The American Athletic Conference meets the Sun Belt when the Houston Cougars and Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the 2022 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Friday at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. The Cougars (7-5) tied for second in the West division of The American. Meanwhile the Ragin' Cajuns (6-6) tied for third in the West division of the Sun Belt in coach Michael Desormeaux's first season at the helm in Lafayette. 

Kickoff is 3 p.m. ET. The Cougars are 7-point favorites in the latest Houston vs. Louisiana Independence Bowl odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 56. (See up-to-date odds for every game this week on our college football odds page.) 

Before you make any Louisiana vs. Houston picks or Independence Bowl predictions, see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

The model knows that Houston has one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country in Clayton Tune. A 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior, Tune is tied with Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud for the nation's lead in touchdown passes (37). Tune also ranks third in the country in total offense (361.2 yards per game).

The model also knows that Louisiana's defensive backfield has done an excellent job of making plays on the ball. The Ragin' Cajuns rank 11th in the country in interceptions (15). Eleven different players have made an interception this season.

Now, the model has set its sights on the Independence Bowl and Houston vs. Louisiana. We can tell you it is leaning Over the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any college football picks.

Who wins the Independence Bowl and Louisiana vs. Houston? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the Houston vs. Louisiana spread you should be all over Friday, all from the model on a roll on college football picks!