RUSTON – For a second straight season, Louisiana Tech was able to prevail in its season opener at Joe Aillet Stadium as the Bulldogs outlasted Nicholls by a final score of 25-17 on a rain-soaked Saturday night.
LA Tech (1-0) was able to overcome a first-half injury to starting quarterback Jack Turner as well as five turnovers committed. Helping do so was a stout defense under the guidance of new defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson, holding Nicholls (0-1) to just 200 total yards of offense.
It was a combination of the defense and special teams that provided the first points of the 2024 season. After Patrick Rea's perfect 70-yard punt was downed at the 1-yard line, the Bulldogs immediately stuffed the Colonels for a safety.
However, the 2-point lead was short-lived as Nicholls' defense provided some points of its own with a 25-yard pick six as Turner was attempting a screen pass. Turner bounced back though, completing three straight passes including a 28-yard touchdown to Solo Lewis in the back corner of the end zone to put the 'Dogs back up.
Turner would exit the game with 3:53 remaining in the first quarter due to injury, resulting in Blake Baker's first career appearance as a Bulldog. Soon thereafter came the rain. A lot of it.
On the rain-soaked field, Baker would complete a 14-yard touchdown pass to an open Marlion Jacksonwhich gave LA Tech a 15-7 lead with 8:27 remaining in the second quarter (missed extra point). The Colonels tacked on a 38-yard field goal just before halftime to get to within five at the midway point.
The Bulldogs would force six straight punts (including five 3-and-outs) to start the second half. Meanwhile, the LA Tech offense eventually extended its lead thanks to a 24-yard field goal by Buck Buchanan and a 6-yard rushing touchdown by Jimmy Holiday, making it 25-10 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Colonels offense scored their first touchdown of the game, a 27-yard pass with 2:17 left in the contest. They would get the ball back just 24 seconds later with a chance to tie the game, but three incompletions and a combo sack by J'Dan Burnett and Zach Zimos (the sixth total for the 'Dogs) capped off a season-opening victory.
LA Tech registered 386 yards of offense with Baker completing 12-of-24 passes for 207 yards. Three different Bulldog wide receivers caught three balls with Jackson registering a game-high 76 receiving yards. Marquis Crosby, making his return after an injury-plagued 2023 season, led the 'Dogs on the ground with nine rushing attempts for 44 yards.
GAME NOTES
With the 25-17 win, LA Tech is now 13-1 all-time in season openers at Joe Aillet Stadium, having won 11 straight dating back to 1978.
The Bulldogs are a perfect 6-0 at home when playing in the month of August.
LA Tech is now 5-0 all-time versus Nicholls.
The Bulldogs have now won eight straight games against in-state opponents.
The 200 yards allowed by the defense were the fewest since the 2023 season opener against FIU.
The Bulldogs recorded six sacks, the most since the 2018 Hawaii Bowl against Hawaii.
Marlion Jackson and Solo Lewiseach tallied their first career receiving touchdown.
Kolbe Fields had a game-high 11 tackles including 2.5 TFLs (1.5 sacks).
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Sonny Cumbie
Opening statement…
"I am excited our football team is 1-0. It was a great effort from a defensive standpoint. The effort was there from an offensive standpoint. It was arguably one of the sloppiest games I have been apart of from an offensive and special teams standpoint. You have to give credit to Nicholls from defense, offense, and special teams. Coach Rebowe has done a nice job there. They were 7-0 in their conference last season, and they returned a lot of those same players. They had something to do with our performance on offense, but at the end of the day we let them hang around because we turned the ball over at inopportune time. We gave them the ball back when our defense stopped them."
On the biggest improvement the team must make…
"Ball security and throwing and catching the ball on offense. We have to be better in quarterback decision making. The screen pass we missed high and that's a play where if you miss high that is going to happen. Jack gets pressured on a screen pass on third and long, it forces him to throw the ball a lot faster than he wanted to and it turned into a pick-six. Decision making, taking care of the football, and taking a look at the offensive line. Dedrick Lutalas is going to be a difference maker on special teams and he just has to settle in."
On the six sacks…
"It is a good start and we need to continue to have numbers like that. J'Dan Burnett and Jessie Evans are good pass rushers. These guys can rush the passers. We are letting them play fast and they have an opportunity to rush the passer. That was one of our goals of the season, to get to the quarterback more."
Linebacker Kolbe Fields
Thoughts on the game…
"It's always a blessing to win, and you cannot take it for granted. We have to do what we do week in and week out. We need to just improve and compete and keep going."
On his performance tonight…
"I woke up at five this morning, and I prayed and cried. I also thought about my people, and it wasn't me out there, it was God."
Wide receiver Jimmy Holiday
On the offensive performance tonight…
"Overall, I am proud of the resiliency we had on offense. We fought through some adversity and some hiccups, but we kept going and did not drop our heads. We kept to our motto to improve and compete."
On the win…
"It was just personal to us. Every game this year will be personal to us because it felt like we left a lot on the field last year. We have been fired all week and fall camp, to be honest."
SOCIAL MEDIA
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