NEW ORLEANS – Jax State conducted its final full-scale practice at the Caesars Superdome Thursday afternoon and head coach Rich Rodriguez continues to like his squad's preparation ahead of the school's first bowl appearance.

The Gamecocks (8-4) will be seeking their ninth victory for a second straight season when they square off against Louisiana (6-6) in Saturday's R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Kickoff is at 1:15 p.m.  with television coverage on ESPN.

"It's a very iconic city. Our guys have handled the experience well and they've earned it," Rodriguez said. "You want this to be a memorable experience for them and the best way to make it even more memorable is to win."

The Gamecocks practiced for approximately 75 minutes during their Thursday session at the 76,468-seat home of the NFL's New Orleans Saints and site of a College Football Playoff semifinal on Jan. 1, 2024.

"It's always been a fabulous building," said Rodriguez, who coached in the Superdome while offensive coordinator at Tulane from 1997-98. "It's a great venue. I think our guys are excited about it and they should be. It's not only an NFL stadium, it's one of the best."

Senior linebacker Quae Drake, Jax State's leading tackler this season, said the Gamecocks are focused on beating the Ragin' Cajuns while taking in the sights of the Crescent City.
"(Winning) is very important. That's what we're here for," said Drake. "Coach Rich Rod's been preaching all week about keeping the main thing the main thing. We came down here to win and we've been working hard all week and also enjoying ourselves as well. But we came here to win."      

Jax State will hold a final walk-through Friday afternoon after attending the annual New Orleans Bowl Luncheon featuring speeches from both head coaches, performances by the Marching Southerners and Louisiana's the Pride of Acadiana band, and luncheon keynote speaker Avery Johnson, a 16-year NBA veteran and former University of Alabama men's basketball coach.

Earlier Thursday, a total of 13 senior players and football support staff in caps and gowns were presented their diplomas during a graduation ceremony held at the team hotel.
Tickets orders through Jax State are now closed. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for Saturday's matchup.