Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech Prediction: Independence Bowl Game Preview
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Louisiana Tech is headed to the Independence Bowl for the second season in a row. And this time around, the Bulldogs finished with a winning record. It was a breakthrough season for the program, which is chasing its first bowl game victory since 2019 in its first-ever meeting with Coastal Carolina.
The Chanticleers are regulars in the postseason, as they reached bowl eligibility for a sixth consecutive year. However, they’re limping into their first Independence Bowl appearance on a three-game losing streak with an interim coach in charge. Coastal Carolina (6-6) fired coach Tim Beck three seasons into his tenure and hired former Missouri State coach Ryan Beard to replace him. Defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson will coach in the bowl game.
Chanticleers quarterback Samari Collier is not expected to return on Tuesday, which means Tad Hudson will likely start under center against Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs (7-5), who have also dealt with musical chairs at quarterback, are set to start Trey Kukuk.
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Coastal Carolina is 2-3 all-time in bowl games since joining the FBS in 2017. Louisiana Tech boasts an 8-5-1 record in bowl games and is 3-3 in the Independence Bowl.
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech Odds, Details
Location: Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana
Kickoff: Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Louisiana Tech -9.5
Over/Under: 51.5
Announcers: Clay Matvick, Chase Daniel
Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech: Keys to Victory
Why Coastal Carolina Will Win
The chips are stacked against the Chants with their best signal-caller (Collier), leading receiver (Cameron Wright) and best defender (Xamarion Gordon) all out. The end of the regular season was ugly for Coastal Carolina with three consecutive losses to Georgia Southern, South Carolina and James Madison — all with Hudson under center. The good news is that Louisiana Tech is not nearly as formidable an opponent as the Gamecocks or Dukes.
Hudson, who has thrown more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four), will have to avoid mistakes against a defense that has picked off 20 passes this season. The Chants are best off sticking to the run game, where Ja’Vin Simpkins, Dominic Knicely and Jevon Edwards have shown an ability to rip off explosive plays here and there. The offensive line is at less than full strength and Collier was the team’s most efficient rusher, but Coastal Carolina has had more success on the ground than through the air this season. That’s the best path to victory.
Defensively, the Chants are in for a tough assignment. They were one of the worst units in the Sun Belt across the board, having allowed 40-plus points on five different occasions. Coastal Carolina’s pass defense is better than its run defense, but that’s a disadvantage against a fellow run-heavy team. Though the Chants finished with a negative turnover differential, they forced takeaways at an above-average rate. If the defense can flip the field and keep it a low-scoring game there is a chance of an upset.
Placekicking is one area where Coastal Carolina has an advantage. Kian Afrookhteh is 15-for-17 on the season, while the Bulldogs are one of the least accurate kicking teams in the FBS.
Why Louisiana Tech Will Win
There’s been no stopping the Bulldog’s run game since they went back to Kukuk. Louisiana Tech’s Week 1 starter took back the starting job in late November, and he has 315 rushing yards and five touchdowns in two games — both wins — since then. The change has also been a boon for running back Andrew Burnette, who has 225 rushing yards and five scores of his own since then. Kukuk doesn’t add a ton as a passer, but he can keep opposing defenses honest enough. But he and Burnette have proven to be a tough twosome to tackle, especially for a porous run defense.
The Bulldogs will be down a few of their top defenders as well, including starting safeties Jacob Fields and Michael Richard. However, the weakened secondary shouldn’t be too big an issue in this particular matchup. Jakari Foster, who leads the FBS with seven interceptions, will be active for a turnover happy-defense that has 22 takeaways this season. That could be an issue for Hudson, especially if he’s forced to throw while trailing.
Louisiana Tech also boasts the best run defense in Conference USA and allows the fewest points per game. Only Kennesaw State and Missouri State cracked 30 points on this group, which also limited LSU to 23 points in an early-season scare. And for all of its kicking concerns, the Bulldogs are no slouch on special teams. They are one of five teams with two kick return touchdowns this season.
Independence Bowl Prediction: Louisiana Tech 31, Coastal Carolina 16
This is a bad matchup for the Chants, independent of the coach and roster turnover that makes matters worse. Coastal Carolina cannot stop the run, and that’s all the Bulldogs want to do. Kukuk and Burnette will run rampant in Shreveport to cap off Louisiana Tech’s best season in years.
ATS: Louisiana Tech -9.5
O/U: Under 51.5
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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