 passes for 290 yards and three scores. He gained a career-high 137 yards with three touchdowns against Nicholls State and added 110 yards, including a career-long 70 yard rush, on 10 carries at Arkansas State. He posted back-to-back 100-yard game at Georgia State (11-107) and ULM (15-119), his third and fourth 100-yard games of the year.

SUN BELT CHAMPIONS: After finishing third in the Sun Belt Conference in 2011 and second in 2012, the Cajuns claimed a share of the Sun Belt title in 2013. The title, its second crown in 13 years as a member in the Sun Belt, marks the sixth time that Louisiana has won a conference title in its 50th season playing in a conference. The Cajuns previously won the Gulf States Conference title in 1970, the Southland in 1976, the Big West in both 1993 and 1994, and the Sun Belt in 2005.

SETTING A STANDARD: In addition to the first-ever, back-to-back-to-back seasons appearing in a bowl game, Mark Hudspeth has helped Louisiana to tie the school record for wins in a season with nine. Prior to the 9-4 mark in 2011, the Cajuns set the school record for wins with a 9-2 record in both 1921 and 1976. The 18 wins in Hudspeth's first two years, and the 26 victories in the first three, are the most in a two and three-year period in school history.

. . . DEJA VU: For the third straight year, the Cajuns will take an 8-4 record to New Orleans for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The first two trips came with happy endings as Louisiana won the New Orleans Bowl to tie the school record for wins in season with nine. The Cajuns carry a two-game losing streak into the bowl for the second time in three years. In 2011, Louisiana dropped road games at Arkansas State (30-21) and Arizona (45-37) before heading to the bowl game. The last time that Louisiana had six or more wins in three straight seasons came from 1993-95 when Nelson Stokley guided the Cajuns to three straight winning seasons, including a pair of Big West Conference titles.

. . . AND WIN STREAK ENDS AT EIGHT: The 2013 season will be remembered for the eight-game winning streak that came in the middle of the schedule, equalling the longest win streak in school history. The streak started with a Cajun Field record scoring explosion in a 70-7 win over Nicholls State and included a pair of five-point wins. Four of the games were played at home and four on the road with the Cajuns winning by an average of 19.7 points per game during the streak. It is the third time that Louisiana has won eight straight games, joining the 1976 squad that won its first eight contests, and the 1916-17 teams that won the final seven games of 1916 and the first contest in 1917. The win was also the school-record ninth straight Sun Belt win for Louisiana.

FUN WITH KICKERS: Fans attending the New Orleans Bowl might be uncertain as to which kicker to cheer for. After all, the Cajuns feature regular Stephen Brauchle (pronounced broccoli) while Tulane has the option of using Steven Broccoli (pronounce Brauchle). Brauchle, a sophomore from Gulfport, Miss. who attended Gulfport High and Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C., has handled ever kick from placement for the Cajuns, going eight-for-13 on field goals and 51-for-53 on extra points for 75 points. Broccoli, who hails from New York, N.Y, and went to Tulane via Fordham Prep, has not played in two seasons with the Green Wave.

SURGENT SETS KICKOFF RECORDS: Senior Darryl Surgent is closing his career as one of the most versatile players in school history. He ranks 12th nationally, and third in the Sun Belt, returning 22 kickoffs for 598 yards and a 27.2 average. That performance has helped him to break the school records for both kickoff returns (129) and kickoff return yards in a career (2,744). Joe Redding (1985-88) previously owned both records with 114 returns for 2,642 yards. Earlier this year, Surgent returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown at Kansas State, the longest return in school history.

A RECORD FOR THOMPSON: When Ian Thompson steps on the Superdome turf in the New Orleans Bowl, he will set the school record by playing in his 51st career game. Thompson, a four-year regular at tight end, has played in every game during his career, making 16 career starts at tight end. Thompson will break the record of 50 career games played, which is currently shared by Melvin White, who is currently a rookie cornerback for the Carolina Panthers, and offensive line iron-man Jaron Odom, both of whom played from 2009-12.

