UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns Football Tickets

The Ragin Cajuns had 3 straight winning seasons under Nelson Stokley from 1993-'95, but then 9 straight losing years. Rickey Bustle's first edition went 3-9 and the next year they returned just 10 starters, the fewest in the SBC. They still managed to improve to 4-8 and actually finished 2nd in the SBC with a 4-3 record led by exciting QB Jerry Babb. They won 4 of their last 5 so they took momentum into 2004. They finished a hard-luck 2-5 in SBC play in '04, but improved their record by a half game to 4-7. Despite losing five SBC games, they actually outgained league foes by an avg of 19.8 ypg. Six of their 7 losses came by a combined 36 points including one to ULM who got a FG with :07 left. Last year I called for ULL to have their first winning season since 1995 and they were arguably the best team in the SBC at the end of the year. The Cajuns outgained league foes by 68.2 ypg and finished with a winning record, making it the 3rd straight year that Bustle had improved the team's record. Katrina did effect the team early as they had 15 players from New Orleans and are just 130 miles away from the city. They almost knocked off UCF (24-21 loss), who went on to play for the CUSA Title. They did not have QB Babb vs Fla All which was one of their two SBC losses. The next week they lost on a last second 35 yd FG to Ark St but won their final 5, their longest win streak since 1995 and had 3 straight road wins (first time since 1993). In the season finale, with ULM playing to win the SBC Title, they dominated the game with a 425-202 yd edge and ULL finished as SBC co-Champs. In the NCAA graduation success rates, ULL fared the best of the 13 Div I institutions in Louisiana, graduating 66%. In SBC games the last 4 years, ULL has actually gone from last in scoring to 2nd in 2003 and 7th in 2004 and then #1 last year (29.0 ppg). Overall ULL avg'd 26.0 ppg last year which was their best since '96 and with 6 offensive starters back, have a good shot at topping that total. The ULL defense allowed 35 ppg in the first six games of 2005 but over the last 5 just 18.8. The offense set a school record with 254.3 ypg rush, (old mark 206.5 in '83).

UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns Football 2006 Schedule