Battle on the Bayou
vs.
Louisiana vs. UL Monroe. First played in 1951; the results here start in 1976.
Louisiana leads 25–16 in Battle on the Bayou through 2025. Louisiana won the last meeting, 30–27, in 2025.
Who's won the Battle on the Bayou lately?
- 2016Louisiana30–3
- 2017UL Monroe56–50
- 2018Louisiana31–28
- 2019Louisiana31–30
- 2020Louisiana70–20
- 2021Louisiana21–16
- 2022UL Monroe21–17
- 2023Louisiana52–21
- 2024Louisiana37–23
- 2025Louisiana30–27
Louisiana has won 3 straight, since 2023. Over the last 10 meetings, Louisiana is 8–2.
What's the Battle on the Bayou trophy?
Wooden Boot: the trophy the teams have played for since 2002.
How did Battle on the Bayou start?
Northeast Louisiana State, now UL Monroe, beat Southwestern Louisiana, now Louisiana, 13-7 in Lafayette on September 15, 1951. The Wooden Boot was added in 2002, and both schools play in the Sun Belt. In 2017 UL Monroe won 56-50 in double overtime, and in 2020 Louisiana won 70-20 in Monroe, the biggest margin in the series.
What are the most famous Battle on the Bayou games?
- 2017: Double overtimeUL Monroe won 56-50 in two overtimes in Lafayette.Final: UL Monroe 56–50
- 2020: 70-20Louisiana won 70-20 in Monroe, the largest margin in the series.Final: Louisiana 70–20
- 2025: OvertimeLouisiana won 30-27 in overtime in Lafayette.Final: Louisiana 30–27
How has the Battle on the Bayou series swung?
Each bar is one meeting. Bars above the line are Louisiana wins and bars below it are UL Monroe wins; the taller the bar, the bigger the margin. Over the last 10 meetings Louisiana is 8–2. The widest margins are Louisiana 70–20 in 2020 and UL Monroe 31–6 in 1983.
How do Louisiana and UL Monroe compare this season?
Louisiana is the better team this season by SP+ (68th to 133rd), and it's ahead on 6 of these 10 stats. Each row is one stat: the dots are each team's national rank out of 138, printed by the dot, and further left is better.
| National rank | Louisiana | UL Monroe |
|---|---|---|
| SP+ overall | 68th | 133rd |
| SP+ offense | 63rd | 131st |
| SP+ defense | 73rd | 134th |
| Success rate | 83rd | 46th |
| Success rate allowed | 90th | 88th |
| Explosive play rate | 103rd | 74th |
| Big Uglies: offensive line | 29th | 115th |
| Big Uglies: defensive front | 68th | 129th |
| Takeaways a game | 9th | 115th |
| Giveaways a game | 81st | 77th |
What are the records in Battle on the Bayou?
- Biggest Louisiana win
- 2020, 70–20
- Biggest UL Monroe win
- 1983, 31–6
- Longest streaks
- Louisiana, 5 straight (2008–2012); UL Monroe, 3 straight (1997–1999)
- Most points
- Louisiana, 70 in 2020
- Ties
- None
Who has the most yards in Battle on the Bayou?
| Best single game | Most in the series | |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | Pete Thomas (UL Monroe), 472 passing yards in 2014, with 2 TDs | Caleb Evans (UL Monroe), 905 passing yards in 4 games (2016–2019) |
| Rushing | Tyrell Fenroy (Louisiana), 297 rushing yards in 2008, with 3 TDs | Tyrell Fenroy (Louisiana), 697 rushing yards in 4 games (2005–2008) |
| Receiving | Brent Leonard (UL Monroe), 168 receiving yards in 2012, with 1 TD | Ladarius Green (Louisiana), 388 receiving yards in 4 games (2008–2011) |
From the box scores of the 22 meetings since 2004 on CollegeFootballData.com. Older games don't have player stats.
