JOURNAL SPORTS
RUSTON — Louisiana Tech scored 23 unanswered points, but a last-second Hail Mary touchdown by Jacksonville State forced the game into overtime where the Bulldogs fell 44-37 on Saturday evening at Joe Aillet Stadium.
Tech led 37-31 with 4 seconds to play before a 49-yard pass was caught for a TD on the final play of the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs got a reprieve when the potential-game winning extra point was wide left, sending the game into overtime.
Jacksonville State (6-3 overall, 5-0 in Conference USA) scored quickly in the first series of OT, and the Bulldogs were unable to answer in their half.
“The thing that I shared with our football team and our players down in the locker room is this is one that we all absorb,” said Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie. “I think our guys played with a tremendous amount of toughness. They played a physical football game.
“The things that we talk about before this game is we were going to have to out hit, outlast and out execute this football team. Because they’re a really good team on both sides of the football ball and really on special teams.”
It was the third overtime loss of the year for the Bulldogs (3-6, 2-4).
“There’s a lot of tears in our locker room,” said Cumbie. “A lot of guys that are hurting. A coaching staff that’s hurting put together a tremendous plan. We knew they were going to score points. They’ve been doing that all season long. We weren’t able to quite make that last play at the end. In overtime we didn’t give ourselves a chance as much as you’d like to.”
A short Evan Bullock pass over the middle to Tru Edwards was the first-half highlight, as Edwards reached backwards for a one-handed catch before racing downfield for an 86-yard touchdown. Edwards caught his second touchdown of the day with 23 seconds remaining to pull Tech with 28-21 at halftime.
Tech’s defense shackled the visitors’ highly-productive running game for nearly the rest of the homecoming game. A safety on a botched punt snap and a Mason Crosby touchdown gave the Bulldogs a nine-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.
After Jacksonville State kicked a field goal to get its first points after halftime and moved within one score, Tech grinded the clock and punted to the visitors with just 39 seconds remaining. JSU’s drive moved just 30 yards to midfield before the desperation heave worked – the second Hail Mary to victimize the Bulldogs in four seasons.
“I’ve never been a part of a group that has fought and has been so close,” said Cumbie.