HARRIS APPROACHES 2,500-YARD MARK: With 868 yards rushing this season, junior Alonzo Harris has moved within 51 yards of becoming the fourth runner in school history to total, 2,500 yards rushing in a career. Harris, who is third in the Sun Belt in rushing this season (72.3 ypg), enters the week ranked fourth in school history with 2,449 yards. He is also third in rushing touchdowns (31) and fifth in attempts (519). His 72.0 yards rushing per game is third best, trailing only Tyrell Fenroy (101.0 from 2005-08) and Brian Mitchell (77.6 from 1986-89). Harris gained 700 yards as a freshman in 2011 and totalled 881 yards last season.

CAJUNS PREPARE THE HAACK ATTACK: If Terrance Broadway is unable to return in time for the bowl game after suffering a broken arm late in the ULM game on Nov. 30, redshirt freshman Brooks Haack would be the leading candidate to earn the start for the second straight game. Haack saw mop-up duty at Arkansas State (2-3, 18 yds.) and at home against both Nicholls State (2-2, 10 yds) and Texas State (2-2, 21 yds). He completed 10-of-14 passed for 126 yards and a touchdown in the final 10:28 of the ULM game. He started the South Alabama game, completing five-of-14 passes for 49 yards. For the year, Haack has completed 21-of-35 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown, owning a passing efficiency of 117.5.

. . . THE OTHER HAACK: For his first 16 months on campus, freshman quarterback Brooks Haack has been thought of as the "other" Haack, trying to get out of the shadow of his sister, Matte, who was a standout on the Ragin' Cajuns softball team. In two years (2012-13), Matte Haack hit .330 (124-376) with 22 home runs, 85 runs scored and 114 RBIs, starting 120 of the 121 games that Louisiana played. A two-time All-Sun Belt choice at first base, she helped guide the Cajuns to a 100-21 and two NCAA Super Regional appearances.

McGUIRE NEARS 100-YARD RECORD: When freshman Elijah McGuire picked up 119 yards rushing against ULM on Nov. 30, it marked the fourth time that he has gone over the 100-yard mark in a game. He enters the New Orleans Bowl needing one more 100-yard effort to tie Tyrell Fenroy's school record of five 100-yard games by a true-freshman, which was set in 2005.

CADONA FINISHES SEASON STRONG: Junior punter Daniel Cadona, who had never put on a uniform let alone play in an organized football before coming to Louisiana last spring, has quietly put together a solid ending to his first season as a Cajun. After owning a 40.7 average and ranking enar the bottom of the Sun Belt after nine games, the Darwin, Northern Territory in Australia native has responded by kicking 15 times for 709 yards and a 47.3 avg. over the last three games. His best came at South Alabama in the regular-season finale when he kicked eight times for 384 yards and a 48.0 average to earn Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Cadona enters the bowl game with a 41.8 avg., punting 46 times with 11 kicks of 50 yards or more and 14 downed inside the 20.

CAJUNS LEAD SUN BELT IN ATTENDANCE: A crowd of 25,309 for the final home game of the season allowed the Cajuns to lead the Sun Belt in attendance for the second time in three years. In five games, the Cajuns drew 129,878 fans for a league-best 25,976 average, edging second place Arkansas State (24,913) by 1,063 fans to claim the crown. It is also the second-highest single-season average, trailing only the 29,171 from 2011. The total attendance was the seventh-highest total in school history with five of the other six being accomplished in seasons with at least six home games.

McGUIRE EQUALS RUSH-RECEIVING FETE: When Elijah McGuire rushed for 107 yards and caught passes for 125 yards at Georgia State on Nov. 16, he became one of four players in the country this year (and the first in school history) to post the rare 100-100 game. McGuire started the game by taking a forward handoff from Terrance Broadway and out-running the defense for an 80-yard touchdown catch. He later added a 36-yard touchdown on a screen pass and a 39-yard run. McGuire joins Sun Belt rivals Antonio Andrews from WKU and Georgia State's Albert Wilson, and Boise State's Jay Ajayi as the only FBS players to accomplish the fete this year.

