Cure Bowl 2018: 3 reasons to watch Tulane vs. Louisiana
By John Scimeca
2. The last time these two rivals met, it was a 4OT thriller
The 2016 matchup between Tulane and Louisiana began as a quiet Week 4 encounter at Yulman Stadium in uptown New Orleans. What followed was a wild clash that saw four extra periods of football. A failed two-point conversion by the Ragin’ Cajuns left the Green Wave as the game’s victors, 41-39.
Might the same drama ensue in a postseason meeting two years later? The Ragin’ Cajuns won the Sun Belt’s West Division and appeared in the first-ever conference title game. Tulane was co-champs of the American Athletic Conference’s West Division, despite losing out on a tiebreaker to Memphis.
Louisiana is aiming for its first winning campaign since 2014, when the squad capped a four-year run of nine-win seasons. The Ragin’ Cajuns boast a talented backfield in running backs Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas, a duo that has combined for more than 2,000 yards this season.
In addition, the Ragin’ Cajuns have two losses against SEC schools (Alabama and Mississippi State) and two against Sun Belt champion Appalachian State.
Tulane, after falling to 2-5 earlier this season, rebounded to win four of its next five games to become bowl-eligible, including winning a Senior Day contest against Navy, 29-28.