HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Football will face Louisiana in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Saturday, December 18 at 9:15 p.m. ET/8:15 CT. The game will be played in the Caesars Superdome and will be televised on ESPN.

Tickets are available on HerdZone.com. Purchasing tickets through Marshall Athletics directly benefits the department.

Marshall (7-5) enters the 2021 bowl season featuring a .750 winning percentage (12-4) in all NCAA-sanctioned bowl games, the highest mark nationally among programs that have made at least seven appearances. (The Thundering Herd also participated in the 1948 Tangerine Bowl, at which point it was not sanctioned).

Throughout the season, the Thundering Herd has been buoyed by a high-powered offense to go with a fierce defensive pass rush. Marshall is tied for fourth nationally with 35 rushing touchdowns and is 10th in total offense (470.8) and 12th in passing offense (310.9). On the defensive side, the Thundering Herd is tied for 13th nationally with 38 sacks.

“We are thrilled to be playing in New Orleans, especially given our impending move to the Sun Belt Conference,” said Marshall Interim AD Jeff O’Malley. “The Thundering Herd has a tradition of traveling extremely well to our bowl appearances and I know that our fans are eager to do that once again. We look forward to a great game against nationally ranked Louisiana and are pleased that this will be a league game in the future.”

The Ragin’ Cajuns (12-1), ranked 16th by the Associated Press, 17th by the Coaches and 23rd by the College Football Playoff committee, won the Sun Belt Championship with a 24-16 victory over App State on Saturday. Louisiana boasts a program-record 16 all-conference selections with offensive lineman Max Mitchell, offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence, punter Ryhs Byrns and running back Chris Smith (All-Purpose) earning First Team recognition.

Louisiana has one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, standing 11th in scoring defense as it allows just 18.2 points per game. The Ragin’ Cajuns also take great care of the ball, as their eight turnovers are the third-fewest nationally.

“We are really excited to have the opportunity to continue our season,” said Marshall head coach Charles Huff. “Not only do we get the opportunity to play a phenomenal opponent, we get to do it in a great city, and in a very well-respected bowl. We are looking forward to all the great things New Orleans has to offer as we prepare to take on a really good football team!”

The Thundering Herd has played just one game in the Superdome, a 31-10 victory over then-Conference USA member Tulane on October 10, 2009. A scheduled 2005 game against the Green Wave was moved to Mobile, Alabama in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

As required by the City of New Orleans, all guests age 12 and above must provide evidence of (1) having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine that has received full approval or emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the World Health Organization or (2) evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken no more than 72 hours prior to entering the Superdome.

No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette vs Marshall in New Orleans Bowl

No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette (12-1, Sun Belt; No. 24 CFP) vs. Marshall (7-5, Conference USA), Dec. 18, 9:15 p.m. ET

LOCATION: New Orleans

TOP PLAYERS

Louisiana-Lafayette: QB Levi Lewis, 2,647 yards passing, 19 touchdowns.

Marshall: RB Rasheen Ali, 1,239 yards rushing, 20 touchdowns.

NOTABLE

Louisiana-Lafayette: The Ragin’ Cajuns come in with 12 straight victories and their first-ever outright Sun Belt Conference title. They also come in with new coach Michael Desormeaux, their former offensive coordinator hired to replace Billy Napier after he left for Florida.

Marshall: The Thundering Herd will play their second-ever game in the Superdome after beating Tulane there in 2009. They were supposed to play the Green Wave there in 2005, but that game was moved due to Hurricane Katrina.

LAST TIME

This is the first meeting between these teams.

BOWL HISTORY

Louisiana-Lafayette: Sixth appearance in the New Orleans Bowl, ninth bowl appearance in school history.

Marshall: First appearance in the New Orleans Bowl, 18th bowl appearance overall and fifth in a row.