Independence Bowl Betting 2023 Odds, Predictions, Preview

The Houston Cougars defeated the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns 23-16 in the 2022 Independence Bowl.

Check out last year's coverage here below and tune back in with us soon for the 2023 Independence Bowl Odds, Picks and Predictions.

It’s been a disappointing season for both the Houston Cougars and Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. Houston was expected to compete for the AAC title and had the benefit of dodging UCF and Cincinnati in conference play, but the Cougars limped to a 7-5 record in the regular season.

Meanwhile, Louisiana-Lafayette finished 6-6 under new head coach Michael Desormeaux after three straight 10-win seasons under Billy Napier. Both teams will look to end the season on a high note at the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Friday, December 23, 2022, at 3 p.m. ET from Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Houston Cougars vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns Betting Prediction

Dana Holgorsen is just 3-6 all-time in bowl season. However, his Houston Cougars should have a significant edge over the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns on Friday afternoon.

The Ragin’ Cajuns will be without their starting quarterback, two top receivers, and arguably their best defender. That will make it difficult for Desormeaux to pick up his first bowl win.

Score Prediction: Houston 31, Louisiana-Lafayette 20
Best Bet: Houston -7 (-110)

Houston Cougars vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns Betting Odds

Independence Bowl Betting Resources

• Date: Friday, December 23, 2022
• TV-Time: ESPN, 3:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Independence Stadium
• Location: Shreveport, Louisiana
• Expert Picks

Updated on 11/15/2023

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Houston Cougars Betting Analysis

The Houston Cougars landed four players on the First Team All-AAC list. Clayton Tune was electric this season, completing 67.4% of his passes for 3,845 yards (8.2 YPA) with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Tune also led Houston in rushing yards, making him one of the most impactful players in the country. Offensive linemen Cam’Ron Johnson and Patrick Paul were also First Team All-AAC selections, and this was the second such nod for Paul.

Nathaniel ‘Tank’ Dell had another huge season on the perimeter in this offense. Dell was selected First Team All-AAC for the second straight year after hauling in 103 passes for 1,354 yards and 15 touchdowns. He is leaving school early for the NFL Draft, but he decided to take part in the Independence Bowl for one last dance with his old teammates.

Freshman Matthew Golden appears to be the most likely candidate to fill Dell’s role as he was second on the team in receiving yards and touchdowns. That helped this offense rank 9th in Offensive SP+.

Houston’s defense was one of the worst in the country this season. The Cougars ranked 115th in Defensive SP+, as the loss of defensive end Derek Parish in Week 3 was huge. D’Anthony Jones was solid up front, and Art Green made some plays in the secondary, but this unit really struggled in pass defense. Opponents averaged 285.8 YPG against this pass defense, ranking 129th nationally in that category.

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns Betting Analysis

Starting quarterback Ben Wooldridge suffered a season-ending injury last month, so Chandler Fields will be the starter for the Ragin’ Cajuns in their bowl game. Fields did not perform well in limited action this season, completing 56.7% of his passes for 954 yards (6.1 YPA) with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. Fields has some mobility as a runner, but he isn’t really a game changer with his legs.

Unfortunately, the inexperienced Fields won’t have ULL’s top receiver. Michael Jefferson made the decision to leave school early for the NFL Draft and opted out of the Independence Bowl.

Jefferson was the program’s top target by a mile, so the leading active receiver coming into this game is tight end Neal Johnson with 22 receptions for 277 yards and two touchdowns. To make matters worse, Dontae Fleming will enter the transfer portal, and backup running back Terrence Williams may be unavailable with an injury.

Louisiana’s defense is ranked 29th in SP+. The Ragin’ Cajuns are allowing just 5.2 yards per play, but they will be without their best edge rusher as Andre Jones won’t play in order to prepare for the NFL Draft.

They still have First Team All-SBC defensive lineman Zi’Yon Hill-Green (seven sacks) and Bralen Trahan led the team with four interceptions on his way to first team all-conference honors too. This defense ranks in the top 20 in turnover rate, so don’t be surprised if they take a few chances.

Independence Bowl History

The Independence Bowl began in 1976 and the matchup currently features schools from the ACC and SEC conferences. The game takes place at Independence Stadium from Shreveport, Louisiana.

Favorites have gone 11-3 straight up and 10-4 against the spread in the last 14 Independence Bowls, but the underdogs have come through in the past two affairs in Shreveport. Duke routed Temple in 2018 in a 56-27 blowout as 3.5-point 'dogs, followed by Louisiana Tech blanking Miami (FL), 14-0 in 2019 as a nearly touchdown 'dog. Louisiana Tech recorded the first shutout in Independence Bowl history, while snapping a four-game 'over' run in this game.

The 2020 installment was wiped out due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, but the game returned on Dec. 18, 2021 in a battle between independent BYU and Conference USA representative UAB.