# 2016 New Orleans Bowl

The 2016 New Orleans Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game played on December 17, 2016 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 16th annual edition of the New Orleans Bowl was one of the 2016–17 bowl games that conclude the 2016 FBS football season. Sponsored by freight shipping company R+L Carriers, the game was officially known as the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Southern Miss won the game by a score of 28–21.

## Team selection

The game featured the Southern Miss Golden Eagles against the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns.
This was the 51st meeting between the schools, with Southern Miss leading the all-time series 38–11–1. The previous meeting of the two teams was on August 30, 2008, where the Golden Eagles defeated the Ragin' Cajuns by a score of 51–21.

### Louisiana-Lafayette
## Game summary
### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | USM | LA |
| 1 | 9:39 | 3 | 67 | 0:57 | USM | Ito Smith 11-yard touchdown run, Parker Shaunfield kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 1 | 7:17 | 3 | 70 | 1:12 | USM | Ito Smith 6-yard touchdown reception from Nick Mullens, Parker Shaunfield kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 1 | 3:15 | 9 | 66 | 3:55 | LA | Anthony Jennings 4-yard touchdown run, Stevie Artigue kick good | 14 | 7 |
| 2 | 7:28 | 2 | 29 | 0:30 | LA | Dion Ray 12-yard touchdown run, Stevie Artigue kick good | 14 | 14 |
| 3 | 10:42 | 11 | 75 | 4:18 | USM | Allenzae Staggers 5-yard touchdown reception from Nick Mullens, Parker Shaunfield kick good | 21 | 14 |
| 4 | 12:26 | 14 | 83 | 6:14 | USM | Ito Smith 1-yard touchdown reception from Nick Mullens, Parker Shaunfield kick good | 28 | 14 |
| 4 | 5:10 | 5 | 19 | 2:10 | LA | Anthony Jennings 3-yard touchdown run, Stevie Artigue kick good | 28 | 21 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 28 | 21 |
Source:

### Statistics

| Statistics | USM | LA |
| First downs | 22 | 21 |
| Plays–yards | 74–481 | 69–252 |
| Rushes–yards | 32–135 (4.2) | 47–157 (3.3) |
| Passing yards | 346 | 95 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 25–42–1 | 8–22–1 |
| Time of possession | 30:34 | 29:26 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| USM | Passing | Nick Mullens | 25/40, 346 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT |
| USM | Rushing | Ito Smith | 26 car, 138 yds |
| USM | Receiving | Allenzae Staggers | 11 rec, 230 yds, 1 TD |
| LA | Passing | Anthony Jennings | 8/20, 95 yds, 1 INT |
| LA | Rushing | Elijah McGuire | 17 car, 99 yds |
| LA | Receiving | Al Riles | 5 rec, 64 yds |