Battle on the Bayou results: every game since 1976
| Year | Winner | Score | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Louisiana | 30–27 | Louisiana |
| 2024 | Louisiana | 37–23 | UL Monroe |
| 2023 | Louisiana | 52–21 | Louisiana |
| 2022 | UL Monroe | 21–17 | UL Monroe |
| 2021 | Louisiana | 21–16 | Louisiana |
| 2020 | Louisiana | 70–20 | UL Monroe |
| 2019 | Louisiana | 31–30 | Louisiana |
| 2018 | Louisiana | 31–28 | UL Monroe |
| 2017 | UL Monroe | 56–50 | Louisiana |
| 2016 | Louisiana | 30–3 | UL Monroe |
| 2015 | Louisiana | 30–24 | Louisiana |
| 2014 | Louisiana | 34–27 | UL Monroe |
| 2013 | UL Monroe | 31–28 | Louisiana |
| 2012 | Louisiana | 40–24 | UL Monroe |
| 2011 | Louisiana | 36–35 | Louisiana |
| 2010 | Louisiana | 23–22 | UL Monroe |
| 2009 | Louisiana | 21–17 | Louisiana |
| 2008 | Louisiana | 44–35 | UL Monroe |
| 2007 | UL Monroe | 17–11 | Louisiana |
| 2006 | UL Monroe | 39–20 | Louisiana |
| 2005 | Louisiana | 54–21 | UL Monroe |
| 2004 | UL Monroe | 13–10 | UL Monroe |
| 2003 | UL Monroe | 45–42 | Louisiana |
| 2002 | UL Monroe | 34–10 | UL Monroe |
| 2001 | Louisiana | 17–12 | Louisiana |
| 2000 | Louisiana | 21–18 | UL Monroe |
| 1999 | UL Monroe | 31–7 | Louisiana |
| 1998 | UL Monroe | 34–24 | UL Monroe |
| 1997 | UL Monroe | 28–21 | Louisiana |
| 1992 | Louisiana | 31–23 | Louisiana |
| 1991 | UL Monroe | 21–10 | Louisiana |
| 1989 | Louisiana | 24–10 | UL Monroe |
| 1987 | Louisiana | 17–7 | UL Monroe |
| 1986 | Louisiana | 24–20 | Louisiana |
| 1984 | UL Monroe | 7–6 | Louisiana |
| 1983 | UL Monroe | 31–6 | UL Monroe |
| 1982 | Louisiana | 40–26 | Louisiana |
| 1981 | UL Monroe | 20–17 | UL Monroe |
| 1980 | UL Monroe | 24–0 | Louisiana |
| 1979 | Louisiana | 17–13 | Louisiana |
| 1976 | Louisiana | 7–5 | UL Monroe |
Results from CollegeFootballData.com. The schools' official series records can differ by a game or two (vacated wins, disputed early games).
Questions about Battle on the Bayou
Who leads the Battle on the Bayou series?
Louisiana leads 25–16 through the 2025 game, in the 41 meetings on record since 1976.
Who won the last Battle on the Bayou?
Louisiana beat UL Monroe 30–27 on Nov 29, 2025 at Cajun Field.
When was the first Battle on the Bayou?
1951, by the schools' count. Our game-by-game results start in 1976.
What's the trophy for the Battle on the Bayou?
Wooden Boot: the trophy the teams have played for since 2002.
What's the biggest win in the Battle on the Bayou?
Louisiana won by 50 in 2020, 70–20. UL Monroe won by 25 in 1983, 31–6.
What's the longest winning streak in the Battle on the Bayou?
Louisiana won 5 straight from 2008 to 2012. UL Monroe won 3 straight from 1997 to 1999.
Who has won the Battle on the Bayou lately?
Louisiana has won 3 straight, since 2023. Over the last 10 meetings, Louisiana is 8–2.
Who has the most passing yards in a Battle on the Bayou game?
Pete Thomas (UL Monroe), 472 passing yards in 2014, with 2 TDs, the most in one game since 2004. The most in the series: Caleb Evans (UL Monroe), 905 passing yards in 4 games (2016–2019).
Who has the most rushing yards in a Battle on the Bayou game?
