When you go and win four straight New Orleans Bowls, it’s understandable the Ragin’ Cajuns fans base would be hoping for something more. Miss a year and attitudes tend to shift.
Things have certainly changed in almost the 24 months since Louisiana’s 16-3 convincing victory over Nevada in the 2014 New Orleans Bowl. Since then, NCAA violations vacated victories, among them the 2011 NOLA bowl, a 4-8 record in 2015 and the resignation of the former Athletic Director, saw a precipitous drop in the program over the last two years instead of any significant growth.
Throw in the topsy-turvy 2016 football season, which included the firing of the Defensive Coordinator after Week 1, benching of the starting QB, and needing to win three of their last four games (two on the road) just to qualify for a post season birth and the New Orleans Bowl doesn’t seem so bad. With a matchup against Southern Miss, the New Orleans Bowl may eclipse more than the 54,000 that attended the Cajuns and Green Wave in December 2013.
While a trip to the Cure Bowl would be new and different, would 40,000 Cajun fans really travel to Orlando? Forget about Montgomery, Tucson or Mobile. Until Louisiana upgrades conferences or has a magical season where they are the top ranked Group of 5 team, the New Orleans Bowl it is. Don’t even get me started on spending the day after Christmas in lovely Shreveport.
While Cajuns fans can hope for more, going to the New Orleans Bowl for the fifth time in six seasons, sounds pretty good; especially, after being left out last year.