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From coach Mark Hudspeth’s seat, much of it started with a 2014 loss to the Cajuns’ next opponent – Appalachian State.
“I sort of attribute our sort-of slide to that game when we played them at home two years ago,” he said. “We came into that game, we were rolling. I think we were pretty hot at the time.”
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But an ensuing 42-23 win over Troy was somewhat lackluster, and a season-ending 16-3 New Orleans Bowl victories over Nevada was no easy chore.
Still, especially considering the two wins that followed, one might wonder how exactly the loss to Appalachian State late in one season impacted what happened in the next.
Hudspeth essentially was asked just that after his initial assertion that there was a carryover effect.
“At that time we were on a six-game win streak,” he said, “and felt like that was one we could get.
“We would have finished with a 10-win season that year. But they come in here, and get after us at our place, and I didn’t do a good job getting us prepared. And, you know, we didn’t really respond well the next year from that.
“We knew going into last year that it was somewhat of a rebuilding year,” Hudspeth added. “But that was a tough loss … at home, when it was their first year in the (Sun Belt) conference.”
