New Orleans Bowl

History

The game was organized by the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation in collaboration with the Sun Belt Conference and first played in 2001. The inaugural game had no formal title sponsor. In the 2001 inaugural game, Colorado State 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 with a North Texas defeat of then-Conference USA member Cincinnati.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts agreed to a two-year sponsorship deal beginning in 2004 and the game was known as the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl. Due to damage by Hurricane Katrina to the Superdome, where the game is usually played, the 2005 game was played in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Cajun Field on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and was dubbed the New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette. Wyndham, which had no hotels in Lafayette, did not participate and did not renew its sponsorship in 2006.

The game returned to the Superdome for the 2006 edition, which was won by Troy, co-champions of the Sun Belt Conference, over Rice, making their first bowl appearance since the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl. R+L Carriers sponsored the game, which became known as the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. R+L Carries sponsored the bowl through the 2024 season.

The 2011 through 2014 games were each won by the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns by a combined score of 115–88 over four different opponents. However, the Ragin' Cajuns later had to vacate their 2011 and 2013 victories, due to major NCAA violations including ACT fraud. The Ragin' Cajuns also played in the 2016 edition of the bowl, losing to Southern Miss, and in the 2021 edition as well where they defeated Marshall.

Conference tie-ins

In 2001, the Sun Belt Conference signed a temporary contract to play against the fifth-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 (CUSA). The Sun Belt usually sends its conference champion to the New Orleans Bowl, but can (and has) sent the champion to what is now known as the 68 Ventures Bowl, such as Arkansas State playing in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl. For the 2021 season, the New Orleans Bowl has first pick in the Sun Belt Conference.

In 2010, Ohio represented the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in the New Orleans Bowl, after the Bowl released UTEP to compete in the regional New Mexico Bowl. In 2011 and 2014, a Mountain West team replaced C-USA as the opponent to the Sun Belt representative.

Game results

Rankings per AP poll prior to the game being played.

Source:

• The 2005 game was played at Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana, due to damage to the Superdome by Hurricane Katrina.
• 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.
• Louisiana–Lafayette has been known simply as Louisiana since the 2017 season.

MVPs

MVP was a defensive player

MVP's team did not win the game

MVP's team later vacated its victory

Most appearances

Updated through the December 2025 edition (25 games, 50 total appearances).

;Teams with multiple appearances

Louisiana's record excludes two vacated victories. The school was known as Louisiana–Lafayette prior to the 2017 season.

;Teams with a single appearance Won (4): Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston Lost (10): Cincinnati, East Carolina, Marshall, Nevada, Ohio, Rice, San Diego State, South Alabama, Tulane, UAB

Appearances by conference

Updated through the December 2025 edition (25 games, 50 total appearances).

Note: Two vacated victories are excluded from the Sun Belt Conference's win–loss record and winning percentage.

Game records

Media coverage

The bowl has been carried on ESPN2 or ESPN since inception.

References

References

1. "2019 Bowl Schedule".
2. (December 15, 2001). "Organizers optimistic despite woes facing New Orleans Bowl". [[Jonesboro Sun]].
3. (March 5, 2004). "New Orleans Bowl gets new sponsor". [[The News-Star (Monroe, Louisiana).
4. (December 30, 2005). "New Orleans Bowl move to Lafayette's Cajun Field due to storm". [[The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana).
5. (November 23, 2005). "2005-06 Bowl schedule". [[The Burlington Free Press]].
6. (April 13, 2006). "New Orleans Bowl changing playing dates for next season". [[Picayune Item]].
7. (November 3, 2006). "New Orleans Bowl adds new sponsor". [[The News-Star (Monroe, Louisiana).
8. Portnoy, Ben. (July 15, 2025). "New Orleans, Music City among bowls still seeking title sponsors".
9. (2011). "Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns Accept Invitation".
10. (2020). "R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl". NCAA.
11. (October 11, 2015). "Exam fraud, recruit payments among NCAA accusations against UL-Lafayette, ex-assistant coach David Saunders". The Baton Rouge Advocate.
12. Patterson, Chip. (March 3, 2016). "Ragin' Cajuns vacate 2013 Sun Belt title, 22 wins due to NCAA violations".
13. (December 19, 2021). "Louisiana quarterback Levi Lewis named New Orleans Bowl MVP.".
14. (December 22, 2022). "Your 2022 @NewOrleansBowl MVP, Austin Reed.".
15. (December 16, 2023). "Jacksonville State running back Ron Wiggins is the New Orleans Bowl MVP.".
16. (December 19, 2024). "Jaylon Jimmerson is the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl MVP.".
17. "2019–20 Football Bowl Association Media Guide".