College football bowl season has arrived as teams across the country are preparing to face their opponents with the hope of ending the year on a high note. The 2022 Independence Bowl will pit the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (6-6) and Houston Cougars (7-5) in what will surely be a sensational game.
Here's everything you need to know about the Independence Bowl on Friday, Dec. 23.
Where is Independence Bowl 2022?
The 2022 edition of the Independence Bowl will take place at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, LA. Independence Stadium is mainly used for high school sports games and was formerly known as State Fair Stadium. The stadium opened in 1925, seats 65,000 and is hosting for the 46th time.
When is Louisiana vs Houston Independence Bowl?
The Independence Bowl is scheduled during college football's bowl season. The game will be played on Friday, Dec. 23 at 3:00 p.m. ET and airs live on ESPN.
Independence Bowl Louisiana vs Houston Prediction and Odds 2022
Houston enters this matchup with one of the best offenses in the country, clicking at a 37.2 PPG rate (No. 13). The majority of the Cougars' offense stems from an aerial attack that averages 321.1 passing yards, which increases to a 343.7-yard average whenever they're away from home.
Though Louisiana's offense is solid (27.3 PPG), the Ragin' Cajuns average nearly eight fewer points when they aren't home than they do at Cajun Field. Louisiana's opponents have also averaged a 45.6% third-down conversion rate over the last three games, indicating that the defense just isn't stepping up.
The Cougars' D is among the worst in the country, but at least it's stopped opponents on 39.6% of third downs over that same span. Assuming that trend continues in a positive direction, it's going to be tough for the Ragin' Cajuns to keep up – especially if Houston's offense is clicking.
Moneyline:'UL: (+220) | HOU: (-275)
Spread:'UL: +6. 5 (-104) | HOU: -6.5 (-118)
Total:'58.5 -'Over: (-105) | Under: (-115)
Final Score Prediction:'Houston: 43 | Louisiana: 35
Louisiana vs Houston History
Louisiana and Houston have met head-to-head on the football field nine times. It's the Cougars that hold a 6-3 edge in the series, but the Ragin' Cajuns that emerged victorious in the most recent meeting. They took down the Cougars, 31-28, in 2006.