[11] In a matchup that play-by-play announcer Bob Wischusen and others commented on the extent to which the two teams' "mirrored" each other, Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL) enjoyed an effective home field advantage at the Super Dome in New Orleans.
[12] Nevada opened as one-point favorites, and the game was expected to be close, yet high-scoring due to two ostensibly superior offenses.
[16] Dual-threat quarterback Terrance Broadway and running backs Elijah McGuire – an elusive 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) 198 pounds (90 kg) sophomore named the conference's offensive player of the year – and Alonzo Harris – a bruising 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) 238 pounds (108 kg) senior – each had over 600 yards rushing and combined for 29 touchdowns to help lead the Ragin' Cajuns' rushing attack, the fifth-best in the Sun Belt Conference.
[17] Ringo, an "indefatigable" weight lifter weighing around 300 pounds (140 kg), compiled 10.5 sacks on the season, and approached the team record.
The secondary vastly improved as well, finally achieving some continuity after several injuries when a pair of freshmen safeties – Tracy Walker and Travis Crawford – became the regular starters.
[17] One of eight quarterbacks to lead their team in both rushing and passing, and one of two all-time FBS quarterbacks along with former Wolf Pack star Colin Kaepernick to achieve 9,000 career passing yards and 3,000 career rushing yards, senior Cody Fajardo, a four-year starter, led Nevada's offense into the bowl game seeking to build on the success that landed him as an honorable mention member of the All-Mountain West Conference team.
[31] Junior running back Don Jackson was close behind Fajardo in rushing yards, totaling 932 on the season along with seven touchdowns.
[29][32] Matt Galas, a senior center, anchored a young, improved offensive line, and was a second team all-conference selection.
Nigel Haikins led a secondary that struggled at times, posting 70 tackles and three interceptions, the latter of which tied for the team lead.
[36] Now in the second quarter, Nevada's defense forced a three-and-out, and the offense finally put together a sustained drive, entering the red zone before freshman wide receiver Wyatt Demps fumbled while running after a catch, thus turning the ball over to ULL.
After six plays, they turned the ball over on downs, and ULL's final possession essentially ran out the clock; the Ragin' Cajuns won 16–3, a stark juxtaposition to the predictions, which envisioned a high-scoring affair.