TODAY’S GAME

Frisco Bowl SMU (7-5) VS. LOUISIANA TECH (6-6)

SITE Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas TIME (TV) 7 p.m. Central (ESPN) LINE SMU by 4

SERIES Louisiana Tech leads 3-1.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

SMU plays its first bowl game in five seasons, with new Coach Sonny Dykes leading the Mustangs about a week after being hired to replace Chad Morris, who left for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Dykes coached Louisiana Tech for three years before going to Cal. The game will be played about 30 miles from the SMU campus, at the professional soccer stadium that is hosting its first bowl game and is also the site of the FCS championship game in January. Louisiana Tech won its last two regular-season games to get bowl eligible. The Bulldogs are in a bowl for the fourth consecutive season and have won the past three.

KEY MATCHUP

Louisiana Tech’s secondary vs. SMU’s receivers. Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn are both 1,000-yard receivers with 12 TD catches each for the Mustangs. Quinn, a former LSU transfer, is the FBS leader with 8.8 catches per game. Louisiana Tech safety Secdrick Cooper was an All-Conference USA pick, and freshman CB Amik Robertson was a second-team pick with 4 INTs.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

SMU DE Justin Lawler led the American Athletic Conference with 9½ sacks, and he was second in the league with 15½ tackles for loss. Lawler has 74 tackles overall. LOUISIANA TECH WR Teddy Veal has 69 catches for 832 yards and 5 TDs.