On Saturday, college football bowl game rolls on as the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (10-3) face the TCU Horned Frogs (8-4) in the New Mexico Bowl. This will be the first-ever meeting between these programs, and it should be an exciting matchup between two high-powered offenses. Louisiana lost its last game to Marshall in the Sun Belt Championship, and it will be looking to bounce back with a win here. Can TCU maintain momentum after closing the regular season with three straight wins? Or is Louisiana live for the upset here? Let’s dive into the matchup and find out.
Louisiana vs TCU - New Mexico Bowl Odds
Matchup Page: Louisiana vs TCU, December 28, 2:15 pm ET
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | +11.5 (-110) | +320 | O58.5 (-110) |
| TCU | -11.5 (-110) | -420 | U58.5 (-110) |
Odds as of December 27 at FanDuel
Louisiana vs TCU - New Mexico Bowl Picks
OVER 58.5 points (-110) at FanDuel
TCU had an excellent offensive season as play-caller Kendal Briles elevated quarterback Josh Hoover to new heights. Hoover finished with 3,697 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and ten interceptions while leading a TCU offense that ranked top-15 in EPA/pass and passing success rate. Louisiana didn’t face many high-powered offenses like this all year, and its defense will be put to the test on Saturday.
It’s worth noting that the Horned Frogs will be without wide receivers Jack Bech and Savion Williams, who are dealing with injuries. However, JP Richardson (52-680-1) and Eric McAllister (31-675-4) provide plenty of juice in this wide receiver room, and the roster boasts plenty of depth at the position.
The Ragin’ Cajuns ranked just 102nd in pass defense success rate this season and could remain without top-graded defender Tyree Skipper, who missed the last four games with an injury. He earned the sixth-highest PFF coverage among all qualified safeties this fall, and his absence would be massive against this TCU Air Raid offense.
While I don’t have much faith in the Louisiana defense in this game, its offense should hold up its end of the bargain. The Ragin’ Cajuns have a high-powered offense led by quarterback Ben Wooldridge, who threw for 17 touchdowns in ten games. Unfortunately, he missed the close of the season, and backup Chandler Fields was carted off during the Sun Belt Championship loss. It does sound like Wooldridge will be healthy enough to suit up this week.
The Cajuns will be without wide receiver Harvey Broussard (31-486-3) and tight end Terrance Carter (48-689-4), who have committed to other programs via the transfer portal. However, wide receiver Lance Legendre will look to build on an impressive season in which he finished with 48 catches for 814 yards and six touchdowns.
The last time we saw the Louisiana offense, they managed just 3 points against Marshall in the Sun Belt Championship. However, the return of Wooldridge offers a massive boost to the offense. TCU’s offense will have plenty of success against a Louisiana defense that’s missing its best player while the Ragin’ Cajuns do enough scoring to send this total over.
Louisiana vs TCU - New Mexico Bowl Play Prop
Eric McAllister receiving yards
Standing 6’3”, 205 lbs, Eric McAllister transferred from Boise State to TCU before this season and had a remarkable year for the Horned Frogs. He finished with 31 catches for 675 yards and four touchdowns, averaging a pristine 21.8 yards per reception. The Louisiana defense can be vulnerable to giving up big plays, and that’s especially true without safety Tyree Skipper, their top-graded defender. Look for McAllister to create some massive plays through the air in the New Mexico Bowl.
Louisiana vs TCU Betting Trends
- TCU head coach Sonny Dykes is 2-4 in bowl games in his career
- Louisiana head coach Michael Desormeaux is 1-2 in bowl games in his career
- Prior to the Sun Belt Championship, three of Louisiana’s last four games had gone over the closing total
