New Orleans Bowl 2014: Nevada vs. LA-Lafayette TV Info, Spread, Time and More

The 2014-15 college football bowl season kicks off with what should be an entertaining matchup between Nevada and Louisiana-Lafayette in the New Orleans Bowl.

For folks who eat, sleep and breath college football, this game can't come soon enough. 

While this opening game doesn't feature too many household names, it will make up for that with non-stop action in what will likely be a high-scoring battle, which is exactly what the organizers were hoping for when they set up this matchup:

Both sides will want to end their respective strong years with a win, but either way, it should be a fun game for the fans. Here is everything you need to know and how to catch all of the action.

What: R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

When: Saturday, Dec. 20

Time: 11 a.m. ET

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: Watch ESPN

Spread (via Odds Shark): NEV -1

Over/Under (via Odds Shark): 61

Unstoppable Quarterback

Harry How/Getty Images

Only six quarterbacks in FBS history have ever passed for over 9,000 yards and rushed for over 2,000 in their careers. You might know that Marcus Mariota accomplished the feat this season en route to the Heisman Trophy, but he wasn't the only person to reach this mark in 2014.

Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo also entered the club this season, which now includes three Heisman winners and fellow Wolf Pack star Colin Kaepernick.

Whether he is using his arm or his legs, Fajardo simply makes things happen. He can lead his team to victory by throwing for over 300 yards or throwing under 50 (he has done both this season), and this dynamic play means teams are always off guard.

Louisiana-Lafayette coach Mark Hudspeth knows stopping the senior will be a tough task:

Although he might not be a superstar at the college level, he is certainly capable of putting the team on his back and winning a game on his own.

However, one way to slow him down is to force turnovers. Fajardo has at least one interception in seven of his last eight games, including a four-pick effort against Boise State. If ULL is able to create pressure and cause mistakes, it could lead to a victory.

New Orleans Bowl Dynasty 

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A team that wins three championships in a row is usually referred to as a dynasty. Well, ULL isn't wining titles, but it is putting together an impressive run in the New Orleans Bowl. 

The Ragin' Cajuns will be playing in this bowl game for the fourth year in a row and have defeated Tulane, East Carolina and San Diego State over the past three seasons. They are now ready to make Nevada the next victim.

This has felt less like a bowl game with a committee and more like Louisiana-Lafayette running the court and calling next.

Nevada might be the toughest opponent it has faced over this stretch, but the squad has the familiarity, fan support and near-home-field advantage to give it a boost in this matchup.

For the Wolf Pack to win this game, they will have to overcome a lot more than just the players on the field opposite them.

Prediction

Both of these teams can score points, and they certainly will against defenses ranked in the 70s in points allowed per game.

The difference will be the style in which the team move the ball. Both sides like to run the ball, with Louisiana-Lafayette relying heavily on Sun Belt Player of the Year Elijah McGuire. The team's Twitter account noted how well the running back has played this season:

He and Alonzo Harris create quite a formidable tandem in the backfield.

However, Nevada has a more difficult offense to defend against, with Fajardo capable of throwing the ball, running it or handing it off to Don Jackson. By the end of the game, Fajardo and Jackson could each be over 1,000 rushing yards for the season.

Additionally, the Wolf Pack have proven themselves against tougher competition throughout the season, staying within a touchdown against both of this season's Fiesta Bowl opponents, Arizona and Boise State. 

Nevada might be 7-5, but it had a difficult schedule to overcome and still came through with a solid year. This good season will continue with a win in the New Orleans Bowl.

Prediction: Nevada 38, Louisiana-Lafayette 35

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