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The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns will take on the Houston Cougars in the Independence Bowl on Friday afternoon in Shreveport, Louisiana. It’s time to continue our college football odds series with a Louisiana-Houston prediction and pick.
Louisiana finished the regular season at 6-6, winning their final contest against Texas State to become bowl eligible. The Ragin' Cajuns went 4-4 in the Sun Belt Conference. In this one, Louisiana will be missing their starting quarterback and best wide receiver.
Houston finished their regular season at 7-5, going 5-3 in the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars lost a heartbreaker against Tulsa in the final game, losing 37-30 as their comeback came up short. Houston lucked out with the lack of opt-outs for this one.
Here are the Louisiana-Houston college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Independence Bowl Odds: Louisiana-Houston Odds
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns: +7 (-110)
Houston Cougars: -7 (-110)
Over: 56.5 (-115)
Under: 56.5 (-105)
Why Louisiana Could Cover The Spread
Ben Woolbridge, the team's starting quarterback for most of the season, will once again be out with an injury. In his place, Chandler Fields has been solid, completing 56.7 percent of his passes for 954 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games. Fields has also rushed for two touchdowns. Chris Smith leads the team with 580 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Louisiana does not rely as much on the run, totaling 1,722 yards and 10 touchdowns as a team. Houston has allowed 144.3 rushing yards per game to their opponents.
Star receiver Michael Jefferson entered the NFL Draft and opted out of the bowl game, leaving Fields without the team's leading receiver. Neal Johnson ranks second with 277 receiving yards, catching two touchdowns. John Stephens, Jr. and Johnny Lumpkin each have caught three touchdown passes. The trio will be counted on with Jefferson absent from this one. Louisiana has averaged 27.0 points and 367.8 yards of offense per game.
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Louisiana's defense has been okay, allowing 22.8 points and 361.6 yards of offense per game to their opponents. Bralen Trahan has intercepted four passes to lead the team, while the Ragin' Cajuns have intercepted 15 passes. Houston has thrown 10 interceptions. Houston has allowed 21 sacks, while Louisiana has totaled 27 sacks as a team.
Why Houston Could Cover The Spread
Houston received the best news possible when Clayton Tune opted to play in this bowl game. Tune has completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 3,845 yards with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Tune is also tied for the team lead with 489 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Stacy Sneed is tied for the team lead with 489 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Houston has rushed for 1,710 yards and 17 touchdowns as a team. Louisiana has yielded 142.3 rushing yards per game to their opponents.
Nathaniel “Tank” Dell leads the team with ridiculous numbers, hauling in 103 catches for 1,354 yards and 15 touchdowns. While Dell declared for the NFL Draft, he opted to play in this one alongside Tune. Look out Louisiana defenders. Matthew Golden ranks second on the team with seven touchdown catches. Houston has averaged 37.2 points and 463.6 yards of offense per game.
Houston's defense has struggled, allowing 33.5 points and 430.0 yards of offense per game to their opponents. Houston has totaled 30 sacks, which the team will need to irritate the less experienced of Louisiana's signal callers. Fields has thrown four interceptions in seven games, so maybe the pressure can force more mistakes.
Final Louisiana-Houston Prediction & Pick
The points will flow in this one, especially with Tune and Dell opting to play. Houston's offense is too much to handle.
Final Louisiana-Houston Prediction & Pick: Houston -7 (-110); Over 56.5 (-115)
