JOURNAL SPORTS
RUSTON – Louisiana Tech kicks off its third season under coach Sonny Cumbie at home in Joe Aillet Stadium Saturday night at 7, with the Bulldogs lining up against an FCS visitor that is no gimme.
The Bulldogs, 3-9 last year, play host to defending Southland Conference champion Nicholls, picked to repeat its league title.
Tech is eager to get out of the doldrums of three straight three-win seasons. The Bulldogs suffered a season-ending slump of six straight losses, and four defeats in a row at home, in 2023. But four in the six-game skid were one-possession losses.
After five straight seasons of opening up on the road (2018- 22), Tech will start the year at home for the second consecutive time. The Bulldogs have played their first game of the season in Joe Aillet Stadium just four times in the last 15 years. The ‘Dogs are 12-1 all-time in season openers at the Joe, having won 10 straight dating back to 1979.
Tech’s homefield will have a new look, and so will the Bulldogs – even it’s a retro one.
Fans are sure to enjoy a new video board. At a cost of $6.8 million, it is a 3,240-square foot end zone display that measures 36 feet high and 90 feet wide.
Also new to the Bulldogs for the season opener will be their helmets. Officially unveiled at a team meeting on Aug. 14, the white helmets feature a Tech script that dates back to the 1960s. The helmet will be matched up with Tech’s throwback LT Blue uniforms they unveiled back in 2022.
Jack Turner was named Tech’s starting quarterback by Cumbie at CUSA Media Day. Turner enters his third year with the Bulldogs and appeared in eight games including four starts last season. This will mark the fifth straight season that the Bulldogs will have a different quarterback start Game 1.
He has made 11 career appearances at QB for the Bulldogs over the last two seasons after transferring from Navarro Junior College. He was impressive during his first career start at Nebraska last season, completing 27 of 42 passes for a season-high 292 yards and a touchdown. He also made starts against UTEP, WKU, and Middle Tennessee.
Sophomore defensive back Michael Richard returns after being named the 2023 CUSA Freshman of the Year and garnering Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic. He led CUSA freshmen with seven pass breakups, which ranked seventh nationally among FBS freshmen. Opponents completed just 40 percent of passes (14-35) against him last season, allowing just one touchdown in 249 defensive snaps. His 83.5 coverage grade was the fourth-best mark among CUSA defensive backs.
The Bulldogs have a new defensive staff after Cumbie made offseason changes.
The Colonels are coming off their third SLC title in the last six years and fourth playoff appearance under head coach Tim Rebowe. Nicholls posted its first undefeated season in conference play in 2023.
The Colonels have a league-high 15 Preseason All-Southland selections, headlined by returnees Southland Player of the Year Jaylon Spears (running back who had 1,300 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns) and Freshman of the Year Rasheed Lovelace (defensive lineman who made 27 tackles with 2.5 for loss). Nicholls comes in ranked No. 23 in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25.
The game can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on the Tech Sports Network with Malcolm Butler, Teddy Allen and Jerry Byrd Jr. describing the action.
Tech will visit North Carolina State in two weeks, then hosts Tulsa Sept. 21.