Last-minute Bowl Preview: Independence Bowl

Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, La.
Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech
Date: Dec. 28
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Line: Louisiana Tech –2.5

About Northern Illinois: The Huskies continued to field a football team this year despite not having Michael Tuner or Garrett Wolfe. Why, remains a mystery to many. N. Ill. Did have five players on the all-Academic MAC team. That’s nice, because they’ll need the degree.

Intangibles:
In Illinois: +1
Not in Chicago: -5
6-6:-4
5-3 in MAC: -7

About Louisiana Tech: They're in the WAC. They wear red and blue. I swear, is there a worse damn bowl game? This is pathetic. Would anyone have noticed if I didn't do this preview? Geesh.

Intangibles:
No McCown brother playing quarterback: -7
Karl Malone: -2
Forced to attend school in Shreveport, La.: -3
Cajun cooking; +6


Impact Player: La. Tech cornerback Tym Toussaint. I don’t know if he’s any good, but his parents have a nice sense of humor.

Bowl slogan: “Shreveport in December: for the cold drizzle lover in all of us.”

Little known fact: La. Tech head coach Derek Dooley is the head coach AND athletic director. If you’re at a school that makes you be the athletic director, you need to go to a better school. Unless it’s a Barry Alvarez-power play, then it’s all you.

Watchability (1-5): no rating. in lieu of watching, stab eyes out with ice pick

The Pick: La. Tech 35, Northern Illinois 24