College football bowl season kicks off Saturday, Dec. 17, and the first day of action includes the R L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, a meeting between Southern Miss and UL Lafayette.
Saturday's matchup will be the 16th installment of the New Orleans Bowl. Last year's game saw Louisiana Tech defeat Arkansas State 47-28.
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This will be Southern Miss' 4th appearance in the New Orleans Bowl. The Golden Eagles are 3-1 all-time in the New Orleans Bowl, having won their first three appearances before a loss in their most recent New Orleans Bowl bid in 2009 against Middle Tennessee.
The Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana Lafayette have played in four New Orleans Bowls since 2011, winning all four appearances. UL-Lafayette had to vacate two of those wins due to NCAA violations.
Southern Miss finished the 2016 season with a 6-6 record. Quarterback Nick Mullens finished the season with 2,926 yards and 22 touchdowns, and his favorite target on the year was wide receiver Allenzae Staggers, who caught 52 passes for 935 yards and six touchdowns. Running back Ito Smith leads the ground charge with 1,321 yards and 15 touchdowns.
The Ragin Cajuns also finished 2016 with a 6-6 record. Quarterback Anthony Jennings finished the year with 2,074 yards and 11 touchdowns, hitting wide receiver Al Riles 55 times for 665 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Running back Elijah McGuire had a 1,000-yard season, taking 215 carries for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns.
These two teams have an extensive history, according to Winsipedia. In 50 matchups, Southern Miss holds a big edge in the series, with 38 wins to Lafayette's 11. The teams also tied once.
While they haven't played each other since 2008, Southern Miss is currently on a eight-game win streak in the series.
Southern Miss is a six-point favorite, and the game has an over/under of 59 points.
Saturday marks the 51st meeting between the two teams.
Southern Miss Golden Knights vs. UL Lafayette Ragin Cajuns
Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Date/time: Saturday, Dec. 17, 9 p.m. ET
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