SENIORS BREAK WIN RECORD: The win over Georgia State on Nov. 16 gave the current class of Ragin' Cajuns the distinction of being the winningest class in school history. The seniors carry a 29-21 record into this week's game, one win more than the 28-14 record posted by the Class of 1970. After a 3-9 season in 2010, this group of seniors have come back to record back-to-back 9-4 seasons in 2011 and 2012 and are 8-4 this year heading into the New Orleans Bowl.

BROADWAY PASSES 5,000 YARD MARK: A 178-yard passing night against ULM on Nov. 30 allowed Terrance Broadway to become just the fifth player in school history to throw for 5,000 yards in a career. In 24 career games (20 starts), Broadway has completed 360 of 562 passes for 5,118 yards and 36 touchdowns. He ranks first in passing yards per game (213.3), fourth in touchdowns, fifth in yards, sixth in completions and eighth in attempts.

. . . AND REACHES 5,000-1,000 MILESTONE: Broadway's performance against ULM allowed junior quarterback Terrance Broadway to become the third quarterback in school history to throw for 5,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career. Broadway has completed 360-of-562 passes for 5,118 yards and 36 touchdowns while also rushing 236 times for 1,190 yards and 17 scores. Broadway joins Brian Mitchell (5,447 yards passing, 3,335 rushing from 1986-89) and Jerry Babb (6,241 pass, 1,489 rush from 2003-06). Broadway is one of five Cajuns quarterbacks all-time to rush for 1,000 yards and he became the fifth to throw for 5,000 yards as well.

. . . THE 1,000 IS A MILESTONE BY ITSELF: With 421 yards rushing this year, junior Terrance Broadway has become the fifth quarterback in school history to rush for more 1,000 yards in a career. He enters the bowl game with 1,190 yards on 236 carries with 17 touchdowns. He joins Brian Mitchell (3,335 yards from 1986-89), Michael Desormeaux (2,843, 2005-08), Jerry Babb (1,489, 2003-06) and Bill Bayard (1,195, 1963-66) as quarterbacks with 1,000 yards rushing.

TOVELL TAKES OVER: Sophomore Dominique Tovell quietly put together a solid season for the Cajuns to earn honorable mention All-Sun Belt recognition. He ranks second on the team with 64 tackles (38 solo), including five or more tackles in eight of the last nine games. He leads the team and ranks fifth in the Sun Belt with 12 tackles for loss totalling -40 yards and is second with a pair of quarterback sacks.

HARRIS HAS A RECORD DAY: When Alonzo Harris broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run with 52 seconds left against New Mexico State on Nov. 2, it allowed the junior to equal the school record with five rushing touchdowns in the game. Brian Mitchell originally set the record vs. Lamar in 1989. Harris ranks third in the Sun Belt with 13 touchdowns this year and he has 31 rushing touchdowns in his career. He ranks fifth on the single season rushing touchdowns list and is third for his career.

McGUIRE MAINTAINS HIS AVERAGE: The statistic that stands out the most about Elijah McGuire's season is that the freshman is averaging 8.9 yards per carry, the highest average in the country this year for backs with at least 75 attempts. McGuire has carried 92 times for 818 yards this year and his average is ahead of the current school record of 7.7 yards per carry, which was set by F.G. Mixon in 1951. The modern school record is 7.2 yards per carry set by Michael Desormeaux (144-1,035-7.2) in 2008.

