The New Orleans Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually since 2001. It is normally held at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans; when the Superdome and the rest of the city suffered damage due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the game was temporarily moved to Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana, and given the name New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette.

History The game was organized by the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation in collaboration with the Sun Belt Conference and first played in 2001. The inaugural game had no formal title sponsor. In the 2001 inaugural game, Colorado State defeated North Texas, 45–20. Starting in 2002, the Sun Belt signed a multi-year contract with Conference USA, and the two conferences began their bowl rivalry with a North Texas defeat of then-Conference USA member Cincinnati.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts agreed to a two-year sponsorship deal beginning in 2004 and the game was known as the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl. Due to damage by Hurricane Katrina to the Superdome, where the game is usually played, the 2005 game was played in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Cajun Field on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and was dubbed the New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette. Wyndham, which had no hotels in Lafayette, did not participate and did not renew its sponsorship in 2006.

The game returned to the Superdome for the 2006 edition, which was won by Troy, co-champions of the Sun Belt Conference, over Rice, making their first bowl appearance since the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl. R+L Carriers sponsored the game, which became known as the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. R+L Carries sponsored the bowl through the 2024 season.

The 2011 through 2014 games were each won by the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns by a combined score of 115–88 over four different opponents. However, the Ragin' Cajuns later had to vacate their 2011 and 2013 victories, due to major NCAA violations including ACT fraud. The Ragin' Cajuns also played in the 2016 edition of the bowl, losing to Southern Miss, and in the 2021 edition as well where they defeated Marshall.

Conference tie-ins In 2001, the Sun Belt Conference signed a temporary contract to play against the fifth-ranked team from the Mountain West Conference. Beginning in 2002, the New Orleans Bowl established conference tie-ins with the Sun Belt and Conference USA (CUSA). The Sun Belt usually sends its conference champion to the New Orleans Bowl, but can (and has) sent the champion to what is now known as the 68 Ventures Bowl, such as Arkansas State playing in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl. For the 2021 season, the New Orleans Bowl has first pick in the Sun Belt Conference.

In 2010, Ohio represented the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in the New Orleans Bowl, after the Bowl released UTEP to compete in the regional New Mexico Bowl. In 2011 and 2014, a Mountain West team replaced C-USA as the opponent to the Sun Belt representative.

Game results Rankings per AP poll prior to the game being played. Date Winning Team Losing Team Attendance Notes December 18, 2001 Colorado State 45 North Texas 20 27,004 notes December 17, 2002 North Texas 24 Cincinnati 19 19,024 notes December 16, 2003 Memphis 27 North Texas 17 25,184 notes December 14, 2004 Southern Miss 31 North Texas 10 27,253 notes December 20, 2005 Southern Miss 31 Arkansas State 19 18,338 notes December 22, 2006 Troy 41 Rice 17 26,423 notes December 21, 2007 Florida Atlantic44 Memphis 27 25,146 notes December 21, 2008 Southern Miss30Troy27 30,197 notes December 20, 2009 Middle Tennessee42Southern Miss32 30,228 notes December 18, 2010 Troy 48 Ohio 21 29,159 notes December 17, 2011 Louisiana-Lafayette (vacated) 32 San Diego State 30 42,841 notes December 22, 2012 Louisiana-Lafayette 43 East Carolina 34 48,828 notes December 21, 2013 Louisiana-Lafayette (vacated) 24 Tulane 21 54,728 notes December 20, 2014 Louisiana-Lafayette 16 Nevada 3 34,014 notes December 19, 2015 Louisiana Tech 47 Arkansas State 28 32,847 notes December 17, 2016 Southern Miss 28 Louisiana-Lafayette 21 35,061 notes December 16, 2017 Troy 50 North Texas 30 24,904 notes December 15, 2018 Appalachian State 45 Middle Tennessee 13 23,942 notes December 21, 2019 No. 20 Appalachian State 31 UAB 17 21,202 notes December 23, 2020 Georgia Southern 38 Louisiana Tech 3 3,000 notes December 18, 2021 No. 16 Louisiana 36 Marshall 21 21,642 notes December 21, 2022 Western Kentucky 44 South Alabama 23 13,456 notes December 16, 2023 Jacksonville State 34 Louisiana 31 14,485 notes December 19, 2024 Sam Houston 31 Georgia Southern 26 13,151 notes December 23, 2025 Western Kentucky 27 Southern Miss 16 16,693 notes Source:

The 2005 game was played at Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana, due to damage to the Superdome by Hurricane Katrina. Louisiana-Lafayette vacated all 9 wins from 2011, including the New Orleans Bowl, and vacated 8 wins from 2013, including the New Orleans Bowl, due to major NCAA violations including ACT fraud. Louisiana–Lafayette has been known simply as Louisiana since the 2017 season.

