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New Orleans Bowl, Southern Miss vs UL Lafayette: Preview and predictions

By Sarabeth Pollock

Nov 25, 2016; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach Jay Hopson hugs quarterback Nick Mullens (9) after their game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Southern Miss won, 39-24. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 25, 2016; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach Jay Hopson hugs quarterback Nick Mullens (9) after their game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Southern Miss won, 39-24. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns will do battle in the New Orleans Bowl on Saturday

The 2016 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will feature a matchup between the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles and the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns on Saturday evening at the New Orleans Mercedes Benz Stadium.

This is the fifth trip to the New Orleans Bowl for both teams, but it’s the first time the Golden Eagles have met the Ragin’ Cajuns at the bowl game. However, the teams have met 50 times before, with the last meeting back in 2008 with a Golden Eagles win.

Southern Miss has landed a trip to New Orleans under first-year head coach Jay Hopson. Along with their 6-6 season, the Golden Eagles pulled off a 4-4 record in Conference USA. Quarterback Nick Mullens has been dealing with some injuries this season (concussion, thumb injury) but in spite of that, he has 2,926 passing yards this year and can get the ball moving if he’s on his game.

Louisiana-Lafayette comes to the New Orleans Bowl with the closest thing to a home field advantage. No doubt the Ragin’ Cajun fans will pack Mercedes Benz Stadium to give the place a home game feel. After a 5-3 finish in the Sun Belt Conference, the Ragin’ Cajuns are looking to prove that the numbers don’t reflect their level of play. Watch for running back Elijah McGuire to make an impact for the team. He’s already hit 1000 yards and has five 100+ yard games to his name.

Date: Saturday, December 17

Start Time: 9pm ET

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

TV Info: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN.com or the WatchESPN App

Keys to Victory

Louisiana-Lafayette is set up for a big win if they can manage to keep their front seven busy. Southern Miss will favor a run-pass option from quarterback Mullens to running back Ito Smith and wide receiver Allenzae Staggers. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ defense has been holding teams to 3.4 yards per carry on average. It’s likely that Mullens will try to pass the ball as much as he can to get the ball off the ground. What the Golden Eagles lack in defense, the Cajuns lack in offense. If the Golden Eagles defense gets hot, they might be able to hold the Cajuns at bay to give Mullens some breathing room.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles +4.5

Moneyline: Southern Mississippi -170, Louisiana-Lafayette +150

O/U: 57

Both teams finished the season with 6-6 records, but the spreads tell a very different story. Southern Mississippi was 3-9 against the spread while Louisiana-Lafayette was 8-4 against the spread.

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Predictions

Of all the years, this probably isn’t the best time for Southern Mississippi to land a bowl game after losing five of its last seven games. If quarterback Nick Mullens is on point the Golden Eagles have a chance to stay competitive. However, the Ragin’ Cajuns’ defense has been pretty solid this year.

The Ragin’ Cajuns have a lot of experience playing at this level, with four straight wins at the New Orleans Bowl from 2011-2014. Expect to see a competitive game, but Louisiana-Lafayette’s experience will give them a victory.

Final Score: Southern Mississippi 24, Louisiana-Lafayette 28

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