Cajuns make bowl history in Big Easy

The late USL head football coach Nelson Stokley would be proud of how his Cajuns have made history.
I first started covering the Cajuns back in 1996 and was part of the post-game press corps when Stokley retired in 1998.
Sadly, the beloved coach passed away in 2010 at age 66 before the Cajuns began their historic fourth straight wins at the New Orleans Bowl.
The Ragin’ Cajuns posted a 16-3 victory over Nevada, as UL Lafayette became the first NCAA-FBS program to win the same bowl game four consecutive seasons.
Terrance Broadway, who was named game MVP after throwing for 277 yards and a score on 26-of-31 passing, completed the first 14 tosses of the contest - the longest streak to start a bowl game in college football history.
Broadway was also the first player to win two New Orleans Bowl MVP trophies.
His 83.8 completion percentage against the Wolf Pack on Saturday surpassed the former New Orleans Bowl record of 78.1 (25-of-32) by Florida Atlantic’s Rusty Smith against Memphis on Dec. 21, 2007.
Cajun kicker Hunter Stover made field goals of 46, 30 and 35 yards to tie a New Orleans Bowl record – originally set by Southern Miss’ Britt Barefoot on Dec. 21, 2008, and equaled by the Ragin’ Cajuns’ Brett Baer on Dec. 22, 2012.
Stover’s four field goal attempts tied the game’s record previously established by Southern Miss’ Darren McCaleb on Dec. 14, 2004.
The 16-3 final was the lowest scoring total in New Orleans Bowl history.
UL Lafayette defense’s three-point yield was the fewest points allowed in the 14-year history of the event.
Nevada’s three points was the lowest in a bowl game since LSU was shut out in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game.
The Wolfpack hadn’t scored less than 20 points in a game this season.
The Ragin’ Cajuns held Nevada to a New Orleans Bowl-record 124 passing yards and came within a yard of setting a bowl record for total defense, allowing 214 yards. Southern Miss held North Texas to 213 yards in the 2004 game.
UL-Lafayette had 26 first downs, third most in New Orleans Bowl history, and held the ball for 36:54 to Nevada’s 23:06, the best mark in bowl history.
With the win, the Ragin’ Cajuns conclude the 2014 campaign 9-4 while Nevada fell to 7-6.
It was the fourth straight nine-win finish for Hudspeth and the Cajuns.
The fourth straight trip to the New Orleans bowl also meant a 10 a.m. kickoff but the announced attendance was 34,014 - the fourth largest crowd.
I guess you can figure out the top three crowds?
The first trip for the Cajuns in 2011 against San Diego State: 42,841
In 2012 against East Carolina, the crowd was 48,828.
In last year’s Cajuns’ win over Tulane, the bowl people had to be happy with the top record of 54,728.
There are no guarantees the Cajuns will go the New Orleans Bowl again in 2015.
But if the repeat trips to the Big Easy ends at four - it was a fun ride.
Former Cajun great Jake Delhomme was sitting in the crowd supporting his team.
I know Coach was smiling too.