Tyrell Fenroy (Louisiana), 297 rushing yards in 2008, with 3 TDs, the most in one game since 2004. The most in the series: Tyrell Fenroy (Louisiana), 697 rushing yards in 4 games (2005–2008).
Who has the most receiving yards in a Battle on the Bayou game?
Brent Leonard (UL Monroe), 168 receiving yards in 2012, with 1 TD, the most in one game since 2004. The most in the series: Ladarius Green (Louisiana), 388 receiving yards in 4 games (2008–2011).
What is the Battle on the Bayou?
Battle on the Bayou is the Louisiana–UL Monroe rivalry, first played in 1951. Louisiana leads 25–16 through 2025, and the winner takes home the Wooden Boot.
What happened in the 2017 Battle on the Bayou?
Double overtime: UL Monroe won 56-50 in two overtimes in Lafayette. Final: UL Monroe 56–50.
What happened in the 2020 Battle on the Bayou?
70-20: Louisiana won 70-20 in Monroe, the largest margin in the series. Final: Louisiana 70–20.
What happened in the 2025 Battle on the Bayou?
Overtime: Louisiana won 30-27 in overtime in Lafayette. Final: Louisiana 30–27.
Where can I watch Louisiana vs. UL Monroe, and what time is it?
Louisiana at UL Monroe, Thursday, November 12, 9:00 PM ET, at Malone Stadium. It's on ESPN2.
When and where is the 2026 Battle on the Bayou?
Louisiana at UL Monroe, Thursday, November 12, 9:00 PM ET, at Malone Stadium.
Louisiana vs. UL Monroe prediction: who will win in 2026?
SP+ projects Louisiana 38–16, about a 94% chance to win. The projection uses this season's ratings and updates every week.
What was the score of the last Louisiana vs. UL Monroe game?
Louisiana won 30–27 on Nov 29, 2025.
What's the Louisiana vs. UL Monroe record in the last 10 years?
Louisiana is 7–2 in the 9 meetings since 2016.
Louisiana vs. UL Monroe player stats: who starred in the 2025 game?
For Louisiana, D'Wayne' Winfield threw for 82 yards; Bill Davis ran for 126 yards and 1 TD; he also had 33 receiving yards. For UL Monroe, Aidan Armenta threw for 311 yards and 3 TDs; Zachary Palmer-Smith ran for 114 yards and 1 TD; Nic Trujillo had 133 receiving yards and 2 TDs.
Who won the 2025 Battle on the Bayou?
Louisiana beat UL Monroe 30–27 on Nov 29, 2025 at Cajun Field.
Who won the 2024 Battle on the Bayou?
Louisiana beat UL Monroe 37–23 on Nov 30, 2024 at Malone Stadium.
Who won the 2023 Battle on the Bayou?
Louisiana beat UL Monroe 52–21 on Nov 25, 2023 at Cajun Field.
Who won the 2022 Battle on the Bayou?
UL Monroe beat Louisiana 21–17 on Sep 25, 2022 at Malone Stadium.
Who won the 2021 Battle on the Bayou?
Louisiana beat UL Monroe 21–16 on Nov 27, 2021 at Cajun Field.
When was the last time Louisiana won the Battle on the Bayou?
2025, 30–27, the most recent meeting.
When was the last time UL Monroe won the Battle on the Bayou?
2022, 21–17. Louisiana has won all 3 meetings since.
Related
History and trophy sources: en.wikipedia.org.
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|---|---|---|
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- Projected score. Each team's SP+ offense, plus how far the opponent's SP+ defense is from average, plus special teams. The home team gets half of a 2.5-point home edge added and the visitor half subtracted.
- Win chance. The projected margin turned into a probability, assuming games usually land within about 14 points of the projection. A 0-point margin is 50%; 14 points is about 84%.
- The three ratings. SP+ is built from every play this season. PRIME is a possession-efficiency rating. Elo uses only final scores and carries over from year to year, with 55 Elo points of home edge.
