The New Orleans Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually since 2001. It is normally held at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans; when the Superdome and the rest of the city suffered damage due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the game was temporarily moved to Cajun Field in Lafayette, Louisiana, and given the name New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette.
The game was organized by the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation in collaboration with the Sun Belt Conference and first played in 2001. The inaugural game had no formal title sponsor. 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.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts agreed to a two-year sponsorship deal beginning in 2004 and the game was known as the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl. 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, and was dubbed the New Orleans Bowl at Lafayette. Wyndham, which had no hotels in Lafayette, did not participate and did not renew its sponsorship in 2006.
The game returned to the Superdome for the 2006 edition, which was won by Troy, co-champions of the Sun Belt Conference, over Rice, making their first bowl appearance since the 1961 Bluebonnet Bowl. R+L Carriers sponsored the game, which became known as the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. R+L Carries sponsored the bowl through the 2024 season.
The 2011 through 2014 games were each won by the LouisianaâÂÂLafayette Ragin' Cajuns by a combined score of 115âÂÂ88 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. The Ragin' Cajuns also played in the 2016 edition of the bowl, losing to Southern Miss, and in the 2021 edition as well where they defeated Marshall.
In 2001, the Sun Belt Conference signed a temporary contract to play against the fifth-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 (CUSA). 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 68 Ventures Bowl, such as Arkansas State playing in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl. For the 2021 season, the New Orleans Bowl has first pick in the Sun Belt Conference.
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. In 2011 and 2014, a Mountain West team replaced C-USA as the opponent to the Sun Belt representative.
Rankings per AP poll prior to the game being played.
Source:
MVP was a defensive player<br> MVP's team did not win the game<br> MVP's team later vacated its victory
Updated through the December 2025 edition (25 games, 50 total appearances).
Louisiana's record excludes two vacated victories. The school was known as LouisianaâÂÂLafayette prior to the 2017 season. <br>
Won (4): Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston <br> Lost (10): Cincinnati, East Carolina, Marshall, Nevada, Ohio, Rice, San Diego State, South Alabama, Tulane, UAB
Updated through the December 2025 edition (25 games, 50 total appearances).
Note: Two vacated victories are excluded from the Sun Belt Conference's winâÂÂloss record and winning percentage.
The bowl has been carried on ESPN2 or ESPN since inception.