You figured it was going to be a tough game, Saturday night’s Louisiana Tech at LSU scrap. This was even tough the Bulldogs were three-touchdown underdogs. (Tech lost, 38-21, but covered, by the way.) Whenever the Tech linebackers met in coach Brian Gamble’s office during the week, even if they were in shorts and T-shirts, Gamble had them wear their helmets. Inside. In an office.
Serious bidness.
Once Louisiana Tech fell behind, 24-0 and in Tiger Stadium, the horse was pretty much out of the barn.
That’s not to say Tech didn’t have a chance to win. The Bulldogs definitely did.
They came back with 21 straight points to make it 24-21 early in the fourth quarter, but again, things would have had to have gone perfectly for the Dogs after that. And they didn’t.
On LSU’s second play from scrimmage after Tech’s third touchdown, a review of a 28-yard completion from LSU QB Joe Burrow to Dee Anderson was ruled complete, although the LSU offense, having seen the replay, had relegated itself to an incomplete pass and were hanging around back at the line of scrimmage. And Tiger Stadium’s clock suddenly stopped working.
“S-E-C! S-E-C!”
To their credit, the Tigers completed a 7-play, 71-yard drive to jump back ahead by 10 and then held the Dogs on a fourth-and-1, a quarterback keeper that was stuffed and a play call Tech coach Skip Holtz said he wished he had back. LSU scored on a short field and that was the ballgame.
Tech can only blame itself for the loss. A fumble and an interception after a deflected-off-a-receiver pass attempt led to 14 LSU points in the first half.
But…there were a lot more positives than negatives against the Tigers, now 4-9 and ranked fifth by AP. The Bulldogs got their footing after running just 12 plays in the first quarter and scored to end the half and to start the second after receiving the half’s opening kick. The offensive line and backs protected J’Mar Smith, was wasn’t sacked until the final desperation drive. Smith (27 of 50 for 330 yards and 3 TDs) bought time in the pocket the final three quarters and completed passes to nine different receivers. Adrian Hardy caught 10 balls for 181 yards — both career highs — and two touchdowns. Tech was 9 of 18 on third down and completed several third-and-8-or-more plays. Jaylon Ferguson forced a fumble that Keonatye Garner recovered — LSU’s first turnover of the season — and played well at every position: LSU had a couple of short-field scores due to the turnovers, and on one big play, a young DB missed an assignment.
Lots of Tech fans were there to see it, and they should be encouraged. The Tech Alumni Association had its biggest, most well-attended on-the-road tailgate event ever, and they’ll have another one this weekend in Denton, Texas. (Check LATechAlumni.org)
Undefeated North Texas is on Louisiana Tech’s football horizon. That’ll wrap up Tech’s first third of the season, Tech’s third road game in its first four weekends of feetball.
It’s a biggie. North Texas is the pick to win the West in Conference USA and is 4-0 for the first time since 1966; its closest game was the opener against SMU (46-23) and the Mean Green whupped Arkansas 44-17 two weeks ago in FayetteNam.
It’s the lid-lifter for both North Texas and for 2-1 Tech. Kick’s at 6:30. Lawdy lawd!
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