When a number of senior members of the Louisiana Tech soccer group obtained a cellphone name from their place coach a couple of days in the past asking in the event that they’d be accessible to play in a bowl recreation, the query was met with skepticism.
“The seniors thought it was a crank cellphone name,” Tech coach Sonny Cumbie mentioned lately. “They have been in disbelief. However they grew to become excited and have been very grateful for the chance.”
The 2024 Tech season was to have concluded for the Bulldogs Nov. 30 with a 33-0 win over Kennesaw State. However because of the harm the switch portal continues to ravage on faculty soccer, Tech acquired a brand new lease on life regardless of not reaching the mandatory six-win mark to grow to be bowl eligible.
As a consequence of Solar Belt champion Marshall dropping its soccer coach and 29 gamers to the portal, Louisiana Tech (5-7) will meet No. 22 Military (11-2) at 8:15 p.m. Saturday within the forty eighth Radiance Applied sciences Independence Bowl. The sport can be televised on ESPN and can be a chance for the Black Knights to rebound from a regular-season finale loss to the Navy Midshipmen.
Military coach Jeff Monken mentioned his group is worked up about one other alternative to play collectively and he received’t be utilizing the competition merely as a reward for a stable season or to check his younger gamers.
COMMITTED: ESPN’s Holly Rowe tells Independence Bowl attendees she ‘will die so that you can get the story’
SHORT HANDED: Main alteration: Marshall declines to play in Independence Bowl; La. Tech steps into slot
BOWL FUTURE: What does the way forward for the Radiance Applied sciences Independence Bowl seem like?
“The one purpose to play the sport is to win,” Monken mentioned. “The younger guys in our program may have the chance to show themselves within the spring or after we come again within the fall. We’re not on an exploratory mission to search out out what we’ve acquired. We need to play our easiest soccer recreation of the season on Dec. 28.”
Tech has performed in 5 of the earlier 46 I-Bowls (no recreation was held in 2020 when Military was speculated to play a consultant from the Pac 10, which had all groups decline as a result of pandemic). The Bulldogs (3-1-1 Indy Bowl document) defeated Louisville 24-14 (1977), misplaced to East Carolina 35-13 (1978), tied Maryland 34-34 (1990), defeated Northern Illinois 17-14 (2008) and topped Miami 14-0 (2019).
“I do know the significance of this recreation has for Louisiana Tech soccer – the historical past it supplies for us as a program,” Cumbie mentioned. “We’re grateful for the chance to characterize North Louisiana.”
The Bulldogs have been additionally slated to play within the 2012 I-Bowl with a 9-3 group, however the supply was rescinded when then Tech athletic director Bruce Van De Velde took too lengthy to decide whereas perusing different bowl choices. Tech ended up with out a bowl recreation and the I-Bowl chosen Ohio College to play UL Monroe.
Military, which has competed in seven bowl video games since 1995, performed in a single earlier I-Bowl and that got here 1996 when the Black Knights misplaced a squeaker, 32-29, to Auburn.
Though the Black Knights are favored to win Saturday’s recreation by three scores, Monken mentioned he has some issues. The Bulldogs have a brand new offensive coordinator in Tony Franklin and it’s unclear how a lot enter he’ll have in Tech’s recreation planning.
HOLLY ROWE: ESPN’s Holly Rowe will communicate on the 2024 Radiance Applied sciences I-Bowl Kickoff Dinner
“I’m impressed with their personnel, however there are questions – like who’s going to play,” Monken mentioned. “We’re getting ready for lots, in order that’s a problem for us.”
GAME SET: Military vs. Marshall set for 2024 Radiance Applied sciences Independence Bowl
Jimmy Watson covers Shreveport-Bossier space sports activities. Electronic mail him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and comply with him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
This text initially appeared on Shreveport Instances: Military, La. Tech check one another in forty eighth Radiance Applied sciences I-Bowl
