To cap the nationwide bicentennial celebrations in 1976, Americans were treated to a fitting upset in the inaugural Independence Bowl, as an injury-ravaged McNeese State squad scored late to tip Tulsa in a 20-16 thriller.
The game has been played at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, every year since, but it became a regional attraction in 1995 by affiliating with the Southeast Conference. That year, home state Louisiana State University dismantled Michigan State in a 45-26 rout, easily covering a 6-point spread in front of 48,835 fans – the largest Independence Bowl crowd to date at the time.
Between 1998 and 2009, the SEC played a Big 12 team, leading to several memorable showdowns. In 2000, when a freak storm created blizzard conditions, Mississippi State outlasted Texas A&M as a 1-point underdog in a 43-41 shootout known as the “Snow Bowl.” And in 2007, in a sign of things to come, new head coach Nick Saban led Alabama to a 30-24 win over Colorado to cover as a 4.5-point favorite.
That game started a streak of five straight covers for favorites, but over the next five-year period (2012-2016), two underdogs managed to win outright. Ohio (+6.5) walloped Louisiana-Monroe 45-14 in 2012, and South Carolina (+3) nipped Miami 24-21 in 2014. Dogs also cashed in on Tulsa (+13.5) in 2015 – when the Golden Hurricane nearly outgunned Virginia Tech in a 55-52 track meet.
The Temple Owls will square off with the Duke Blue Devils in this year’s Independence Bowl. For the latest odds, a free pick and handicapping information, visit our Independence Bowl Game Center.
| Year | Bowl | Team | Score | Team | Score | Spread | ATS Sportsbook | SU Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Independence Bowl | Michigan State | 26 | LSU | 45 | -6 | LSU | LSU |
| 1996 | Independence Bowl | Army | 29 | Auburn | 32 | -9 | ARMY | AUBRN |
| 1997 | Independence Bowl | Notre Dame | 9 | LSU | 27 | -7 | LSU | LSU |
| 1998 | Independence Bowl | Mississippi | 35 | Texas Tech | 18 | -8.5 | MISS | MISS |
| 1999 | Independence Bowl | Mississippi | 27 | Oklahoma | 25 | -4 | MISS | MISS |
| 2000 | Independence Bowl | Mississippi State | 43 | Texas A&M | 41 | -1 | MIS.ST | MIS.ST |
| 2001 | Independence Bowl | Alabama | 14 | Iowa State | 13 | +6.5 | IOWAST | ALAB |
| 2002 | Independence Bowl | Nebraska | 23 | Mississippi | 27 | +7 | MISS | MISS |
| 2003 | Independence Bowl | Missouri | 14 | Arkansas | 27 | -3 | ARK | ARK |
| 2004 | Independence Bowl | Miami (Ohio) | 13 | Iowa State | 17 | +3 | IOWAST | IOWAST |
| 2005 | Independence Bowl | Missouri | 38 | South Carolina | 31 | -3.5 | MIZZOU | MIZZOU |
| 2006 | Independence Bowl | Oklahoma State | 34 | Alabama | 31 | +2 | OKLAST | OKLAST |
| 2007 | Independence Bowl | Colorado | 24 | Alabama | 30 | -4.5 | ALAB | ALAB |
| 2008 | Independence Bowl | Northern Illinois | 10 | Louisiana Tech | 17 | -3 | LATECH | LATECH |
| 2009 | Independence Bowl | Texas A&M | 20 | Georgia | 44 | -6.5 | GEORGI | GEORGI |
| 2010 | Independence Bowl | Georgia Tech | 7 | Air Force | 14 | -3 | AIRFOR | AIRFOR |
| 2011 | Independence Bowl | North Carolina | 24 | Missouri | 41 | -4.5 | MIZZOU | MIZZOU |
| 2012 | Independence Bowl | Ohio | 45 | La-Monroe | 14 | -6.5 | OHIO | OHIO |
| 2013 | AdvoCare V100 | Boston College | 19 | Arizona | 42 | -7.5 | ARZ | ARZ |
| 2014 | Independence Bowl | Miami | 21 | South Carolina | 24 | +3 | South Carolina | South Carolina |
| 2015 | Independence Bowl | Tulsa | 52 | Virginia Tech | 55 | -13.5 | Tulsa | Virginia Tech |
| 2016 | Independence Bowl | NC State | 41 | Vanderbilt | 17 | +5.5 | NC State | NC State |
| 2017 | Independence Bowl | Southern Miss | 13 | Florida State | 42 | -11.5 | Florida State | Florida State |
| 2017 | Independence Bowl | Temple | 27 | Duke | 56 | +3.5 | Duke | Duke |
