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Battle on the Bayou:
The Pirates, in
search of their
first bowl victory
since
defeating No. 22
Boise State 41-38 in
the 2007 Sheraton
Hawaii Bowl, will
try to maintain
their present-day
momentum after
closing the regular
season with wins in
five of the last six
games. ECU
will also be looking
for its ninth win of
the year, which
would tie the
program�s
second-highest
single-season
victory total.
Now, the Pirates
meet a
Louisiana-Lafayette
team that's not in a
major conference,
but is dangerous
nonetheless. The Ragin'
Cajuns average just
short of 35 points
per game and, on the
season, have
exceeded the Pirates
in total offense by
more
than 400 yards. ULL
is playing
as well as any team
in the country and
will have a
homefield advantage
playing before a
large crowd only two
hours from
Lafayette. |
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UL |
TALE OF
THE TAPE* |
ECU |
|
39th/187.3 |
Rushing
Offense |
91st/134.8 |
|
2nd/360.18 |
Passing
Offense |
35th/272.8 |
|
33rd/443.6 |
Total
Offense |
58th/407.5 |
|
33rd/34.8 |
Scoring
Offense |
46th/31.3 |
|
43rd/143.9 |
Rushing
Defense |
45th/145.7 |
|
81st/136.8 |
Pass
Efficiency
Defense |
80th/136.8 |
|
85th/427.8 |
Total
Defense |
77th/417.3 |
|
61st/27.6 |
Scoring
Defense |
84th/30.7 |
|
59th/0.0 |
Turnover
Margin |
61st/-0.08 |
|
47th/2.17 |
Sacks |
53rd/2.08 |
|
15th/1.00 |
Sacks
Allowed |
86th/2.33 |
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*2012
FBS National ranking |
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TOP PERFORMERS AT A
GLANCE |
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PASSING
ATT. CMP. INT. YDS.
TD |
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UL
- Terrence Broadway
283 185 8 2531 16 |
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ECU - Shane Carden
371 248 9 2838 21 |
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RUSHING
ATT. YDS. AVG. TD |
|
UL
-
Alonzo
Harris
149 774
5.1 5 |
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ECU - Vintavious
Cooper
191 1030 5.4 7 |
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RECEIVING
NO. YDS. AVG. TD |
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UL
- Harry Peoples
61
997 16.3
5 |
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ECU - Justin Hardy
83 1471 12.6
6 |
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TACKLES
UT AT TFL SACKS |
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UL
- Justin Anderson
67
27 8 2 |
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ECU - Damon Magazu
37 35 0 0 |
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Schemes:
Louisiana utilizes a
pro set offensive
attack while
employing a 4-3 or
3-4 defensive
alignment. ECU
will line up in a
spread offense and
also use a 3-4 when
defending. |
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WORTH NOTING |
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�
Both teams
finished the
regular
season on a
hot streak.
The Cajuns
won four of
their final
five games,
falling only
at then-No.
7 and
Allstate
Sugar
Bowl-bound Florida.
The Gators
survived
their Nov.
10 encounter
with ULL
thanks to a blocked
punt
returned for
a touchdown
in the final
seconds. ECU
went 5-1
during the
second half
of the
regular
season, with
the lone
loss on Oct.
27 to Navy,
which is
playing in
the Dec. 29
Kraft Fight
Hunger Bowl. |
|
� Since
2006, East
Carolina has
won 23 of 27
games
since 2006
and three of
four this
season
when it
features a
100-yard
rusher.
In the Ragin'
Cajuns' eight
wins, their
opponents
have rushed
247 times
for 749
yards with
only two
teams
gaining more
than 100
yards. The
opposite is
true in
ULL's
losses as
opponents
have gained
978 yards
rushing on
195 carries. |
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� The
Pirates
currently
rank fourth
nationally
in fourth
down
conversion
percentage,
successfully
handling
10-of-13
attempts
(76.9
percent),
but the
Cajun
defense
leads the
nation in
successfully
stopping its
opponents'
fourth down
conversion
attempts
(10-of-12). |
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� In their
last 14
games away
from Dowdy-Ficklen
Stadium, the
Pirates have
surrendered
520 points �
an average
of 37.1
points per
game. ECU
has also
allowed 50
or more
points in a
contest on
the road
four times
in
the last
three years. |
|
� The
success of
the Pirates' and
Cajuns'
offensive
efforts can
be tied to
their
performances
in the red
zone. ULL
enters the
bowl game
ranked third
nationally
in red zone
efficiency,
while ECU
is fifth.
The Cajuns
have scored
49 times in
their 52
trips to the
red zone
this year
(.942). ECU has
cashed in
31 straight
red zone
visits (27
TDs, 4 FGs),
and is
45-of-49
(.918) on
the season. |
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