SHREVEPORT, La. -- Clayton Tune threw three touchdown passes - including two to All-America receiver Nathaniel Dell, as Houston rallied for a 23-16 win against Louisiana in the Radiance Technologies Indpendence Bowl at Independence Stadium.

Tune and Dell connected for the game-winning touchdown from 12 yards out with 20 seconds left in regulation, giving the Cougars their only lead of the game. The duo had earlier hooked up on a 2-yard reception in the third quarter to bring Houston within three at 16-13.

Houston (8-5) had spotted the Ragin' Cajuns an early 13-0 lead, but the Cougars were able to stay within reach at halftime by limiting Louisiana to three field goals and getting on the board themselves on Tune's first TD strike - a 33-yard bomb to KeSean Carter.

A Louisiana (6-7) field goal with two seconds left gave the Ragin' Cajuns a 16-6 halftime lead. It was also the last time that Louisiana would score in the game.

The Cougars forced three turnovers on Louisiana's five second-half possessions, allowing Tune and Dell to orchestrate the offensive comeback.

Tune went 19-of-28 for 216 yards and three touchdowns, giving him an American Athletic Conference-record 40 TD passes this season. That broke the old mark of 39 touchdown passes set by SMU's Tanner Mordecai last season. It also matches Austin Reed of Western Kentucky for the most among NCAA FBS players this season.

Dell's two touchdown receptions were his 16th and 17th of the year, giving him the outright FBS lead. He finishes one shy of the American Athletic Conference record of 18 TD receptions, set by Memphis' Anthony Miller in 2017.