The Miami Hurricanes are heading to Shreveport, Louisiana for the Independence Bowl
The Miami Hurricanes will be spending Christmas in Shreveport, Louisiana, and one day later hoping for a belated present in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl.
The Hurricanes were selected to play the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs of Conference USA in the Independence Bowl. The teams are set to kick off at 4 p.m. on Dec. 26 at Independence Stadium.
The Bulldogs (9-3, 6-2), coached by Skip Holtz, come into the bowl game with wins against Grambling State, Bowling Green, FIU, Rice, UMass, Southern Miss, Texas-El Paso, North Texas and Texas-San Antonio.
The Bulldogs’ losses were to Texas, Marshall and Alabama-Birmingham.
“We’re looking forward to facing Louisiana Tech in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl,’’ UM coach Manny Diaz said in a released statement. “We are working hard to finish strong with this recruiting class before turning our full attention to securing a victory for this team.’’
The Hurricanes have played and defeated La Tech, based in Ruston, four times: 1979, 2000, 2003 and 2004. Ruston is only 71 miles from Independence Stadium.
The Hurricanes also played in the Independence Bowl to conclude the 2014 season, when they lost 24-21 to South Carolina and finished that season 6-7. That year it was called the Duck Commander Independence Bowl.
UM played at Independence Stadium, although not in a bowl game, against Louisiana Tech to open the 2003 season. It was Brock Berlin’s first game as the Miami quarterback. The Hurricanes won that one 48-9.
“The bowl’s staff and the people of Shreveport always put on a terrific show for the visiting teams and this promises to be a fun experience for both our student-athletes and our fan base,’’ UM athletic director Blake James said.
Diaz was the Louisiana Tech defensive coordinator in 2014, helping the Bulldogs lead the nation in turnovers gained (42), with 16 fumble recoveries and 26 interceptions.
UM’s current defensive coordinator, Blake Baker, replaced Diaz as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator when Diaz went to Mississippi State in 2015. Baker worked under Diaz as Louisiana Tech’s safeties coach in 2014. Baker stayed with the Bulldogs until he came to Miami this season.
The Canes are attempting just their second bowl win since 2006, when they defeated Nevada 21-20 in the MPC Computers Bowl on the blue turf in Boise, Idaho. In 2016, Miami beat the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Last year, Miami fell 35-3 to Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York City.
Miami was riding a three-game winning streak this season heading into its past two games, both opponents being substantial underdogs. But the Canes shocked the nation with a 30-24 loss to neighboring FIU, then did it again by losing 27-17 at Duke in the regular-season finale.
Considering the Canes were 3-4 at one point this season, what could have been a respectable 8-4 regular-season entering the bowl game on a five-game winning streak, will now be an attempt to finish 2019 one game above .500.
This will be UM’s 43rd bowl game since the Palm Festival in 1933. The Canes are 20-22 all time in bowl games.
Miami’s expected arrival in Shreveport has not yet been announced, though the bowl’s schedule of events has both teams arriving Dec. 22.
Hurricanes fans can request tickets online at hurricanesports.com/tickets.
This story was originally published December 8, 2019 at 3:52 PM.
