JOURNAL SPORTS
There’s big-time football in your backyard Saturday night as the 47th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl kicks off.
For the first time in seven years, the game has a Power 5 conference matchup. The California Golden Bears from the dying Pac-12 Conference are battling the Texas Tech Red Raiders from the Big 12 Conference. Both leagues had enough bowl-eligible teams to fulfill their I-Bowl tie-in.
The 8:15 p.m. contest at Independence Stadium will be televised on ESPN – marking the 31st consecutive year the local bowl has been televised on an ESPN network.
The weather forecast has improved, with drenching rain expected to exit Shreveport-Bossier early Saturday morning and game-time temperatures hovering near 50 degrees.
Independence Bowl week has been a homecoming for true freshman defensive back Macho Stevenson from Captain Shreve. Two more Red Raiders’ freshmen hail from Louisiana, defensive lineman Tre’Darious Brown (Natchitoches Central) and linebacker Justin Horne (John Curtis).
TTU senior linebacker Myles Cole, the team’s fifth-leading tackler and an Evangel product from Shreveport, recently opted out of playing in the bowl as he aims at next spring’s NFL Draft.
Standout running backs Jayden Ott (Cal) and Tahj Brooks (Texas Tech) are the focal figures on the rosters.
Both teams finished strongly to earn their bowl bids. Cal won its last three, and Texas Tech went 3-1 down the stretch, to get to the six-win threshold. Both are 6-6.
The Golden Bears and Red Raiders have met up once prior, with that meeting coming in the 2004 Holiday Bowl. Texas Tech took home the 45-31 victory in that game, with current Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie being named the Offensive Player of the Game.
Tickets for the game can be purchased at RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/tickets. Ticket packages are available online or by calling the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl office at 318.221.0712 or toll-free at 888.414.BOWL.
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (6-6) vs. CAL BEARS (6-6)
When (TV): Saturday, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Where: Independence Stadium
Series: Texas Tech 1-0 (Holiday Bowl, 2004)
Texas Tech Bowl Record: 16-23-1 (41st appearance)
Cal Bowl Record: 12-11-1 (25th appearance)
Line: Texas Tech -3 Total (58.5)
Texas Tech head coach: Joey McGuire 14-11 (2nd season)
Cal head coach: Justin Wilcox 36-42 (7th season)
Notable:
Texas Tech – Senior defensive lineman Tony Bradford Jr. has been named one of three finalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, which recognizes exemplary leadership on and off the field … The Red Raiders are playing in their third Independence Bowl and looking for their first win having lost to Ole Miss in the two prior meetings in 1986 and 1998 … Texas Tech is looking for its third-straight bowl win after defeating SEC foes Ole Miss (2022 Texas Bowl) and Mississippi State (2021 Liberty Bowl) … Senior running back Tahj Brooks is fourth in the FBS with 1,443 rushing yards. He enters the bowl season as the leader in rushing attempts (268) among power-five schools … Quarterback Behren Morton leads the team in total offense passing for 1,498 yards and rushing for 9 for a total of 1,507 yards.
California – The Bears are playing their first bowl since 2019 (Redbox Bowl) … Cal finished the regular season on a three-game win streak with a 33-7 win over UCLA and is looking to end the season on a four-game winning streak for the first time since 1993 … Running back Jaydn Ott and linebacker Cade Uluave led the Bears in post season honors. Ott was named first team All-Pac 12 by league coaches, the Associated Press, College Football Network and College Football News. Uluave was named the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year while The Athletic and College Football Network named him to their first team Freshman All-American teams … Ott comes into the bowl game with 1,260 rushing yards on 229 rushes and 11 touchdowns and added 21 receptions for another 141 yards. He had one kick return for a 100-yard touchdown … Quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first Cal QB with multiple pass and rush TD in a single-game since Aaron Rodgers in 2003 … Uluave has played in all 12 games with 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and three pass breakups. He is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss, fumble recoveries and interceptions … The Bears led the NCAA in fumble recoveries with 15 and turnovers gained (26).
Season results
| Texas Tech (6-6) | |
|---|---|
| Wyoming (2OT) | L, 35-33 |
| Oregon | L, 38-30 |
| Tarleton State | W, 41-3 |
| West Virginia | L, 20-13 |
| Houston | W, 49-28 |
| Baylor | W, 39-14 |
| Kansas State | L, 38-21 |
| BYU | L, 27-14 |
| TCU | W, 35-28 |
| Kansas | W, 16-13 |
| Central Fla. | W, 24-23 |
| Texas | L, 57-7 |
| Cal (6-6) | |
| North Texas | W, 58-21 |
| Auburn | L, 14-10 |
| Idaho | W, 31-17 |
| Washington | L, 59-32 |
| Arizona State | W, 24-21 |
| Oregon State | L, 52-40 |
| Utah | L, 34-14 |
| USC | L, 50-49 |
| Oregon | L, 63-19 |
| Washington State | W, 42-39 |
| Stanford | W, 27-15 |
| UCLA | W, 33-7 |
- Research by Lee Hiller, Journal Sports