The first weekend in December is just days away and that means it’s time for the conference championships of college football. Shortly after, the Heisman Trophy will be awarded and it will be time for bowl season.
82 teams help to assemble 41 games based on conference ties and the best matchups that can be comprised for the fans and for the channels that broadcast them.
But where do LSU, Louisiana, and Tulane fit in all of this?
LSU
LSU finished the regular season with a 9-3 record and will have the opportunity to win ten games for the second straight year under Brian Kelly. The Tigers will be looked at by many higher-level bowls, including the Texas Bowl, Citrus Bowl, Reliaquest Bowl, Gator Bowl, or maybe even the Peach Bowl, however, that last one feels very unlikely. Many people predict an LSU-Notre Dame matchup, which writes a story in itself with Kelly coming to Baton Rouge from South Bend. If Jayden Daniels wins the Heisman (which he should), LSU’s bowl game instantly will have more eyes on it, but where will those eyes be looking?
Prediction: LSU vs Louisville – Reliaquest Bowl
The game formerly known as the Outback Bowl will have a good matchup between the Tigers and Scott Satterfield’s Louisville Cardinals. LSU will definitely be the favorite in this matchup, even though Louisville feels like a team that can create an upset. However, LSU finds a way to win and Kelly wins his second bowl game in as many years in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana
Michael Desormeuax’s team had a very up-and-down season in his second year. During the third game of the regular season, starting quarterback Ben Wooldridge went down with what would be a season-ending injury. The Cajuns then turned to freshman Zeon Chriss, who led the team to wins over Buffalo, Texas State, and South Alabama to put the Cajuns at 5-3. However, during the Arkansas State game, Chriss suffered an injury that sidelined him for the season and Louisiana lost to the Red Wolves 37-17. Following that loss, the Cajuns dropped the next two to make it a 5-6 season before thrashing ULM in the finale to earn their sixth straight bowl bid.
With 12 Sun Belt teams bowl-eligible, it’ll be intriguing to see how they all match up. Some experts have even thrown out the idea of a SBC vs SBC bowl game. I won’t go that far, but I think the Cajuns will play in a new bowl game this year for the first time.
Prediction: Louisiana vs Western Kentucky – Frisco Bowl
The Cajuns will stay fairly close to home and play a former conference opponent in the Hilltoppers. Both offenses will put points on the board and the matchup will come down to who can get more stops on the defensive side. This may be a bit biased, but I like Louisiana’s defense in this one to pull out a close but hard-fought win.
Tulane
What a magical season it was once again in Uptown New Orleans.
After going 2-10 in 2021, the Green Wave pulled off the biggest turnaround in FBS history, going 12-2 while capturing the American Athletic Conference Championship and upsetting Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and the USC Trojans in the Cotton Bowl.
In 2023, the Wave truly stuck to the university’s slogan and rolled once again. Finishing the regular season 11-1 and ranked 17th in the nation, Willie Fritz’s team is hosting the AAC title game this Saturday against SMU at Yulman Stadium. With a win, the Wave will secure the spot of the best Group of Five Conference championship, giving them their second New Year’s Six bowl bid in as many seasons.
Prediction: Tulane vs Texas – Fiesta Bowl
The Green Wave will once again have the opportunity to cap off a Cinderella season by knocking off a future SEC opponent, the Texas Longhorns. Michael Pratt along with his offensive weapons will look to make magic in the desert and if things fall their way, I fully believe they could do it. However, I would take Texas in this matchup if I had to make a pick.
College Football Playoff
Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs Florida State
Rose Bowl: Michigan vs Oregon
National Championship: Georgia vs Oregon
Champ: Oregon
The next month in the college football season is going to be some of the best you’ve ever seen, and after this weekend when the bowls and the four-team playoff get announced, there will be multiple teams left off of the four-team field that deserve to be in, which is why the committee has decided to go to a 12-team format beginning next season.
Louisiana will be well represented on the national stage with the Tigers, Ragin Cajuns, and Green Wave all looking to finish their seasons on positive notes.
Matt Miguez is the host of the Miguez Mindset Podcast on the ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles YouTube page. He is a digital contributor for ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.