NL who?

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat DANIEL KEMPNER/Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior wide receiver Dennis Northcutt (11) assists defensive back Rafell Jones (1) in a tackle of UCLA's DeShaun Foster (26). The No. 14 Wildcats will play Northeastern Louisiana (2-4 overall), who became a Division I team in 1994, Saturday night.

No, it wasn't Notre Dame or Florida State on the schedule, it was Northeast Louisiana University.

"I know nothing about what they are doing over there," UA senior cornerback Chris McAlister said. "When I saw the schedule my thoughts were, 'who is this and where did they come from?'"

When asked if he knew where they played, McAlister replied, "Somewhere in Louisiana, I guess. I have no idea what city they play in."

The Northeast Louisiana Indians play in Monroe, La., at a school with an enrollment of 11,000 that was founded in 1931.

This program boasts former or current NFL players such as Stan Humphries, Roosevelt Potts, Tito Wooten, Vincent Brisby and Bubby Brister.

Last year they finished 5-7 after winning three of their last four games, all over Division I-A teams. Those five wins matched the season high for victories since jumping from I-AA to I-A in 1994.

This year the Indians are only 2-4 but they boast senior Marty Booker, who has 666 yards on 42 receptions and five touchdowns, and freshman quarterback Andre Vige who is 81 of 176 for 1,115 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions.

"I don't know that much about them, but they are the type of team that can scare anyone," junior offensive lineman Yusuf Scott said. "You have to go into this game just as any game, it is big for the bowls. We have to get them by the jugular and knock them out early."

The Wildcats know about teams like this as last year they opened their home schedule with Alabama-Birmingham, and they all were surprised how well the Blazers played as they pulled out a 24-10 close victory in the rain.

So, what could be worse than a loss in this game Saturday night at Wildcat Stadium.

"Hypothetically speaking, if we were to lose it could be the biggest upset that we could come across," McAlister said. "I would rather lose to Oregon State than to Northeast Louisiana."

After playing perennial Division I powerhouses Kansas State and Florida this season and now traveling to Tucson to take on Arizona, it is clear that the Indians are looking for some competition to get better and make a name for themselves in college football.

"I know they played Kansas State and Florida, but we don't even watch what goes on out on the east, so we didn't know anything before the tapes," UA senior tight end Mike Lucky said.

When asked of the tradition they are trying to build by playing top teams such as these, Scott answered, "I see them as trying to establish a good program out there. You have to beat the best to be the best and that is what they are trying to do."

Dan Rosen can be reached via e-mail at Dan.Rosen@wildcat.arizona.edu.