By MALCOLM BUTLER, Lincoln Parish Journal
RUSTON — Louisiana Tech opened its 2026 season in dominating, record-breaking fashion Saturday night, defeating Northwestern State 80-6 at Joe Aillet Stadium.
The Bulldogs (1-0) scored 63 first-half points, rolled up 528 yards of total offense and limited the Demons (0-2) to 129 yards while winning their fourth straight game dating back to last season.
The 80 points were the most scored by Tech since becoming a Division I program and the most ever scored by the Bulldogs at Joe Aillet Stadium. The 63 first-half points were also the most in a half in program history.
“I’m really proud of how our team opened our season, really proud of how they worked this week,” Tech coach Sonny Cumbie said. “Football rewards hard work, it rewards preparation and it rewards execution.
“I think our guys were really great about their approach. I think that they worked extremely hard, and I think they were a prepared football team.”
Northwestern actually struck first, taking more than six minutes off the clock on its opening possession before Payne Williams connected on a 33-yard field goal.
But the lead lasted only 11 seconds.
On Tech’s first offensive snap of the season, quarterback Blake Baker connected with Jalen Mickens for a 75-yard touchdown that gave the Bulldogs a 7-3 advantage and opened the floodgates.
“These games can get sideways on you in a hurry,” Demons’ coach Blaine McCorkle said. “Man-for-man they’re a much better football team than we are. When you play these FBS money games (worth a reported $400,000) that’s sometimes what you get.”
Following an Alonzo Jackson Jr. interception on Northwestern’s next play, Baker found Jay Wilkerson for a 27-yard touchdown and a 14-3 lead.
Ruston native Joshua Brantley provided one of the more memorable moments of the opening quarter. On a trick play, the tight end connected with Talyn Shettron for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 4:04 remaining in the period, pushing Tech’s lead to 21-3.
Another RHS Bearcat alumnus, Dylone Brooks, got into the act early in the second quarter, bursting through the Northwestern State defense for a 28-yard touchdown run that made it 28-3.
The rout was on.
Shettron added a 37-yard touchdown run, Baker found Eli Finley for a 9-yard score and Dedrick Latulas returned a punt 58 yards for another touchdown. Sergio Snider and Jaden Miller added touchdown runs as Tech erupted for 42 points in the second quarter and carried a 63-3 lead into halftime.
The Bulldogs scored touchdowns on their first 11 offensive possessions, another program record.
Baker’s night was finished by halftime. The sophomore completed 10 of 14 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
Mickens caught three passes for 133 yards, while Tech showed plenty of offensive depth throughout the night. Trey Kukuk completed all four of his passes for 45 yards and two touchdowns after halftime, finding Luke Watkins for a 35-yard score and Latulas for a 6-yard touchdown.
Brantley’s trick-play scoring toss gave Tech six touchdown passes from three different players.
The Bulldogs were equally dominant defensively.
Northwestern managed only seven first downs and averaged 2.1 yards per play. The Demons rushed for 86 yards on 45 attempts and completed just 5 of 16 passes for 43 yards.
After its opening scoring drive, Northwestern went three-and-out on its final eight possessions of the first half.
“We made some plays on that first drive, and the guys came out and executed,” McCorkle said. “We just never could really recreate that offensive momentum after that.”
Their only other sustained drive was the last one, a 14-play, 8:09-long march that netted a 37-yard Williams field goal in the final minute.
“They fought until the end,” McCorkle said. “Regardless of the situation, nobody quit. Nobody threw in the towel. We’re not going to have that. That’s why, in time, we’re going to win because we’re developing those things now.”
Tech finished with 296 yards through the air and 232 on the ground while averaging 8.9 yards per play.
“It was really a credit to our players because they’re the ones that make everything come to life,” Cumbie said. “They are the ones that execute the calls. They had a great approach this week in terms of their preparation, so very proud of our team being 1-0.”
The Bulldogs will face a much different challenge next Saturday when they travel to Baton Rouge to take on LSU at Tiger Stadium. The Demons begin their Southland Conference schedule visiting East Texas A&M.
Contact Malcolm at lpjnewsla@gmail.com