What does it take to win a Conference USA Championship?
Louisiana Tech has won four straight bowl games from 2014 to 2018. The one thing missing from the trophy case is the first Conference USA Championship in program history.
After playing in two Conference USA Championship games in the past four years, getting over the hump and winning one is the goal in 2018.
BleedTechBlue took a look back at the previous five Conference USA Champions to see what it will take for the Bulldogs to claim that elusive championship.
2013-Rice: Scoring Offense: 29.6 PPG (62nd) Scoring Defense 24.4 PPG (42nd) Turnover Margin: +7
2014-Marshall: Scoring Offense: 45.6 PPG (3rd) Scoring Defense: 21 PPG (19th) Turnover Margin: +2
2015-Western Kentucky: Scoring Offense: 44.3 PPG (3rd) Scoring Defense: 25.9 PPG (53rd) Turnover Margin: +14
2016-Western Kentucky: Scoring Offense: 45.5 PPG (1st) Scoring Defense: 24.6 PPG (41st) Turnover Margin: +2
2017-Florida Atlantic: Scoring Offense: 40.6 PPG (8th) Scoring Defense: 22.7 PPG (34th) Turnover Margin: +14
The numbers in parenthesis are where each team ranked nationally in the different categories. One thing is for certain, explosive offenses rise to the top of Conference USA seemingly every year.
Looking at Louisiana Tech last season, the offense averaged 30.5 PPG (49th) and the defense allowed 25.4 PPG (54th) to go along with a turnover margin that was +13. While the Bulldogs offense wasn’t bad a year ago, it was certainly not what Tech fans are accustomed to seeing each year. The offense will be improved in 2018, but can the unit get into the top 20? Defensively, Blake Baker will have athletes all over the field. Can the Bulldog defense limit opponents to less than 20 PPG?
When Louisiana Tech takes the field in 18 days, the Bulldogs will have the opportunity to make a statement early on as to whether or not they are ready to win a Conference USA Championship.
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