2023 New Orleans Bowl

Postseason college football bowl game

College football game

2023 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

23rd New Orleans Bowl
| Jacksonville State Gamecocks | Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

|

(8–4) | (6–6)
C-USA | Sun Belt
34 | 31
Head coach:
Rich Rodriguez | Head coach:
Michael Desormeaux
|  | 1| 2| 3| 4| OT | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Jacksonville State | 7| 7| 10| 7| 3 | 34
Louisiana | 7| 7| 7| 10| 0 | 31
Date| December 16, 2023
Season| 2023
Stadium| Caesars Superdome
Location| New Orleans, Louisiana
MVP| Ron Wiggins (RB, Jacksonville State)[1]
Favorite| Louisiana by 3.5[2]
Referee| Steven Anderson (AAC)[3]
Attendance| 14,485
United States TV coverage
Network| ESPN
ESPN Radio
Announcers| Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), and Taylor Davis (sideline) (ESPN)
Marc Kestecher (play-by-play) and Kelly Stouffer (analyst) (ESPN Radio)
|  New Orleans Bowl

< 2022 |  2024 >

The 2023 New Orleans Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 16, 2023, at Caesars Superdome located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 23rd annual New Orleans Bowl game featured the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns of the Sun Belt Conference and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks of Conference USA. The game began at approximately 2:15 p.m. CST and was aired on ESPN.[4][5] The New Orleans Bowl was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by freight shipping company R+L Carriers and officially known as the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Jacksonville State defeated Louisiana in overtime, 34–31, on a game-winning field goal, to claim their first bowl win in program history.[6][7][8]

## Teams

[edit]

The game featured the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns from the Sun Belt Conference and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks from Conference USA. This was the first time that Louisiana and Jacksonville State have played at the FBS level, with the Gamecocks having defeated the Ragin' Cajuns as an FCS school in 2000, 28–14.[9]

### Louisiana

[edit]

Main article: 2023 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team

The Ragin' Cajuns started the year 4-2, scoring at least 24 points in each of their first six games, including a 35–24 loss to Big Ten foe Minnesota. After defeating South Alabama 33–20 to improve to 5-3, starting quarterback Zeon Chriss suffered a broken fibula in the middle of their ninth game, which was followed by a three-game losing streak as the team fell to 5-6. Needing a win in the Battle on the Bayou to clinch bowl eligibility, backup quarterback Chandler Fields led the Ragin' Cajuns to a rout of rival Louisiana–Monroe, 52–21, securing Louisiana a spot in the New Orleans Bowl.

This was Louisiana's seventh New Orleans Bowl, extending their record for most appearances in the game. The Ragin' Cajuns' overall New Orleans Bowl record entering the 2023 game was 3–1 (excluding two wins vacated by the NCAA).

### Jacksonville State

[edit]

Main article: 2023 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team

Due to NCAA transition rules for teams moving from FCS to FBS, Jacksonville State would be ineligible to play in a bowl unless not enough six-win teams were available to fill all of the season's bowl games. The Gamecocks won five of their first six games competing as an FBS school, with the sole loss coming in Week 3 to Coastal Carolina. They reached the six-win threshold on October 17 by defeating Western Kentucky, 20–17, on a walk-off field goal. The Gamecocks finished their season with an 8–4 record and secured bowl eligibility when not enough teams reached six wins to fill all available bowl games.

## Game summary

[edit]

2023 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| OT| Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Jacksonville State | 7 | 7 | 10| 7| 3| 34
Louisiana | 7 | 7 | 7| 10| 0| 31

at Caesars Superdome • New Orleans, Louisiana

* Date: Saturday, December 16, 2023
* Game time: 1:15 p.m. CST
* Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
* Game attendance: 14,485
* Referee: Steven Anderson
* TV announcers (ESPN): Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), and Taylor Davis (sideline)
* Box score

Game information

First Quarter

* (13:17) LA – Jalen Clark 46 yard fumble return, Kenneth Almendares kick (Louisiana 7–0)
* (3:06) JVST – Cole Fuller 1 yard run, Garrison Rippa kick (Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 4:42; Tied 7–7)

Second Quarter

* (4:22) LA – Jalen Clark 16 yard interception return, Kenneth Almendares kick (Louisiana 14–7)
* (0:23) JVST – Ron Wiggins 7 yard run, Garrison Rippa kick (Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 3:59; Tied 14–14)

Third Quarter

* (7:55) JVST – Garrison Rippa 22 yard field goal (Drive: 16 plays, 72 yards, 5:37; Jacksonville State 17–14)
* (5:47) LA – Chandler Fields 1 yard run, Kenneth Almendares kick (Drive: 6 plays, 73 yards, 2:08; Louisiana 21–17)
* (2:53) JVST – Logan Smothers 10 yard run, Garrison Rippa kick (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:54; Jacksonville State 24–21)

Fourth Quarter

* (14:02) LA – Kenneth Almendares 33 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 3:51; Tied 24–24)
* (5:32) LA – Tyree Skipper 43 yard interception return, Kenneth Almendares kick (Louisiana 31–24)
* (1:46) JVST – Perry Carter 18 yard pass from Zion Webb, Garrison Rippa kick (Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 1:51; Tied 31–31)

Overtime

* JVST – Garrison Rippa 27 yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 16 yards; Jacksonville State 34–31)

### Statistics

[edit]

Statistics  | JSU  | LA

|
|

First downs | 31 | 14
Plays–yards | 109–526 | 62–247
Rushes–yards | 74–290 | 35–92
Passing yards | 236 | 155
Passing: comp–att–int | 20–35–3 | 13–27–0
Time of possession | 33:00 | 27:00
Team | Category | Player | Statistics

|
|
|

Jacksonville State  | Passing | Zion Webb | 14/26, 156 yards, TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Ron Wiggins | 27 carries, 126 yards, TD
Receiving | Quinton Lane | 7 receptions, 86 yards
Louisiana  | Passing | Chandler Fields | 13/26, 155 yards
Rushing | Dre'lyn Washington | 16 carries, 73 yards
Receiving | Pearse Migl | 2 receptions, 34 yards

## References

[edit]

1. ^ @ThomasAshworth0 (December 16, 2023). "Jacksonville State running back Ron Wiggins is the New Orleans Bowl MVP" (Tweet). Retrieved December 16, 2023 - via Twitter.
2. ^ Parks, James (December 11, 2023). "College football bowl schedule, game odds, point spreads for 2023-24". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
3. ^ Austro, Ben (December 3, 2023). "2023-24 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
4. ^ Straka, Dean. "2023-24 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels". CBS Sports. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
5. ^ Lewis, Barry. "2023-24 College Football Bowl Schedule, Dates, Times Announced". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
6. ^ Stephenson, Creg (December 16, 2023). "Jax State caps first FBS season with 34-31 overtime win vs. Louisiana in New Orleans Bowl". AL.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
7. ^ Edwards, Mark (December 16, 2023). "Zion Webb adds one more shining moment to his Jax State legacy". The Anniston Star. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
8. ^ Diaz, Cory (December 16, 2023). "Louisiana football lets Jacksonville State off hook to lose to Jacksonville State in New Orleans Bowl". The Daily Advertiser. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
9. ^ "Louisiana Opponent History vs. Jacksonville State". ragincajuns.com. Retrieved December 3, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Game statistics at statbroadcast.com

* v
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2023–24 NCAA football bowl game season

* Myrtle Beach (Dec. 16)
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New Orleans Bowl

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Jacksonville State Gamecocks bowl games

* 1977 Grantland Rice Bowl
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