MVPs

YearMVPTeamPosition2001 Justin Gallimore Colorado State DB2002 Kevin Galbreath North Texas RB2003 Danny Wimprine Memphis QB2004 Michael Boley Southern Miss LB2005 Shawn Nelson Southern Miss TE2006 Omar Haugabook Troy QB 2007 Rusty Smith Florida Atlantic QB2008 Austin Davis Southern Miss QB2009 Dwight Dasher Middle Tennessee QB2010 Corey Robinson Troy QB2011 Blaine Gautier Louisiana-Lafayette QB2012 Terrance Broadway Louisiana-Lafayette QB2013 Orleans Darkwa Tulane RB2014 Terrance Broadway Louisiana-Lafayette QB2015 Kenneth Dixon Louisiana Tech RB2016 Allenzae Staggers Southern Miss WR2017 Brandon Silvers Troy QB2018 Zac Thomas Appalachian State QB2019 Darrynton Evans Appalachian State RB2020 Shai Werts Georgia Southern QB2021 Levi Lewis Louisiana QB2022 Austin Reed Western Kentucky QB2023 Ron Wiggins Jacksonville State RB2024 Jaylon Jimmerson Sam Houston DB2025 Maverick McIvor Western Kentucky QB MVP was a defensive player MVP's team did not win the game MVP's team later vacated its victory

Most appearances Updated through the December 2025 edition (25 games, 50 total appearances).

Teams with multiple appearances RankTeamAppearancesRecord 1 Louisiana 7 3–2 2 Southern Miss 6 4–2 3 North Texas 5 1–4 4 Troy 4 3–15 Appalachian State 2 2–0 Western Kentucky 2 2–0 Georgia Southern 2 1–1 Louisiana Tech 2 1–1 Memphis 2 1–1 Middle Tennessee 2 1–1 Arkansas State 2 0–2 Louisiana's record excludes two vacated victories. The school was known as Louisiana–Lafayette prior to the 2017 season.

Teams with a single appearance Won (4): Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston

Lost (10): Cincinnati, East Carolina, Marshall, Nevada, Ohio, Rice, San Diego State, South Alabama, Tulane, UAB

Appearances by conference Updated through the December 2025 edition (25 games, 50 total appearances).

ConferenceRecordAppearances by seasonGamesWLWin pct.WonLostVacated Sun Belt 25 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 2011, 2013 CUSA 21 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 Mountain West 3 2001 2011, 2014 MAC 1 2010

Note: Two vacated victories are excluded from the Sun Belt Conference's win–loss record and winning percentage.

Game records TeamPerformance vs. OpponentYearMost points scored 50, Troy vs. North Texas 2017Fewest points allowed 3, shared by:Louisiana–Lafayette vs. NevadaLouisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern 20142020Margin of victory 35, Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana Tech 2020First downs 31, Jacksonville State vs. Louisiana 2023Rushing yards 322, Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana Tech2020Passing yards 522, Western Kentucky vs. South Alabama 2022All-purpose yards 791, Louisiana Tech vs. Arkansas State 2015Most points scored (losing team)34, Louisiana–Lafayette vs. East Carolina 2012Most points scored (both teams)80, Troy vs. North Texas 2017Fewest yards allowed232, Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern 2020Fewest rushing yards allowed-8, Troy vs. North Texas 2017Fewest passing yards allowed95, Southern Miss vs. Louisiana–Lafayette 2016IndividualPlayer, TeamYearPoints scored 24, Kenneth Dixon (Louisiana Tech) 2015Passing touchdowns 5, Rusty Smith (Florida Atlantic) 2007Rushing yards 201, Dwight Dasher (Middle Tennessee)2009Passing yards 497, Austin Reed (Western Kentucky)2022Receiving yards 230, Allenzae Staggers (Southern Miss)2016All-purpose yards283, Darryl Surgent (Louisiana–Lafayette)2011Receptions11, shared by:Allenzae Staggers (Southern Miss)Damion Willis (Troy)Devin Voisin (South Alabama)Malachi Corley (Western Kentucky)2016201720222022Touchdowns (all-purpose)4, Kenneth Dixon (Louisiana Tech)2015Rushing touchdowns3, shared by:Orleans Darkwa (Tulane)Shai Werts (Georgia Southern)Rasheen Ali (Marshall)201320202021Receiving touchdowns3, shared by:Teblarus Gill (Troy)Colin Lockett (San Diego State)20102011Tackles18, K.C. Ossai (Louisiana)2023Sacks3.0, Ja’Boree Poole (Southern Miss)2016Interceptions2, shared by:Elbert Mack (Troy)Sean Thomas (Louisiana–Lafayette)Reed Blankenship (Middle Tennessee)Justin Birdsong (Georgia Southern)Jaylon Jimmerson (Sam Houston)20062013201820202024Long PlaysRecord, Player, Team vs. OpponentYearTouchdown run 68 yds., Alonzo Harris (Louisiana–Lafayette) 2012 Touchdown pass 65 yds., Shai Werts (Georgia Southern) 2020 Kickoff return98 yds., Blaise Taylor (Arkansas State)2015Punt return87 yds., Darryl Surgent (Louisiana–Lafayette)2011Interception return82 yds., Corey Trim (Louisiana–Lafayette)2013Fumble return56 yds., Colton McDonald (North Texas)2017Punt70 yds., Jarre Humphrey (Memphis)2007Field goal50 yds., shared by:Michael Taylor (Troy)Brett Baer (Louisiana–Lafayette)Jonathan Barnes (Louisiana Tech)20102011, 20122015

Media coverage The bowl has been carried on ESPN2 or ESPN since inception.

References

External links