Where does UL football stand in latest bowl projections at Week 11?
Louisiana football has secured bowl eligibility for the fourth time under head coach Michael Desormeaux and was the first Sun Belt Conference team to do so.
The Ragin Cajuns (7-1, 4-0 SBC) have been exceeding expectations this season by grinding out win after win, en route to a five-game winning streak entering Week 11 of the 2024 college football season.
The Cajuns’ 23-17 win over Texas State in Week 10 put them as a front-runner in the Sun Belt West Division. They will host Arkansas State this week, looking to snag another win as they make waves as a Sun Belt championship contender.
With the season winding down, experts speculate which teams will enter the newly-formatted 12-team College Football Playoffs. Most of those spots will likely go to Power 4 schools, but there are still chances for a Group of 5 teams such as the Cajuns to sneak into the bracket.
During Week 10, Sports Illustrated’s Bryan Fischer has UL ranked as the seventh Group of 5 playoff contending team. On3’s Andy Staples listed the Cajuns as a Group of 5 bubble team at Week 10 of the season as the projected Sun Belt conference championship winner. In the latest AP Top 25 poll, the Cajuns also received votes for the first time this season earning nine votes.
If the College Football Playoff long shot doesn’t land, the Cajuns will still upkeep their history of bowl game appearances. Here's a look at where major media outlets have UL bowling after its win over Texas State.
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun football bowl projections: Week 11
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has picked UL to compete in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. taking on Navy in his most recent bowl game projections. The matchup is set for Dec. 27 at the Amon G. Carter Stadium in Forth Worth, Texas.
His colleague Mark Schlabach has the Cajuns heading to the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl taking place on Dec. 28 at Independence Stadium in Shreveport. Their projected bowl opponent for this matchup is Cincinnati.
In CBS’s latest bowl projections, Jerry Palm projects the Cajuns will face Western Kentucky in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 19. The Cajuns played in this bowl game last year against Jacksonville State.
247Sport’s Brad Crawford has UL playing in the 68 Ventures Bowl taking on Bowling Green. That bowl is set for Dec. 12 in Mobile, Alabama. Action Network’s Brett McMurphy has the Cajuns heading to the Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 18 going up against Toledo.
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Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Where does UL football stand in latest bowl projections at Week 11?
