Just before the New Year’s Eve bowl games, the Independence Bowl will be kicking off on Tuesday at the Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.. This bowl game will pit the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, with both teams seeking to end their 2025 campaign with a Bowl game win.
Both teams are expected to deal with issues such as injuries and players opting out due to the transfer portal, entering the NFL draft or other reasons. The game will kickoff at 2:00 PM ET via ESPN. With the Independence Bowl kicking off later, which players are expected to miss the game due to opting out or injury?
Independence Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. LA Tech Opt-Outs And Injury Report
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
- LT Nick Del Grande: Opted out, transfer portal, also injured
- RT Joseph Hanson: Will play but entering the transfer portal
- QB Samari Collier: Injured, questionable
- CB Myles Mooyoung: Injured, questionable
- LB Shane Bruce: Injured, questionable
- S Dante Thomas: Injured, questionable
Samari Collier has been dealing with a knee injury over that last month, missing Coastal Carolina’s last two games. If he misses this game, then Tad Hudson is expected to suit up.
The team will not have as many transfer portal problems as the other teams, but they are playing without a head coach as defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson will be the one to coach the team after Team Beck got fired. Missouri State head coach Ryan Beard is expected to take over next season.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
- S Michael Richard: Opted out, transfer portal
- S Jacob Fields: Opted out, transfer portal
- LB Mekhi Mason: Opted out, transfer portal
- CB Jamal Shelby: Opted out, transfer portal
- QB Evan Bullock: Opted out, transfer portal, also injured
- QB Blake Baker: Injured, confirmed out
- LB Kolbe Fields: Injured, questionable
- RT Kenneth Bannister: Injured, questionable
With Blake Baker out for the season, Trey Kukuk is expected to become the starting quarterback for the Independence Bowl for the Bulldogs, He has already started for the team over their last two games, and this one may be no different, especially as fellow QB Evan Bullock is also leaving.
Related:
Bryce Underwood Transfer Portal Update: Top 3 Destinations for Michigan’s Five-Star Freshman
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