Fernando Mendoza Becomes the Third Independence Bowl Alumni to be Selected with First Overall Pick in NFL Draft

SHREVEPORT, La. (April 24, 2026) – As the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, the bowl saw just its third former player selected with the first overall selection in the NFL Draft during Thursday night’s first round, as Fernando Mendoza was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Mendoza joins two of the all-time great Independence Bowl alumni to be drafted number one in the NFL and becomes the first in over 20 years. He joins College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, who was drafted first overall in 1985, and Eli Manning, who went first in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Mendoza enjoyed a historic season in 2025, leading the Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated 16-0 record and their first National Championship in program history. Along the way, Mendoza completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also added 276 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

Those gaudy numbers earned Mendoza a laundry list of awards and accolades during awards season. He became the first former Independence Bowl player to win the Heisman Trophy – college football’s highest individual honor. He also won the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Associated Press Player of the Year and was named the College Football Playoff National Championship Most Valuable Player.

Mendoza, who has been the surefire first-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft since the season ended, started at quarterback as a redshirt freshman for the California Golden Bears in the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. He passed for 261 yards and one touchdown against Texas Tech in that game, but the turnover bug bit him, as he threw three interceptions and lost one fumble against a Red Raiders’ defense that was led by 2023 Defensive Player of the Game Jacob Rodriguez, who is likely to be a second or third round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

ON THE DOCKET – 50th Anniversary Kickoff Party & Indy Bowl Overtime

Indy Bowl Overtime, hosted for the first time by the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in 2025, will serve as the official Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl 50th Anniversary Kickoff Party.

The event is set for Thursday, May 7 at Community Bank of Louisiana, located at 3000 Fairfield Ave, Shreveport, LA 71104. The 50th Anniversary Kickoff press conference will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl announcing plans to celebrate the bowl’s 50th anniversary throughout 2026, culminating with the game in December.

Following the press conference, the event will roll into the 2nd annual Indy Bowl Overtime after-hours networking event from 5:00-7:00 p.m. The Lovers, a Shreveport-based Indie-Americana pop duo featuring Cole Vosbury and Amanda June, will perform from 5:00-6:30 p.m. Food will be available for the first 150 people, and Eagle Distributing and Coca-Cola Bottling Co. products will be available throughout the event.

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl fans can visit OpportunityLouisiana.gov to explore why Louisiana businesses are positioned to win. 

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 set for 2026. 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.

CALIFORNIA TO FACE TEXAS TECH IN 2023 INDEPENDENCE BOWL

SHREVEPORT, La. (Dec. 3, 2023) – The 47th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is less than two weeks away, and the first Power Five matchup in seven years is set, as the California Golden Bears from the Pac-12 Conference will take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders out of the Big 12 Conference.

Kickoff between Cal and Texas Tech is set for Saturday night, December 16 at 8:15 p.m. CST at Independence Stadium. The game will be televised on primetime on ESPN – marking the 31st consecutive year the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl has been televised on an ESPN network.

The California Golden Bears, led by seventh-year head coach Justin Wilcox, finished the 2023 regular season with three consecutive wins en route to a 6-6 record and bowl-eligibility. Following a close victory over Washington State at home on November 11, the Bears defeated rival Stanford on the road by double digits before closing out the season with a convincing win over UCLA, 33-7, at the Rose Bowl.

The Bears’ 181.1 rushing yards per game were their best since 2012 with the ground game led by sophomore All-American candidate Jaydn Ott, who finished the regular season as the Pac-12’s leader in total rushing yards (1,260) and rushing yards per game (114.55), and second in rushing touchdowns (11). Ott totaled 14 touchdowns by adding two receiving and another with a 100-yard kickoff return at UCLA on the first time he had returned a kickoff at any level of football. Redshirt freshman quarterback Fernando Mendoza completed 131-of-210 passes for 1,447 yards and 13 touchdowns. The four leading Cal receivers caught 30 or more passes, led by junior Jeremiah Hunter with 58 receptions for 669 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Bears had a knack for big plays on defense, tying for the nation’s lead in fumbles recovered (14) and ranking tied for second in turnovers gained (25). Cal also had three defensive touchdowns to rank tied for 13th nationally.

This is the first appearance in the Independence Bowl in Cal’s storied history. This will be the Golden Bears’ 25th bowl game in program history. They also rank 37th all-time among FBS teams in wins, with 694 in school history.

Texas Tech will make its third all-time appearance in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl after a 6-6 regular season under second-year head coach Joey McGuire. The Red Raiders finished 5-4 in Big 12 play for the second consecutive season, making Texas Tech one of only three Big 12 programs to boast a winning conference record in back-to-back seasons. The Red Raiders wrapped the regular season by going 3-1 in November, topping two fellow bowl teams in the process with a road victory at Kansas and then against UCF the following week in Lubbock. Texas Tech is in a bowl game for the third consecutive season and the 41st time in program history, which ranks tied for 20th in college football history.

