Louisiana Tech (1-0) started slow and shot themselves in the foot a multitude of times throughout the game, but a dominant defensive performance paired with a composed Bachmeier touchdown drive led the Bulldogs to a 22-17 season-opening win over FIU (0-1).
Statistical Leaders
FIU
#3 QB James: 5/14, 4 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, 5.0 QBR
#0 RB Lawrence: 15 carries, 139 yards, 9.3 average, 1 touchdown
#6 RB Patterson: 5 carries, 17 yards, 3.4 average, 1 touchdown
#88 TE Miamen: 1 reception, 4 yards, 4.0 yards per catch
#10 WR Mitchell: 1 reception, 2 yards, 2.0 yards per catch
#10 LB Manuel: 15 total tackles, 8 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss
#42 LB Peterson: 11 total tackles, 4 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack
#7 NK Potts: 10 total tackles, 7 solo tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss
#24 SS Daniel: 6 total tackles, 4 solo tackles, 1 interception
#37 K Gabriel: 2/2 on extra points, 1/1 on field goals, long of 45
#25 P Montiel: 8 punts, 41.5 yards per punt, long of 58
LA Tech
#19 QB Bachmeier: 34/44, 333 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 49.9 QBR
#22 RB Thornton: 8 carries, 51 yards, 6.4 average, long of 19
#21 RB Willis: 11 carries, 32 yards, 2.9 average, long of 6
#32 RB Fields: 1 carry, 30 yards, 30.0 average, 1 touchdown, 1 reception, 20 yards
#6 WR Harris: 11 receptions, 155 yards, 14.1 yards per catch, 1 touchdown
#1 WR Allen: 5 receptions, 48 yards, 9.6 yards per catch, long of 13
#17 TE Jones: 7 receptions, 28 yards, 4.0 yards per catch, long of 11
#6 LB Randle: 9 total tackles, 2 solo tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss
#0 SS Heard: 9 total tackles, 1 solo tackle
#3 LB Boateng: 6 total tackles, 1 solo tackle, 1 tackle for loss
#5 DT Hall: 5 total tackles, 3 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack
#2 FS Singleton: 5 total tackles, 1 interception
#35 K Barnes: 1/1 on extra points, 3/5 on field goals, long of 46
#31 P Oschendorf: 3 punts, 44.3 yards per punt, long of 45
Game Summary
They found a way to get it done. That’s the simplest way to assess the Bulldogs' season-opening comeback win over FIU. The longer the game went on, the more and more it felt like a classic Tech game where the Bulldogs had multiple chances to win the game but could never take advantage. With the 14-point comeback victory, Louisiana Tech snapped a 19-game losing streak of games that Tech was trailing at the half. If nothing else, this win proved the passion and fight instilled in this team.
You could hear a pen drop in the stadium after FIU scored a 67-yard rushing touchdown on just the 3rd play of the game. The fears of the Bulldogs’ defense from last season repeating itself looked like they might be true. The Panthers took advantage of a bad-read Bachmeier interception and punched it in the end zone from 6 yards out to take a shocking 14-0 lead in Ruston. Later in the half, both teams would take turns converting on field goals before Barnes’ second attempt doinked off the right upright to keep the score at 17-3. Desperately needing a spark, Bachmeier threw a strike to Smoke across the middle, and Smoke exploded for a 64-yard touchdown, and a stadium light show ensued. Closing the half, the offense drove down the field and settled for a Barnes 32-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 17-13.
Driving down on the FIU side of the field in the 3rd, a tight end screen to Jones resulted in a brutal fumble and recovery by the Panthers. The biggest story of the second half was easily how different Tech’s defense looked. The defensive line led by Clark, Hall, Williams, and Burnett as well as the linebackers led by Randle, Boateng, and Zimos clamped up the FIU offense for the entire second half. To start the 4th, Tech’s offense was forced to settle for a field goal attempt again, with Barnes cutting the lead to 17-16. After driving down to the FIU with under five minutes to play, the Bulldogs played conservatively and rushed the ball three straight times, ending in a crushing 43-yard Barnes field goal miss and an unfortunate light show as well.
Needing a stop on 3rd and 2 with just over 2 and a half minutes to play, Tech’s defense stepped up as they had all second half and came up with a stop. On the final drive, Bachmeier completed a one-yard pass to Smoke, threw an incomplete pass, and found Jones for a gain of 4. On 4th and 5 with the game on the line, Bachmeier stayed poised and hit Allen for a huge first down and a gain of 12. Next play, Bachmeier found newly transitioned running back Jacob Fields out of the backfield for a big 20-yard gain down to the 32 of FIU. After a gain of two to Smoke brought the game to just over a minute to play, Fields exploded through the left side of the offensive line and never stopped running, getting into the end zone on an exciting 30-yard touchdown rush to give Tech their first lead of the game at 22-17. With the Panthers having one final chance, a deflection was intercepted by Singleton, effectively ending the game and giving Tech a gutsy 1-0 start to their season.
Up Next
Louisiana Tech (1-0) will travel to Dallas to face SMU (0-0) in a rematch of the gut-wrenching loss that the Bulldogs suffered in 2021 at the Joe.
Saturday’s game will be broadcast on ESPNU and can be listened to on 107.5 FM or the LA Tech Athletic App.
The contest is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday morning at Gerald J. Ford Stadium
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