Bulldogs to open league play
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Louisiana Tech is set to begin its fourth season of Conference USA play this weekend when the Bulldogs travel to battle the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at 6 p.m. CT Saturday at Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium.
“This is the third out of four games on the road, but it is a conference game and I think our players are really excited to have the opportunity to get into conference play,” head coach Skip Holtz said. “It is a different mindset.
“It is a different attitude. There is a different excitement in the team room. When you start talking about conference games, you see the look in their eyes and everyone is sitting on the edge of their seats. I think everyone is excited to get into this conference race.”
Saturday’s game will mark the sixth meeting all time between Louisiana Tech and Middle Tennessee, with the first meeting dating back to 1984.
Since the Bulldogs joined Conference USA in 2013, the two teams have met just once with LA Tech coming out on top in that meeting last season, 45-16, at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston.
The series is tied 1-1 in games played in Murfreesboro.
Louisiana Tech enters the game ranking 12th in the country in passing offense (347) and 15th in total offense (530).
The Bulldogs are coming off a 59-45 defeat at Texas Tech last weekend where the offense put up 572 yards of total offense against the Red Raiders.
Over the last two games, LA Tech has combined for 1,299 yards of total offense.
LA Tech quarterback Ryan Higgins comes into Saturday’s game ranked 18th nationally with seven passing touchdowns, while the redshirt senior is averaging 360 passing yards in two games this season.
Jarred Craft enters the weekend as LA Tech’s leading rusher with 44 carries, 314 yards and two touchdowns.
For the second week in a row, Louisiana Tech’s defense will face a tall task this weekend with Middle Tennessee, who ranks sixth in the country in passing offense and 13th nationally in total offense.
The Blue Raiders’ quarterback, Brent Stockstill, is currently ranked third in the nation among active career leaders in passing yards per game (297.2).
Last weekend, Middle Tennessee traveled to Bowling Green and came away with a convincing 41-21 victory.
The Blue Raiders are 18-3 in its last 21 home games entering Saturday’s Conference USA contest against the Bulldogs, including a 55-0 victory over Alabama A&M to open the 2016 campaign.