The Independence Bowl will feature the University of California (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (6-6) in Shreveport, La. The game will feature the first meeting between the two schools since they met in the Holiday Bowl in 2004.
The Bears are playing in a bowl for the first time since 2019 after three straight losing seasons, but they needed late-season wins over Washington State, Stanford and UCLA to qualify.
Texas Tech also started poorly with a 1-3 start, winning three of their last four games to become bowl-eligible.
Fans looking to watch this college football bowl game can do so for free on fuboTV, which offers a free trial (as well as RedZone, for you NFL fans) or on DirecTV Stream, which also offers a free trial. SlingTV has promotional offers available, as well. Through the end of 2023, fuboTV is also offering $20 off the first two months of subscription (in addition to the 7-day free trial).
Who: Cal vs. Texas Tech
When: Saturday, Dec. 16, 9:15 p.m. ET
Where: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, La.
Stream: fuboTV (free trial); or Sling; or DirecTV Stream
Tickets: StubHub and *VividSeats
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Independence Bowl: California (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (6-6), Dec. 16, 9:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Line: Texas Tech by 3, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Texas Tech leads 1-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Both teams won three times in the last month of their regular seasons to get here and now have a chance to finish above .500. Cal finished the regular season on a three-game winning streak to reach the six-victory threshold for bowl eligibility and won’t want that streak to end. Tech will be seeking its fourth victory in five games and bounce back from its only loss in that stretch, which came against No. 3 Texas.
KEY MATCHUP
Cal’s opportunistic defense and coverage units, which combined to rank second nationally in turnovers gained with 26, against a turnover-prone Texas Tech team that lost the ball 21 times on offense or returns to rank worse in turnovers lost than 103 other teams.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
California: RB Jaydn Ott led the Pac-12 with 1,260 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing. Ott was named First Team All-Pac-12 by the league’s coaches, The Associated Press, College Football Network and College Football News. He also was one of 10 national finalists for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award.
Texas Tech: RB Tahj Brooks ranked fourth nationally with 1,443 yards and nine TDs rushing. Brooks needs 139 rushing yards in the Independence Bowl to finish third on the Texas Tech single-season rushing chart. He has rushed for at least 90 yards in each of the last 10 games this season.
FACTS & FIGURES
Texas Tech has lost two of its top three receivers this season — Jerand Bradley and Myles Price — to the transfer portal. … Texas Tech defeated Cal 45-31 in the 2004 Holiday Bowl in San Diego. … Texas Tech is playing in its third Independence Bowl and 41st bowl game overall. … Tech seeks its third bowl victory in three years, having won the Texas Bowl last season and the Liberty Bowl in 2021. … Cal is playing in its first appearance in the Independence Bowl and 25th bowl overall. … The Bears are looking to end the season on a four-game win streak for the first time since winning their final four games in 1993 with a 37-3 victory over Iowa at the Alamo Bowl. … The last Cal team to end the season on a winning streak longer than four games was in 1931 when the Bears won their final five. … Cal has played once previously in Shreveport, Louisiana, losing 41-34 to Louisiana Tech on Oct. 4, 1997.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