McGUIRE LOVES CAJUN FIELD: Elijah McGuire is especially comfortable playing at Cajun Field, carrying 44 times for 468 yards, a 10.6 average and seven touchdowns in the five games to date. He wowed the Cajun Field crowd against Nicholls State (Sept. 14), becoming the ninth true-freshman in school history to rush for 100 yards in a game. He carried nine times for 137 yards and three touchdowns, including a scintillating 42-yard scamper on which he dragged Nicholls defensive back Treavon Evans for almost 10 yards and then had to fight off another defender to get into the endzone. McGuire came back to carry seven times for 58 yards and a touchdown against Texas State, six times for 72 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown, against New Mexico State and seven times for 82 yards and a 38-yard TD vs. Troy. He closed the home schedule against ULM, picking up 119 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

McGUIRE & THE BIG PLAY: Freshman Elijah McGuire scored touchdowns on catches of 36 and 80 yards at Georgia State while adding a 39-yard carry, giving him 15 plays of 20 yards or more this season. He has 10 runs of 20+ yards, including touchdowns of 51, 42 and 38 yards and five 20+ yard receptions, including touchdown grabs of 36, 60 and 80 yards. He has touched the ball on offense 107 times this year, accumulating 1,118 yards and a 10.4 average.

CAJUNS GET WIN #500: The 70-7 win over Nicholls State on Sept. 14 was the 500th in the 113-year history of the Louisiana football program. The Cajuns have gone to win seven more to begin the week with a 507-525-34 record.

DOING MORE WITH MORE: After years of achieving athletic success with less resources than some of its competitors, the Cajuns will finally get the opportunity to do more with more when construction begins later this fall on the first tier of projects in the $115 million Athletic Facilities Master Plan. All 16 sports will be impacted with the addition of the Athletic Performance Center, a 71,000 square-foot facility that will more than double the current existing space for athletic training (10,000 square feet), equipment (6,000) and two complete weight rooms (12,000 & 6,800). The facility will also include a new football locker room, an auditorium capable of seating 150 people and house the coaching staff.

. . . AND A MEMORABLE GROUND-BREAKING: Fans attending the game against Troy on Nov. 7 were surprised at the start of the halftime ceremonies by a ground-breaking ceremony for the stadium end zone project that will add approximately 6,000 seats to the south end zone of Cajun Field. With the help of a front end loader, University President Dr. Joseph Savoie, Director of Athletics Scott Farmer and RCAF Chair John Bordelon turned some soil and tossed it into the front end loader to symbolize the start of the project. Actual construction will begin shortly after the final game of the year on Nov. 30 with work being completed in time for the 2014 home opener against Southern on Aug. 30. As for the Athletic Performance Center, construction should begin in early 2014 with completion of the project by football signing day in Feb., 2015.

CAJUNS RANK 26TH IN RUSHING: With the majority of the rushing attack back this year, the Cajuns have taken another jump in the rushing stats. Through 12 games, Louisiana has gained 2,491 yards on 518 carries for a healthy 4.8 yards per carry. The Cajuns lead the Sun Belt and rank 26th in the nation averaging 207.6 yards per game. Those numbers were expected this season as the Cajuns returned every player who gained rushing yards last year except quarterback Blaine Gautier (17 carries, 93 yards) and wide receiver Harry Peoples (14-72) from a team that ranked second in the Sun Belt and 34th in the nation averaging 193.5 yards per game.

CAJUN FIELD SCORING RECORD FALLS: Despite a home season-low 28 points against ULM on Nov. 30, the Cajuns broke the Cajun Field record for points scored at home in a single season with 236. The Cajuns scored 40 or more points in each of the first four home games, including a stadium record 70 points in the home-opening win over Nicholls State. The 229 points breaks the old mark of the 216 that were scored in five games in 1995. This is only the third time that the Cajuns have scored over 200 points at home in a single season, the third coming in 1923 when Louisiana tallied 206 points in five games. The home average of 47.2 points a game breaks the previous stadium record of 43.2 set in 1995.

. . . SINGLE & MULTIPLE GAME RECORDS FALL AS WELL: The 70-point explosion against Nicholls State on Sept. 14 shattered the previous Cajun Field record of 56 points set by the Cajuns in a 56-21 win over UAB on Sept. 9, 1995. When you add a 52-point effort in the 2012 home finale against South Alabama, the third-highest single game scoring total in Cajun Field, and the 122 points in consecutive home games easily sets the stadium record. Add in the 48 points vs. Texas State and the 170 points is the three-game record and the 49 points vs. New Mexico State would make the four-game record 171 points.