- The numbers' pick. The team at least two of the three ratings favor, with our confidence the average of their three win chances for that team. On the game cards, a pick is a lock when all three favor the same team and the average win chance is 80% or more, a coin flip when it's under 55%, and a lean otherwise. Injuries can drop the tier: each key player out counts by what he does for his team (a starting quarterback is 2 points, the feature back or top receiver half a point, doubtful counts half), the other side's injuries offset, and 1 point drops a tier, 2 points two. The game page shows it as an injury alert. Nobody overrides the numbers' pick.
- CFB Charts Top 25. SP+, PRIME and strength of record, each converted to a common scale and averaged.
- Playoff picture. The 2026-27 rules: automatic bids for the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions (the current conference leader stands in until the title games) and for the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt. Notre Dame is in if it ranks in the top 12. The rest are at-large teams by the chosen rating, and all 12 are seeded straight by that rating, so the top four get the byes. Once the committee's rankings are out (first release Tuesday, Nov. 3), they become the default ranking.
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Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of the 138 FBS teams.
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- A rating built possession by possession: how well a team turns drives into points and keeps opponents from doing the same, adjusted for opponents. Zero is an average FBS team.
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- A results-only rating. Every team has a number, 1500 is average, and the winner takes points from the loser after every game. Beat a great team and you take a lot. Beat a bad one and you take a few. It carries part of last season over, so it's slow to catch a team that changed.
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- The four parts of RECEIPTS. Schedule: what an average team would win against that schedule, minus .500. Roster: the extra wins from a roster this good on paper (247Sports talent and returning production). Coach: wins from playing better or worse than that roster should. Luck: actual wins against the wins SP+ expects. Recruiting rankings undersell the service academies, so their coaches get extra credit.
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- 12 teams, under the 2026-27 rules. Automatic bids go to the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions, and to the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt. Until the title games, each conference's current leader stands in as its champion.
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What this shows
SP+ vs. payroll is the average, across a conference's teams with an NIL valuation (positive means its teams play better than their payrolls predict). Blue-chip ratio is the share of all its rostered players who were 4- or 5-star recruits.
Ranks are national, out of 138 FBS teams. A top-10 team also counts toward the top 25 and top 40, and everyone outside the last cutoff counts as weak. Open a conference to see its teams.
Conference depth
Projected bracket
Seeds 1–4 get first-round byes. Seeds 5–8 host the first round.
The field and the bubble
The columns on the right show where each team would be seeded under the other ratings. A dash means out.
How the field is built
- 12 teams. Five get in automatically: the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions, plus the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt (champion or not).
- Notre Dame is in if it ranks in the top 12.
- At-large. The remaining spots go to the highest-ranked teams left. If an automatic qualifier ranks outside the top 12, it takes the last at-large spot.
- Seeding follows the ranking, as it has since 2025. A conference champion isn't guaranteed a bye.
- Champions mid-season. "Current conference leader" uses the best conference record so far, with ties broken by the chosen rating. "Highest-rated team" picks the best-rated team in each conference instead.
- Composite averages SP+, PRIME and strength of record after putting each on a common scale.
- This is a projection from today's numbers. The real field is chosen by a committee on Dec. 6, after conference title games.
How we picked it
How we picked it
Three ratings look at a team in three different ways. The numbers' pick is the team at least two of them favor.
Where the game is won
Where the game is won
Each row puts one team's unit against the unit it faces, by national rank out of all FBS teams. An edge is a gap of 25 spots or more.
Injuries and availability
Statuses come from the conference availability reports and team news, as of the date shown. "Hasn't played" means a regular (the main passer, a quarter of the carries or 15% of the catches) with no pass, carry or catch in his team's last two games, from the play-by-play. That can be an injury, a benching or a suspension. Linemen and defenders don't show up in that check.
The teams in charts
The players in charts
FAQ
Keep going
Ratings: SP+ via CFB Update; PRIME via primecfb.com. Box and play stats computed from CollegeFootballData.com play data (via the public cfbfastR files), FBS games only for scoring. Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of 138 FBS teams.