Location New Orleans, Louisiana Operated 2001–present Previous conference tie-ins MWC (2001, 2011, 2014) | Previous stadiums Cajun Field (2005) Conference tie-ins Sun Belt, C-USA Stadium Mercedes-Benz Superdome | |
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Previous locations Lafayette, Louisiana (2005) Latest champion Southern Miss Golden Eagles football Instances 2016 New Orleans Bowl, 2015 New Orleans Bowl | ||
Golden eagles win the new orleans bowl
The New Orleans Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana since 2001. The game was sponsored by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts from 2002 to 2004 and was officially called the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl. R+L Carriers replaced Wyndham as the sponsor in 2006, and thus it became officially known as the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
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Conference tie-ins
In 2001, the Sun Belt Conference signed a temporary contract to play against the 5th-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. The Sun Belt usually sends its conference champion to the New Orleans Bowl, but can (and has) sent the champion to the GoDaddy Bowl.
In 2010, Ohio represented the Mid-American Conference in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, after the Bowl released UTEP to compete in the regional Gildan New Mexico Bowl. In 2011 and 2014 the Mountain West replaced Conference USA as the opponent to the Sun Belt representative The Sun Belt and Conference USA are currently under contract to contribute teams to the bowl through the 2017 game.
History
In the inaugural game, the Colorado State Rams 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 that December, when North Texas played then-Conference USA member Cincinnati (and won).
Due to damage by Hurricane Katrina to the Superdome, where the game is usually played, the 2005 game was played on December 20 in Lafayette, Louisiana at Cajun Field on the campus of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, and was dubbed the New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette. The game returned to the Superdome on December 22, 2006, with a new corporate sponsor in freight company R+L Carriers, renaming the game the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The game featured Troy, co-champions of the Sun Belt Conference facing Rice, making their first bowl game visit in 45 years, their last appearance being the Bluebonnet Bowl. Troy defeated Rice, 41–17.
Game results
* 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.
Most appearances
* 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.
Wins by conference
* Louisiana–Lafayette of the Sun Belt Conference 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.