This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
Houston vs Louisiana: Independence Bowl Betting Odds and Expert Picks
The 7-5 Houston Cougars and 6-6 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns head to Shreveport, Louisiana to face off in the 47th edition of the Independence Bowl. The Ragin' Cajuns had a bit of a down year in terms of their recent history finishing at just 6-6 in head coach Michael Desormeaux's first year but, Louisiana will be seeking their fourth straight bowl victory. After finishing at 7-5 and in second place in the West division of the American conference, Houston will be playing their last game as a member of the American before heading to the Big 12 next season.
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Houston vs Louisiana Odds for the Independence Bowl
Spread: Houston -7 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Total: 56.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Houston -265; Louisiana +215 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Despite several opt-outs from the Ragin' Cajuns, this line has been pretty stable for the majority of bowl season, opening at Houston -6.5 on most major books and moving just half a point since.
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Houston vs Louisiana Betting Picks for the Independence Bowl
Throughout the season, Houston quarterback Clayton Tune was as productive as anyone as he tied for the most touchdown passes in the country at 37 and was third in total offense as he accounted for 361.2 yards per game. Tune's efficiency has this Houston offense putting up huge numbers as they have scored 30 or more points in 11 or their 12 games and even put up 63 in a loss to SMU. Louisiana on the other hand has not been nearly as dominant offensively, ranking just 84th in the country in total offense averaging just 6 more yards as a team than Clayton Tune accounts for on his own. However, the Ragin' Cajuns do a much better job on the other side of the ball as they are tied for 36th in the nation allowing an average of 22.8 points per game. In comparison, Houston's defense is far worse as they rank tied for 117th in scoring as they allow an average of 33.5 points per game. To go along with some of the poor offensive numbers from the Ragin' Cajuns, they will also be without their leading rusher Chris Smith and their leading receiver Michael Jefferson. Along with Smith and Jefferson Louisiana will also be with out sixth-leading tackler Andre Jones and fifth-leading receiver Dontae Fleming.
Houston vs Louisiana Best Bets for Independence Bowl: Houston -7 at FanDuel Sportsbok
Independence Bowl Prediction
Despite how porous the Houston defense has been throughout the season I think the Houston offense is too explosive for the Ragin' Cajuns to keep up with. Couple the Cougars' explosiveness with major opt outs from Louisiana's top rusher and receiver it may end up being hard for the Ragin' Cajuns to score with the Cougars. I like Houston -7 in this one.
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