LSU might play in a bowl game named for a restaurant 2 alums own

The Independence Bowl’s got a new name and a cool tie to the Tigers

The Independence Bowl has a new sponsor, and there’s a particular LSU flavor to the moniker.

Walk-On’s is basically what you get if Buffalo Wild Wings and Louisiana Cajun cuisine had a baby. There’s one right down the street from Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is an investor, and the restaurant is LSU through and through.

Our story begins on the hardwood floors of Louisiana State University’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Brandon Landry and Jack Warner, our founders and walk-ons for the LSU basketball team, played proudly for the Tigers, driven by the team camaraderie and their true love of the game.

LSU has plenty of problems right now after being pushed around at home by Troy, but if it gets to a bowl game (and it most likely will,) there’s a decent chance it ends up in Shreveport. Our Bill Connelly has the Tigers projected to finish 8-4, but any worse than that and they’re a serious candidate for the Independence Bowl. Our Week 5 bowl projections currently have the Tigers going to the Birmingham Bowl, but you’d expect the Independence Bowl to fight pretty hard for LSU for ticket reasons if it came down to that.

The Independence Bowl has had some interesting names through the years. The Advocare V100 name was fine in the late 2000s, but the game’s also been named for duck-calling company Duck Commander — which is at least culturally relevant to the Louisiana area — and Poulan Weed Eaters to name a few. I’d have to say this is a marked upgrade from those, and very relevant to college sports.

The particular tie to LSU has me hoping for a purple and gold Independence Bowl this year.