The Golden Bears and Red Raiders have met up once prior, with that meeting coming in the 2004 Holiday Bowl. Texas Tech took home the 45-31 victory in that game, with current Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie being named the Offensive Player of the Game.

Cal is the fifth representative of the Pac-12 to appear in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, and the conference has had success in their previous four appearances – sporting a 3-1 record. Arizona was the last Pac-12 team to make their way to Shreveport in 2013. Texas Tech is the 13th representative of the Big 12 to play in the Independence Bowl. The Big 12 is 4-8 in those 12 games. The last time the Big 12 was represented in the Independence Bowl was Missouri in 2011. The Houston Cougars, now in the Big 12, were victorious in the 2022 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl as a representative of the American Athletic Conference.

Various ticket options are on sale now for the Saturday night playing of Shreveport-Bossier’s annual bowl game. Endzone Bench, Sideline Bench and Sideline Chairback tickets are available at RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/tickets. Great ticket packages – including group tickets, Family Four-Packs, Small Business Fan-Packs and premium options – are available online or by calling the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl office at 318.221.0712 or toll-free at 888.414.BOWL.

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Week will also feature many free and ticketed events for local and traveling fans of all ages to enjoy. The FCA Breakfast will kick off the public event schedule on Thursday, December 14 at 7:30 a.m. at Riverview Hall. The following night, the eve of the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, local and traveling fans will all gather in the East Bank District for the free Rally on the Red. The Rally on the Red will feature four free events from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, December 15. Finally, on game day on Saturday, December 16, the week of public events will culminate with Coca-Cola Fan Fest from 12-7:30 p.m. in the Silver Lot outside of Independence Stadium – leading fans into the 8:15 p.m. kickoff of the 47th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.

Fans can plan their trip to Shreveport for the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl at www.FindYourLouisiana.com. For information on Independence Stadium rules and the clear bag policy, please visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/stadium-rules/.

ABOUT THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL™

Established in 1976, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl™ is college football’s 11th most-historic bowl game – celebrating its 47th edition on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 8:15 p.m. CST with a matchup of the California Golden Bears and Texas Tech Red Raiders on ESPN. The Independence Bowl Foundation announced a one-year extension with Radiance Technologies – ensuring they will be the title sponsor through 2025. The bowl’s conference, team, and television agreements also run through the 2025 season. Army West Point and the Big 12 are slated to match up against a rotation of the Pac-12 Conference, American Athletic Conference and Conference USA, which will be televised on an ESPN network.

The Independence Bowl Foundation is prevalent in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to help 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.

Halloween Flash Sale Brings 31 Percent Discount on Sideline Bench Tickets

SHREVEPORT, La. (Oct. 30, 2023) – Halloween is tomorrow, and the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is offering a spooky good deal to celebrate the day. On October 31 from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., Sideline Bench tickets will be 31 percent off.

Fans who want to purchase Sideline Bench tickets during the Halloween Flash Sale will receive a 31 percent discount when using the code 31OFF. Tickets for the flash sale can be bought at www.ticketmaster.com/event/1B005ECDC29E2E77.

The 47th edition of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is set for Saturday, December 16 at 8:15 p.m. between the Big 12 Conference and Pac-12 Conference. Various ticket options are on sale now for the Saturday night playing of Shreveport-Bossier’s annual bowl game. Endzone Bench, Sideline Bench and Sideline Chairback tickets are available at RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/tickets. Great ticket packages – including group tickets, Family Four-Packs, Small Business Fan-Packs and premium options – are available online or by calling the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl office at 318.221.0712 or toll-free at 888.414.BOWL.

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Week will also feature a plethora of free and ticketed events for local and traveling fans of all ages to enjoy. The FCA Breakfast will kick off the public event schedule on Thursday, December 14 at 7:30 a.m. at Riverview Hall. The following night, the eve of the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, local and traveling fans will all gather in the East Bank District for the free Rally on the Red. The Rally on the Red will feature four free events and runs from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, December 15. Finally, on game day on Saturday, December 16, the week of public events will culminate with Coca-Cola Fan Fest from 12-7:30 p.m. in the Silver Lot outside of Independence Stadium – leading fans into the 8:15 p.m. kickoff of the 47th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.

Fans can plan their trip to Shreveport for the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl at ExploreLouisiana.com. For information on Independence Stadium rules and the clear bag policy, please visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/stadium-rules/.

ABOUT THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL™

Established in 1976, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl™ is college football’s 11th most-historic bowl game – celebrating its 47th edition on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 8:15 p.m. CT with a matchup of the Big 12 Conference and Pac-12 Conference on ESPN. The Independence Bowl Foundation announced a one-year extension with Radiance Technologies – ensuring they will be the title sponsor through 2025. The bowl’s conference, team, and television agreements also run through the 2025 season. Army West Point and the Big 12 are slated to match up against a rotation of the Pac-12 Conference, American Athletic Conference and Conference USA, which will be televised on an ESPN network.

The Independence Bowl Foundation is prevalent in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to help 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, Twitter and Instagram at @IndyBowl.