SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) - Louisiana-Monroe, playing in its first bowl game, will meet Ohio in the Independence Bowl.
The Independence Bowl selected Ohio (8-4, 4-4 Mid-American Conference) after being told Louisiana Tech was not yet ready to accept an invitation the Dec. 28 contest that could have been a matchup of two north Louisiana schools. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. EST.
The Warhawks (8-4, 6-2 Sun Belt Conference) announced Saturday that they had accepted an invitation to play in Shreveport, which is a drive of less than two hours from Monroe.
The Bobcats, whose selection was announced Sunday night, opened the 2012 season 7-0 and were ranked as high as No. 25 in the AP poll, but lost four of their last five games.
Ohio will be playing in its fourth straight bowl and second in Louisiana since 2010.
The Bobcats recorded the first bowl victory in Ohio school history last year when they defeated Utah State, 24-23, in the Famout Idaho Potato Bowl.
Ohio will begin ticket sales at 8:30 a.m. today. Fans interested in purchasing tickets can do so by calling 800-575-2287.
