The 3-2-1 | Bulldogs drop CUSA opener at FIU, time off before MTSU

Louisiana Tech (1-3) dropped a 17-10 decision at FIU to open Conference USA play on Saturday night.

With the loss, Tech has now lost 22 of its last 23 road games dating back to 2020.

The Bulldogs will not be back in action until its hosts Middle Tennessee on October 11th.

Three Things We Learned

1 — Evan Bullock makes 1st start at Quarterback

Evan Bullock made his first career start at quarterback against FIU and finished 26/37 (70%) for 218 yards.

Although Tech was unable to light up the scoreboard only scoring 10 points offensively, Bullock certainly looked poised throughout the contest.

The Anna, TX native is far from a finished product and Saturday was only the beginning of his collegiate career.

2 — Offensive Execution

Sonny Cumbie mentioned earlier in the week that all 11 players have to execute their assignment on a given play for an offense to be successful on a consistent basis.

With Bullock making his first career start, that was going to be even more important on Saturday night.

With Louisiana Tech only able to muster 10 points and 297 total yards offensively it certainly appears that the offensive unit needs to kick it into another gear to become more consistent going forward.

The Bulldogs rank 109th nationally in points per game against FBS competition.

3 — Defense, Defense, Defense

For a fourth consecutive game, Louisiana Tech's defensive unit gave the team a chance to win.

Jeremiah Johnson's defense limited FIU to 17 points and only 304 total yards.

The Panthers averaged only 4.4 yards per play.

Two Questions Going Forward

1 — Is Bullock THE GUY at quarterback?

Fair question, right?

We have to figure out if the redshirt freshman can be the future at the position, don't we?

Win, lose, or draw, Tech needs to focus on finding its long-term starting quarterback over the next eight games.

2 — Can the Bulldogs make a run in 2024?

Tech gets Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, and UTEP over its next three games.

MUST WIN. ALL 3.

That's what it will take to get to a bowl game in 2024.

One Prediction for Next Week

Bye week. May your week be filled with joy and happiness.

---

Join the discussion on the Tech Drive for only $9.95 a month. We are your #1 source for all things Louisiana Tech football.

Follow us on Twitter: @BCarlisle37, @BleedTechBlue