The 49th annual Independence Bowl features the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (6-6) facing the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-5) in Shreveport, Louisiana’s Independence Stadium.
Following last season’s loss in the Independence Bowl, LA Tech is making the short 68-mile trip, hunting for its first bowl win since 2019. Coastal Carolina is also looking to redeem last season’s loss in the Myrtle Beach Bowl while grabbing its second bowl victory since 2023.
Let’s make a Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech prediction for Tuesday’s bout, kicking off at 2:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. What stands out at PrizePicks Team Picks?
Coastal Carolina vs. LA Tech - Independence Bowl Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
As two Group of Five teams, each squad’s already been poached by the transfer portal. For Coastal Carolina, starting LT Nick Del Grande and RT Joseph Hanson have gone portaling. According to On3, LA Tech is expected to have 11 transfers, including starting LB Mekhi Mason, CB Jamal Shelby, S Jacob Fields, and S Michael Richard.
Both teams are dealing with injuries, too, as Chanticleer QB Samari Collier (knee) is questionable after missing the final two games of the regular season. Leading Coastal Carolina WR Cameron Wright (274 receiving yards) and top tackler S Xamarion Gordon (71 tackles) are will be absent. Bulldog QB Blake Baker suffered a torn ACL in Week 11, making Trey Kukuk the starting QB in the final two regular-season contests.
Adding to Coastal Carolina’s wave of change, head coach Tim Beck was fired following the regular season. Jeremiah Johnson will coach in his first game as the interim coach on Tuesday.
The two programs are trending in opposite directions, with Louisiana Tech winning back-to-back games to end the regular season while the Chanticleers are on a three-game losing skid. With Coastal Carolina introduced to Division 1 CFB in 2017, the two have yet to meet in a head-to-head collision.
Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech Over/Under, Spread
LA Tech is a heavy 10.5-point favorite, returning a 1.88x payout with a cover. PrizePicks Team Picks has this matchup tabbed with a 48.5 total, suggesting a solid scoring environment.
- Spread: Louisiana Tech -10.5
- Over/Under: 48.5
- Game Winner Payout: Coastal Carolina 3.84x | Louisiana Tech 1.21x
Team Picks data is live as of publishing and is subject to change
Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech Prediction on Total
According to Game On Paper, Coastal Carolina ranks 106th in expected points added (EPA) per play while Louisiana Tech sits 124th in the category. The Bulldogs have some hope by recording 28.0 points per game (53rd) and 5.5 yards per play (60th), and the Chanticleers’ offense has posted a measly 23.7 points per game (86th) and 4.7 yards per play (119th).
In a meeting between stumbling offenses, the under stands out, especially with Coastal Carolina totaling only 8.5 points per game in its last two. Furthermore, Tech ranks 73rd and the Chanticleers are 84th for the most plays per contest.
Sticking with a potential slow pace, each unit finds most of success on the ground. CCU is 106th in EPA per dropback and 47th in EPA per rushing attempt. The Bulldogs take it a step further, ranking 124th in EPA per dropback compared to 28th in EPA per carry. We could see a melting game clock on Tuesday, for Louisiana Tech has a 60.8% rush-play rate (14th) while Coastal Carolina carries a 53.7% mark (60th).
Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech Picks for Independence Bowl
Among projections at PrizePicks, Coastal Carolina QB Tad Hudson and Louisiana Tech RB Andrew Burnette stand out among the bunch.
Coastal Carolina QB Tad Hudson vs. LA Tech Projection: 150.5 Passing Yards
- Hudson was the full-time starting QB in the two final regular-season games, averaging a healthy 37.0 passing attempts per game.
- The Chants lost the previous two matchups by an average margin of -46.5 points per game. As 10.5-point underdogs, Hudson’s passing volume may take a step back in a more competitive matchup.
- In six appearances with at least 25 passing attempts, the North Carolina transfer has averaged 147.8 passing yards per game.
- Louisiana Tech is best at defending the pass, giving up 6.6 yards per passing attempt (35th) compared to 4.6 yards per rushing attempt (83rd).
- Pro Football Focus ranks Coastal Carolina 22nd in pass block grade, but it will be without its two starting tackles, leading to potential protection woes.
LA Tech RB Andrew Burnette vs. Coastal Carolina Projection: 79.5 Rushing Yards
- The Bulldogs posted 38.0 points per game over the last two games, and Burnette was the heartbeat of the unit with 112.5 rushing yards per contest.
- After logging only 5.6 carries per contest over his first eight games of 2025, the senior from Stuart, FL has enjoyed 16.5 rushing attempts per game in the last two outings.
- He’s featured excellent efficiency at 5.9 yards per carry this season, which elevated to 6.8 over the previous two.
- Coastal Carolina has one of the nation’s worst rush defenses, ceding 5.4 yards per carry (130th) and 222.5 rushing yards per game (132nd).
Make Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech Independence Bowl Picks on PrizePicks
With the two trending in opposite directions, Louisiana Tech could roll to its first bowl win since 2019. Both units typically lean on the run game, pointing to fewer possessions in a low-scoring battle.
Use this knowledge to make your picks on PrizePicks for the chance to earn real money. Just pick your players — such as Tad Hudson and Andrew Burnette — predict More or Less on projections, and win real money if your picks are correct. You can pick the winner, spread, and over/under at PrizePicks Team Picks, now available in 30 states.
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