. . . AND LOOKING AT THE GAMES INDIVIDUALLY: Louisiana has played 231 games in Cajun Field since it opened in 1971 with the first four games played in 2013 each ranking among the top 23 point totals in stadium history. The 70 points vs. Nicholls State is the current stadium record with the 49-point effort vs. New Mexico State ranking third, the 48 points against Texas State ranked seventh and the 41 points against Troy being tied for 23rd.

MORE SCORING: The 10 touchdowns against Nicholls State tied the school record, originally set against Troy in 1946. The 70 points was the most by Louisiana since a 75-0 win over Lake Charles AAF on Nov. 3, 1943 and the 63-point margin of victory was the highest since topping Troy, 64-0 on Nov. 8, 1946.

BRAUCHLE NEARS EXTRA POINT RECORDS: Sophomore Stephen Brauchle has had an impact on the record books in his first season with the Cajuns. He enters the New Orleans Bowl just three extra points made and four attempts away from breaking Brett Baer's school records of 53 extra points made and 56 attempted, which was set last year. These would not be Brauchle's first record. In his Louisiana home debut on Sept. 14, he set a school record with 10 extra points made and tied the mark with 10 extra points attempted.

McGUIRE'S LONG RUN: When Elijah McGuire broke free for a career-long 70-yard run to set up a three-yard touchdown run by Alonzo Harris in the second quarter at Arkansas State on Oct. 22, it marked the longest non-scoring play of the season for the Cajuns and the longest since Jamal Robinson and Blaine Gautier teamed up on an 86-yard pass in the 2012 season opener. Although the Louisiana records are incomplete, they do show that there have been at least three non-scoring runs of 80 yards or more, including a record 90-yard effort by Reggie Dupre at Southeastern Louisiana in 1971.

HARRIS & McGUIRE TOP THE 100-YARD MARK: The Oct. 22 win at Arkansas State featured a unique accomplishment by the Cajuns backfield as running backs Alonzo Harris and Elijah McGuire became just the seventh running back duo, and first since 1998, to rush for 100 yards in the same game. Harris was the work horse, carrying 29 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns while McGuire was aided by a 70-yard burst, rushing just 10 times for a game-high 110 yards. It was the 21st time in program history that two runners each had 100 yards rushing in a game, but in 13 of those games, a quarterback was one of the two. John Bernard (129 yards) and Darren Brister (106) were the last running back duo to accomplish the feat, doing it at ULM in 1998.

A WORTHY DEFENDER: When Rodney Gillis went down with a season-ending leg injury against Texas State, it created an opportunity for T.J. Worthy to return to the starting lineup, which the sophomore has taken advantage of. He has averaged 5.4 tackles in the seven games since. He started the stretch with seven tackles (five solo) and an interception at WKU on Oct. 15 and came back to match his career-high with 11 tackles (6 solo) at Arkansas State. Against New Mexico State, five of his nine tackles were solo. He begins the week ranked fourth on the team with 56 tackles and leading the squad with a pair of interceptions. A starter at safety in three games last year, Worthy finished sixth on the team with 47 tackles.

ANDERSON PASSES 100-TACKLE MARK: Justin Anderson enters his final game as a Cajun leading the Sun Belt and ranking 14th in the nation averaging 10.3 tackles a game. He surpassed the 100-tackle mark in the win at Georgia State and added his sixth double-figure tackle game of the year at South Alabama to enter the bowl game with 123 stops, the fifth-highest single season tackle total in school history. He needs eight tackles to reach fourth place (Steve Spinella, 131 in 1984) and 12 to catch third place Damon mason (135 in 1996). Anderson has had five games of 10 tackles or more, including 15 vs. Kansas State (Sept. 7) and 14 vs. both Arkansas (Aug. 30) and New Mexico State (Nov. 2). He was named the SBC Defensive Player of the Week after the WKU game, a career-high 16 tackle effort that saw him force and recover two fumbles and make two TFL. Anderson now has 11 double-figure tackle games in his career.

