Houston vs. Louisiana 2022 Independence Bowl Odds, Preview & Pick

By Hank Blaine • December 22, 2022

The Houston Cougars head to central Louisiana on Friday to take on the Ragin’ Cajuns at the 2022 Independence Bowl. The Cajuns play in Lafayette, which is about a stone’s throw from Shreveport, site of the Independence Bowl. Will home field help the +6.5 underdog Ragin’ Cajuns? Or will the Cougars get it done straight up and against the spread?

Before everything else, NitroBetting arms you with everything you need to kick things off on a positive note. Below, we provide event details, team andplayer statistics, and the latest NCAAF odds. More than that, we go the extra mile and share timely betting trends and predictions that help you secure the best picks. Check out for more sports betting odds and lines, exclusively at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.

Houston vs. Louisiana 2022 Independence Bowl Game Information

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5️⃣ years ago, Daniel Jones and T.J. Rahming helped @DukeFOOTBALL re-write the #IndyBowl record book!

Who's ready for more excitement this year?

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— Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (@IndyBowl) December 15, 2022

When: Friday, Dec. 23 at 3:30 pm ET
Where: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
TV: ESPN
Radio: KPRC 950 AM (Houston) // ESPN 1420 (Louisiana)

Live Stream

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College Footall Odds: Houston (-7) // Louisiana (+7)

Why Bet on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns?

After Billy Napier took the head coaching job at Florida, many wondered what might happen to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns offense. Although not as dominant as last season, the Cajuns’ offense played well even with Napier off to an SEC school.

Louisiana averaged 27 points per game from 367.4 total yards each contest. The Cajuns play a ball control offense. QB Ben Wooldridge doesn’t go for the home run, instead throwing short passes and relying on his targets to get yards after the catch.

Running back Chris Smith averages 5.2 yards per carry. Louisiana turned the ball over just 7 times during the regular season.

Louisiana’s defense relies on pressuring the quarterback and forcing turnovers. The Cajuns had 15 takeaways during the regular season.

Bralen Trahan paced the D with 4 interceptions. Zi ‘Yon Hill-Green sacked the quarterback 7.5 times. Overall, the Ragin’ Cajuns allowed an average of 22.8 points from 361.6 total yards per game.

Why Bet on the Houston Cougars?

It took a few games for Houston’s offense to get on track. By the end of the season, the Cougars fielded one of the nation’s best.

Quarterback Clayton Tune threw 37 touchdown passes and for 3,845 yards. Tune also led the team in rushing yards with 492.

Houston averaged 463.9 total yards per game on their way to 37.2 points each contest. Also, the Cougars had just 9 turnovers during the season.

The Cougars’ D was the team’s Achilles Heel. Before the season started, some thought Houston might go undefeated and end up playing for a CFP spot.

You won’t go undefeated when you allow over 33 points per game on average. The defense is so bad, SMU scored 77, yes, 77 against Houston. The Cougars do nothing well on defense.

Houston vs. Louisiana Betting Trends

Ragin’ Cajuns are 0-4 ATS in the last 4 games on grass.
Louisiana is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 bowl games.
Over is 6-0 in Louisiana’s last 6 games following a straight up win.
Cougars are 1-6 ATS in the last 6 games in December.
Houston is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 bowl games.
Over is 6-1 in Houston’s last 7 games.

Houston vs. Louisiana Expert Betting Predictions

After Western Kentucky blasted South Alabama, it’s easy to think that the Houston Cougars could dominate the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.

But the Hilltoppers fielded a decent defense against the Jaguars. Houston’s defense is a complete disaster. The Cougars don’t really play defense.

The problem Houston has in this game is two-fold. First, this is pretty much a home contest for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Shreveport and Lafayette are separated by less than 200 miles.

Second, Louisiana plays a ball control offense, which means Houston may not get enough possessions to cover the spread. So although the Cougars are the better team on paper, they will struggle to cover.

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*All stated odds are subject to change without prior notice.