SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) - Louisiana-Monroe, playing in its first bowl game, will meet Ohio in the Independence Bowl.

The Independence Bowl selected Ohio (8-4, 4-4 Mid-American Conference) after being told Louisiana Tech was not yet ready to accept an invitation the Dec. 28 contest that could have been a matchup of two north Louisiana schools.

The Warhawks (8-4, 6-2 Sun Belt Conference) announced Saturday that they had accepted an invitation to play in Shreveport, which is a drive of less than two hours from Monroe.

The Bobcats, whose selection was announced Sunday night, opened the 2012 season 7-0 and were ranked as high as No. 25 in the AP poll, but lost four of their last five games.

Ohio will be playing in its fourth straight bowl and second in Louisiana since 2010.