RILES TURNS IN THE PLAY OF THE YEAR: With the Cajuns trailing WKU, 10-0, and the Hilltoppers facing a fourth-and-goal from the 1 that could have put them ahead 17-0 in the Oct. 15 meeting, sophomore safety Al Riles turned in the biggest play of the year to date. Riles intercepted a Brandon Doughty pass just outside the goal line and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown to turn the Cajuns fortunes around. The interception, the first of Riles career, was the second returned for a touchdown by the Cajuns this year (Justin Anderson vs. Nicholls State).

10 CAJUNS EARN MID-SEASON ALL-SBC HONORS: Ten Louisiana players received mention when Phil Steele released his mid-season All-Sun Belt Conference team on Oct. 14. The Cajuns placed five players on the first team, Jamal Robinson (WR), Andre Huval (C), Daniel Quave (RG), Mykhael Quave (LT) and Justin Anderson (LB), while Terrance Broadway (QB), Alonzo Harris (RB), Jacob Maxwell (TE), Sean Thomas (FS), Dominique Tovell (DL) earned second team mention. Louisiana and Arkansas State shared the lead with 10 players honored.

THE LINE THAT PLAYS TOGETHER, STAYS TOGETHER: For the third straight season, the Cajuns will enter the New Orleans Bowl with an offensive line unit that has started every game together during the year. Center Andre Huval and right guard Daniel Quave enter the week with 38-game starting streaks while left tackle Mykhael Quave has started 25 straight, including every game at left guard in 2012, before moving to tackle last spring. Junior Terry Johnson (LG) and sophomore Octravian Anderson (RT) made their first careers starts at Arkansas on Aug. 30 and have started all 12 games this year. This is just the third starting combination since Mark Hudspeth took over three years ago as the same five starters were used in all 13 games in each of his first two seasons and all 12 during the regular season this year.

SURGENT PROVES VERSATILE: With 1,129 all-purpose yards this season, senior wide receiver Darryl Surgent moved into second place on the Louisiana career all-purpose yards list with 4,886 yards. He passed Brandon Stokley (3,789 yards from 1995-98) and trails only Tyrell Fenroy (5,231 yards from 2005-08), both of whom have had their jerseys retired by the Cajuns. In his career, Surgent has picked up 1,640 yards receiving, 2,744 yards on kickoff returns, 453 yards on punt returns with 49 yards rushing. Surgent is averaging 101.8 yards all-purpose yards per game, the fourth-highest average in Cajuns history.

. . . AND AS A VERSATILE SCORER: Senior Darryl Surgent enters his final game as a Cajun with 19 career touchdowns and is the only player in school history -- and one of four active players nationally -- to own the distinction of scoring by rushing, receiving and returning both a punt and kickoff. Surgent has 14 receiving scores -- six in 2011, three in 2012 and five this year -- and owns a 16-yard touchdown run at Middle Tennessee in 2011. He returned kickoffs of 97 yards at Oklahoma State in 2010 and 100 yards at Kansas State on Sept. 7. He finished the 2011 season with an 87-yard punt return for a score vs. San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl and added a 67-yard punt return against Troy for his second punt return score. Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas, Toledo's Bernard Reedy and Miami's Stacy Coley are the only other current players to score four different ways.

BROADWAY SETS 300-YARD PASSING MARK: With back-to-back passing efforts of 305 yards at Akron (Sept. 21) and 335 vs. Texas State (Oct. 5), Terrance Broadway broke the school record with his fifth and sixth career 300-yard passing games. The efforts, the 31st and 32nd 300-yard games in school history, allowed the Baton Rouge native to break the mark of five 300-yard games held by both Jake Delhomme (1993-96) and Blaine Gautier (2009-12). Broadway is just the 11th Cajuns player to throw for 300 yards in a game.

NEXT UP: With the 2013 season complete, the Ragin' Cajuns will break for the holiday season returning to campus on Jan. 13 to start classes for spring term. The Cajuns will have over nine months before opening the 2014 season at home against Southern on Saturday, Aug. 30.

Cajuns To Face Tulane In R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

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