New Orleans Bowl 2011: Key Matchups for San Diego State vs. Louisiana-Layafette
New Orleans Bowl 2011: Key Matchups for San Diego State vs. Louisiana-Layafette
According to Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated, the 2011 R+L New Orleans Bowl will be played by the San Diego State Aztecs and Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns.
The Ragin' Cajuns finished the year ranked fourth in the Sun Belt after going 8-4.
The Aztecs also have an 8-4 record and were one of the last teams to make it to a bowl game.
The New Orleans Bowl was the last game up for grabs, and San Diego State got it.
Ryan Lindley vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Secondary
Lindley finished the season with 2,740 yards, 20 touchdowns and only eight interceptions and is one of the unheralded quarterbacks in the nation.
The Ragin' Cajuns ranked 83rd in the FBS in points allowed and gave up their most points of the season to two of the best passing offenses in the nation—61 to Oklahoma State and 45 to Arizona.
Lindley will be hard to stop in this game.
Ronnie Hillman vs. Defense
The 5'10", 190-lb. speedster finished the season ranked third in the NCAA in rushing yards with 1,656 yards.
Hillman also added 19 touchdowns on the ground while hauling in 20 passes for 221 yards and another touchdown.
Hillman is one of the best backs in the country and will have a nice matchup against a UL-L team that gave up 206 yards against the NCAA's second leading rusher, Bobby Rainey of Western Kentucky.
Javone Lawson vs. Larry Parker
Lawson is UL-L's leading receiver this season and is one of the Sun Belt's top receivers.
Lawson had 899 yards and six touchdowns on only 54 catches this year.
Parker is San Diego State's leader on defense.
The senior cornerback leads the team with seven interceptions this year, including one against Boise State star Kellen Moore.
The matchup between the two will be one to watch in the New Orleans Bowl.
Mark Huspeth vs. Rocky Long
Long, a 42-year coaching veteran, is in his first year at the helm of the Aztecs.
The former New Mexico head coach and San Diego State defensive coordinator under Brady Hoke currently has the Aztecs ranked 52nd in the nation in points allowed.
Hudspeth, also in his first year at UL-L, is an offensive genius and the matchup between the two will be interesting to watch.
Veteran-coached defense against a veteran-coached offense.
San Diego State Pass Rush vs. Blaine Gautier
Gautier is one of the top quarterbacks in the Sun Belt and is extremely efficient.
He has 20 touchdowns to only five interceptions and has a 63.2 completion percentage.
The Aztec pass rush will have to put pressure on Gautier to ensure a victory in the New Orleans Bowl.