JOURNAL SPORTS

RUSTON – After a 10-day break, Louisiana Tech’s football team returns to the field tonight for a Halloween Homecoming matchup against winless Sam Houston State at Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium.

Kickoff for the Conference USA  matchup is 7 p.m. and the game can be seen on CBS Sports Network. The Louisiana Tech Radio Network broadcast including analyst Teddy Allen airs locally on 95.7 KLKL FM.

Tech (4-3, 2-2 CUSA) hopes to get back into the win column against Sam Houston (0-7, 0-4) in an all-time series that is tied at 2-2-1. The Bearkats won last year’s meeting in Huntsville.

The Bulldogs will unveil black uniforms and helmets for the first time in program history, while the Bearkats will don their orange uniforms: a perfect combination for a Halloween meeting. 

It will also culminate Tech’s 100th Homecoming.

“The 100th Homecoming,” said Bulldogs’ fourth-year coach Sonny Cumbie. “It’s an exciting week. We are really excited about the game. It’s a great opportunity for us to get back out on the field and play.”

Tech will also hope to bounce back from a heart-breaking overtime loss to Western Kentucky 28-27 in its last outing and try to snap a two-game losing skid.

“What did we learn from that loss?” said Cumbie. “How do we get better and better, and stronger and stronger as a football team.”

Blake Baker threw for a career-high 340 yards, while Marlion Jackson posted career highs with six receptions for 103 yards. Tech’s defense recorded its second game this season with double-digit tackles for loss (10), and  Kameron Carter recorded the team’s 13th interception of the year.

“This is a Sam Houston team that is getting better,” said Cumbie. “If you look at their last three games they have gotten better. You can see the progression.”

The Bulldogs are 71-26-2 on homecoming, although losing in their last four homecoming games. Tech’s last homecoming win came in 2020, a 21-17 victory over UTEP.