Independence Bowl All-Time Team Players 46 through 50 Revealed

Tremaine Edmunds (50th Anniversary All-Time Team player No. 47) in the 2015 Independence Bowl vs. Tulsa (Photo: Independence Bowl archives).

SHREVEPORT, La. – Over the next five months, as the college football season unfolds across the country, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl will reveal the top 50 players in Independence Bowl history, counting down from number 50 to number one, starting with this release of players 50 through 46 on the all-time list.

The first five players on the list represent four different programs, with two representing separate Louisiana Tech squads, and four different decades of Independence Bowl football. Numbers 50 through 46 on the Independence Bowl’s All-Time Team include:

No. 50 – Lorenza Baker (LB – Louisiana Tech, 1990)

Baker, who played at Haughton High School, was named the 1990 Defensive Player of the Game in the only tie in the first 49 years of Independence Bowl history, as Louisiana Tech and Maryland finished the game locked at 34. Baker, who went on to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League (CFL), finished the game with nine solo tackles, 10 total tackles, one tackle for loss (TFL) and one sack.

No. 49 – Larry Anderson (DB – Louisiana Tech, 1977)

Anderson, a member of the Louisiana Tech University Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 1988, is the next representative of the Bulldogs in the top 50 after recording five solo tackles and six total tackles in the 1977 Independence Bowl in a 24-14 victory over Louisville. That year, Anderson was named a third-team All-American. He was the second-leading punt returner in college football and scored four total punt and kickoff return touchdowns. He also intercepted five passes. After being selected in the fourth round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Anderson played from 1978-1984 in the NFL. He was on back-to-back Super Bowl champion squads with the Steelers (Super Bowl XIII and XIV) and set a Super Bowl record, compiling 162 yards on five kickoff returns in Super Bowl XIV. 

No. 48 – Bill Musgrave (QB – Oregon, 1989)

Before becoming a well-known quarterback coach and offensive coordinator, Musgrave excelled at Oregon and was the Offensive Player of the Game in the 1989 Independence Bowl, passing for 320 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while also rushing for one touchdown. Musgrave was named First-team All-Pac-10 the next year for the Ducks before going in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He spent from 1991 through 1996 in the league and was a member of the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XXIX championship team. He immediately began his coaching career in 1997 and has spent the next 29 years coaching, mostly as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in college football and the NFL. He was named the New York Jets Quarterbacks coach for the 2026 season.

No. 47 – Tremaine Edmunds (LB – Virginia Tech, 2015)

Edmunds is the most-recent member of the first five on the All-Time team, appearing in the 2015 Independence Bowl in Hall of Famer Frank Beamer’s final game as a head coach. He totaled five tackles and 2.5 TFL against Tulsa in the 55-52 victory. Edmunds was named to two All-ACC teams in college – second-team in 2016 and first-team in 2017. He went on to be selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft with the 16th-overall pick. He has been named to two Pro Bowls in his first eight years in the NFL, and he recently signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the New York Giants during the 2026 off-season.

No. 46 – Booger McFarland (LB – LSU, 1995 & 1997)

Maybe the biggest name of the five, McFarland played in two Independence Bowls for LSU, recording one tackle in 1995 and two tackles and a pass breakup in 1997. He enjoyed a very successful college career in Baton Rouge, earning second-team All-SEC honors in 1996, first-team All-SEC honors in 1998, and first-team All-American honors in 1998. He was also the SEC Freshman of the Year in 1995. Following his time at LSU, McFarland was selected with the 15th pick of the first round in the 1999 NFL Draft. He went on to win two Super Bowls – Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and XLI with the Indianapolis Colts. McFarland has become an even more household name in recent years as one of ESPN’s lead NFL analysts and a top name across its football coverage.

Selection & Ranking Criteria and Committee

The list of the top 50 all-time players was compiled by an experienced and diverse committee that included local media members and Independence Bowl representatives. Players were nominated and evaluated based on the following criteria:

• 40 percent weight based on their Independence Bowl performance(s)
• 30 percent based on their college career and accolades
• 30 percent based on their pro career and accomplishments

To read more about the nomination and selection process, release schedule and selection and ranking committee, visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/news.

50th Anniversary Summer of Giveaways

During the nine weeks of the Summer of Giveaways – spanning from June 22 through August 24, fans will have the chance to win eight weekly prizes and one grand prize. Prizes will include Independence Bowl merchandise and memorabilia packs, as well as prizes from sponsors such as Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Eagle Distributing, Lee Michael’s Fine Jewelry, Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, SportsCards Louisiana, The Golf Club at Stonebridge and Tickets For Less.

To register for the contest, fans should visit the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl’s official social media channels on Facebook, X and Instagram at @IndyBowl. The weekly prizes and how fans can register to win will be posted each Monday, with the winner announced the following Monday.

Fan Memory Submissions

Another aspect of the Independence Bowl’s 50th anniversary celebration, currently open for fan participation, is the Fan Memory Submissions.  Fans can submit their favorite Independence Bowl memories at https://independence-bowl.cuelive.com/?gameId=post-up&configurationId=6a0c7fec473951af98e1af09. Memories will be posted online and will be shown during the 50th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Independence Stadium.

ABOUT THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL™

Established in 1976, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl™ is college football’s 11th most historic bowl game, with the 50th anniversary game set for Tuesday, December 22, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. CST on ESPN. Radiance Technologies is the bowl’s title sponsor through at least the 2027 Bowl Season. 

The Independence Bowl Foundation is a prominent presence in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to enhance the economic impact and growth of our community. The Mission of the Independence Bowl is to attract and provide quality, nationally recognized football competition oriented to the Ark-La-Tex region. For more information, visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com or follow the bowl on Facebook, X and Instagram at @IndyBowl.