2012 New Orleans Bowl, ECU vs. UL Lafayette: Ragin' Cajuns and Pirates Battle in the Big Easy - Bookie Blitz

2012 New Orleans Bowl, ECU vs. UL Lafayette: Ragin’ Cajuns and Pirates Battle in the Big Easy

The 2012 New Orleans Bowl will feature the matchup between East Carolina Pirates vs UL Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns, and the game will be played on Saturday, Dec. 22, Noon, ESPN. This game will basically be a home game for the Cajuns who set an attendance record a season ago when they played in this very same bowl game.

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In 2011 the Cajuns brought 42,841 screaming fans to support the football team and there is a good chance they will be back again for this game against the Pirates.

2012 New Orleans Bowl Odds: With that home field advantage it is no surprise that the oddsmakers made the Cajuns a (-5.5) point favorite.

The Pirates realize what they will be up against heading into this bowl game. Quarterback Shane Carden discusses how they will handle the hostile crowd.

“We know they’ll have more fans there, especially with it almost being a home game for them,” said Carden. “We know we have our fans too. I think going there earlier this year will be an advantage, knowing just how the stadium feels for a game.”

New Orleans Bowl 300x184 2012 New Orleans Bowl, ECU vs. UL Lafayette: Ragin Cajuns and Pirates Battle in the Big Easy

New Orleans Bowl Prediction

The last time the Pirates faced a bowl assignment like this one was just a couple of years ago at the 2010 Liberty Bowl against Arkansas. The Pirates put up a good fight in that game losing by the final score of 20-17.

Both teams enter this game on a hot streak and both are attempting to get their ninth win of the season.

The Cajuns will start Terrance Broadway under center taking over for Blaine Gautier, who broke his left hand in a win over Florida International on Sept. 29.

The Pirates counter with an equally talent signal-caller in Carden who topped 300 yards in four of the final six games and threw for a school-record 439 in a 65-59 overtime victory over Marshall in the season finale Nov. 23

Carden has two weapons on offense in sophomore wide receiver Justin Hardy, who has 83 catches for 1,046 yards and 10 touchdowns and junior running back Vintavious Cooper who together form the first Pirates 1,000-yard receiver and rusher in the same season. The Pirates have talent on offense but have limited success against bowl teams this season.

East Carolina did not defeat one team this season that will be appearing in a bowl game and all four of their losses were by double-digits. The Pirates are 6-14 against the spread (ATS) in their last 20 non-conference games and 0-5 ATS against a team with a winning record.

The Cajuns beat some impressive teams this season and they were in an eyelash of beating the top-ranked Florida Gators. The Cajuns are 8-2 ATS against a team with a winning record, 14-4 ATS in their last 18 games on turf and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.

The Pirates are a very good offensive team, but the Cajuns can compete in every category. The Pirates have a three game bowl losing streak that will become a four game losing streak when they lose big in hostile territory against the Cajuns.

2012 New Orleans Bowl Predictions: Cajuns 38 Pirates 31 (Cajuns -5.5)

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