2019 Independence Bowl

The 2019 Independence Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 26, 2019, with kickoff at 4:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. local CST) on ESPN.[5] It was the 44th edition of the Independence Bowl, and one of the 2019–20 bowl games concluding the 2019 FBS football season. Sponsored by Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar, the game was officially known as the Walk-On's Independence Bowl.

2019 Walk-On's Independence Bowl
44th Independence Bowl
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Miami Hurricanes
(9–3) (6–6)
C-USA ACC
14 0
Head coach: 
Skip Holtz		 Head coach: 
Manny Diaz
1234 Total
Louisiana Tech 0707 14
Miami 0000 0
DateDecember 26, 2019
Season2019
StadiumIndependence Stadium
LocationShreveport, Louisiana
MVPJustin Henderson (RB, Louisiana Tech) & Connor Taylor (LB, Louisiana Tech)[1]
FavoriteMiami by 7[2]
RefereeScott Campbell (Big 12)[3]
Attendance33,129
PayoutUS$2,200,000[4]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersWes Durham (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst) and Eric Wood (sideline)
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Brasil
AnnouncersMatheus Suman (play-by-play)
Weinny Eirado (analyst)

Teams

The bowl featured the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs of Conference USA (C-USA) against the Miami Hurricanes of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). It was the fifth meeting between the two programs and their first meeting in a bowl game; Miami had won each of their previous four meetings.[6]

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Main article: 2019 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team

Louisiana Tech entered the bowl with a 9–3 record (6–2 in conference). They were co-champions of the West Division of C-USA; UAB advanced to the C-USA Championship Game due to their regular season win over the Bulldogs. This was Louisiana Tech's fifth Independence Bowl, tying them with Ole Miss for the most appearances in the game. The Bulldogs had a record of 2–1–1 in prior editions of the bowl, most recently with their 2008 team winning that season's Independence Bowl over Northern Illinois, 17–10.

Miami Hurricanes
Main article: 2019 Miami Hurricanes football team

Miami entered the bowl at 6–6 (4–4 in conference). They finished in a three-way tie for third place in the Coastal Division of the ACC. The Hurricanes started their regular season with two losses, won six of their next eight games, and then finished with two losses. The 2014 Hurricanes appeared in that season's Independence Bowl, losing to South Carolina, 24–21.

Miami was missing several key players for the game, three due to injury and four due to NFL draft considerations.[7]

Game summary
2019 Walk-On's Independence Bowl
1 2 34Total
Louisiana Tech 0 7 0714
Miami 0 0 000

at Independence Stadium • Shreveport, Louisiana

  • Date: Thursday, December 26, 2019
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. CST)
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy • Temperature: 71 °F (22 °C) • Wind: SE 2 mph
  • Game attendance: 33,129
  • Referee: Scott Campbell
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Wes Durham (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst) and Eric Wood (sideline)
  • ESPN game summary
Game information
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
  • (9:34) LT – J'Mar Smith 26-yard pass to Israel Tucker, Bailey Hale kick (Drive: 13 plays, 91 yards, 5:18; Louisiana Tech 7–0)
Third Quarter
No scoring
Fourth Quarter
  • (1:15) LT – J'Mar Smith 8 yard rush, Bailey Hale kick (Drive: 5 plays, 56 yards, 2:07; Louisiana Tech 14–0)

The Bulldogs' win made them the first Group of Five team to shut out a Power Five team in a bowl game in either the Bowl Championship Series (1998–2013) or College Football Playoff (2014–present) era.[8]

Statistics
StatisticsLTMIA
First downs1815
Plays–yards68–33762–227
Rushes–yards40–17428–74
Passing yards163153
Passing: Comp–Att–Int13–28–115–34–2
Time of possession31:2628:34
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Louisiana TechPassingJ'Mar Smith13/28, 163 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
RushingJustin Henderson22 carries, 95 yards
ReceivingMalik Stanley3 receptions, 75 yards
MiamiPassingJarren Williams9/20, 94 yards, 1 INT
RushingCam'Ron Harris12 carries, 31 yards
ReceivingK.J. Osborn5 receptions, 56 yards

References
  1. Spearman, Tanner (December 26, 2019). "Louisiana Tech Blanks Miami in Independence Bowl". underdogdynasty.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  2. "Louisiana Tech vs. Miami - Game Summary - December 26, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  3. "2019-20 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  4. "2019 Bowl Schedule". collegefootballpoll.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  5. "2019-20 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, times, TV channels". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  6. "Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Miami (FL) Hurricanes football series history". winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  7. "Louisiana Tech blanks Miami in Independence Bowl". reuters.com. Field Level Media. December 26, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  8. "Louisiana Tech beats Miami 14-0 in Independence Bowl". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 26, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
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