Louisiana's Dugger Invited To East-West Shrine Bowl

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana's Jaden Dugger accepted an invitation to play in the 101st East-West Shrine Bowl in Frisco, Texas, in an announcement on Tuesday.

The game will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at Ford Center at The Star. The game will be televised on the NFL Network.

Dugger, a first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection at linebacker, recorded 125 tackles on the season – the sixth-most by a Louisiana defender in school history. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Dugger finished second on the team in both tackles for loss (13.0) and sacks (4.0), with an interception, quarterback hurry and forced fumble.

He took over for departed senior and 2024 first-team SBC linebacker KC Ossai in the MIKE role and thrived in his first season as a full-time starter. Dugger's 125 tackles on the season were the most by a Ragin' Cajun since Justin Anderson's 131 stops in 2013.

Dugger had a pair of games on the season with 16 stops – vs. Southern Miss and ULM – and recorded 10 or more stops in six games during the season.

The East-West Shrine Bowl, benefiting Shriner's Children, is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. An important part of America's football tradition, the event gives top college players a chance to showcase their talents to NFL scouts and a national television audience.

Fans are encouraged to stay connected with Louisiana Football by downloading the official #GeauxCajuns App — click here for iOS and here for Android — and by following the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@RaginCajunsFB).

Louisiana's Dugger Invited To East-West Shrine Bowl

Players Mentioned

Jaden Dugger

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics