New Orleans Bowl

In 2001, the Sun Belt Conference signed a temporary contract to play against the 5th-ranked team from the Mountain West Conference. Beginning in 2002, the New Orleans Bowl established conference tie-ins with the Sun Belt and Conference USA (C-USA). The Sun Belt usually sends its conference champion to the New Orleans Bowl, but can (and has) sent the champion to what is now known as the LendingTree Bowl, such as Arkansas State playing in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl.

In 2010, Ohio represented the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in the New Orleans Bowl, after the Bowl released UTEP to compete in the regional New Mexico Bowl.[2] In 2011 and 2014, a Mountain West team replaced C-USA as the opponent to the Sun Belt representative.

In the 2001 inaugural game, Colorado State defeated North Texas, 45–20. Starting in 2002, the Sun Belt signed a multi-year contract with Conference USA, and the two conferences began their bowl rivalry with a North Texas defeat of then-Conference USA member Cincinnati.

Due to damage by Hurricane Katrina to the Superdome, where the game is usually played, the 2005 game was played in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Cajun Field on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette,[3] and was dubbed the New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette.[4] The game returned to the Superdome for the 2006 edition, with a new corporate sponsor in freight company R+L Carriers, renaming the game the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. That game was won by Troy, co-champions of the Sun Belt Conference, over Rice, making their first bowl appearance since the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl.

The 2011 through 2014 games were each won by the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns by a combined score of 115–88 over four different opponents. However, the Ragin' Cajuns later had to vacate their 2011 and 2013 victories, due to major NCAA violations including ACT fraud.[5][6] The Ragin' Cajuns also played in the 2016 edition of the bowl, losing to Southern Miss.

Rankings per AP Poll prior to the game being played.

Notes;

• The 2005 game was played at Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana, due to damage to the Superdome by Hurricane Katrina.
• UL-Lafayette vacated all 9 wins from 2011, including the New Orleans Bowl, and vacated 8 wins from 2013, including the New Orleans Bowl, due to major NCAA violations including ACT fraud.[5][6]

Year	MVP	Team	Position
2001	Justin Gallimore	Colorado State	DB
2002	Kevin Galbreath	North Texas	RB
2003	Danny Wimprine	Memphis	QB
2004	Michael Boley	Southern Miss	LB
2005	Shawn Nelson	Southern Miss	TE
2006	Omar Haugabook	Troy	QB
2007	Rusty Smith	Florida Atlantic	QB
2008	Austin Davis	Southern Miss	QB
2009	Dwight Dasher	Middle Tennessee	QB
2010	Corey Robinson	Troy	QB
2011	Blaine Gautier	UL-Lafayette	QB
2012	Terrance Broadway	UL-Lafayette	QB
2013	Orleans Darkwa	Tulane	RB
2014	Terrance Broadway	UL-Lafayette	QB
2015	Kenneth Dixon	Louisiana Tech	RB
2016	Allenzae Staggers	Southern Miss	WR
2017	Brandon Silvers	Troy	QB
2018	Zac Thomas	Appalachian State	QB
2019	Darrynton Evans	Appalachian State	RB

MVP's team did not win the game
MVP's team later vacated its victory

Updated through the December 2019 edition (19 games, 38 total appearances).

Teams with multiple appearances

Rank	Team	Appearances	Record
T1	Southern Miss	5	4–1
T1	Louisiana-Lafayette	5	2–1
T1	North Texas	5	1–4
4	Troy	4	3–1
T5	Appalachian State	2	2–0
T5	Memphis	2	1–1
T5	Middle Tennessee	2	1–1
T5	Arkansas State	2	0–2

Excludes two vacated wins.

Teams with a single appearance

Won: Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana Tech
Lost: Cincinnati, East Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Rice, San Diego State, Tulane, UAB

Updated through the December 2019 edition (19 games, 38 total appearances).

Conference	Record				Appearances by season
	Games	W	L	Win pct.	Won	Lost
Sun Belt	19	10	7	.588	2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019	2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2015, 2016
C-USA	15	6	9	.400	2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2015, 2016	2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019
Mountain West	3	1	2	.333	2001	2011, 2014
MAC	1	0	1	.000		2010

Two vacated wins (2011 and 2013) are excluded from win-loss record.

Team	Performance vs. Opponent	Year
Most points scored	50, Troy vs. North Texas	2017
Fewest points allowed	3, Louisiana vs. Nevada	2014
Margin of victory	32, Appalachian State vs. Middle Tennessee	2018
First downs	30, Troy vs. Ohio	2010
Rushing yards	246, Colorado State vs. North Texas	2001
Passing yards	492, Louisiana vs. San Diego State	2011
Total yards	687, Louisiana Tech vs. Arkansas State	2015
Most points scored (losing team)
Most points scored (both teams)
Fewest yards allowed
Fewest rushing yards allowed
Fewest passing yards allowed
Individual	Player, Team	Year
Points scored	24, Kenneth Dixon, Louisiana Tech	2015
Passing touchdowns	5, Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic	2007
Rushing yards	201, Dwight Dasher, Middle Tennessee	2009
Passing yards	470, Blaine Gautier, Louisiana	2011
Receiving yards	230, Allenzae Staggers, Southern Miss	2016
All-purpose yards
Touchdowns (all-purpose)
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving touchdowns
Tackles
Sacks
Interceptions
Long Plays	Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent	Year
Touchdown run
Touchdown pass
Kickoff return
Punt return
Interception return
Fumble return
Punt
Field goal

Team later vacated its victory

Five early editions of the bowl were carried on ESPN2 (2001–2003, 2006, 2007); all other editions have been broadcast by ESPN.[7]

• Official website