Sept. 13, 2012
RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech (1-0) hosts its season opener Saturday as the Bulldogs host future Conference USA rival Rice (1-1) at 6 p.m. at Joe Aillet Stadium in the Bulldogs' annual Community Trust Bank RED OUT game.
The Bulldogs, coming of a record-setting 56-49 win at Houston last week, are looking to start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2004. After its win at Houston combined to set four NCAA records on offense, Sonny Dykes' powerful offense is looking to set off the same kind of fireworks in front of a home-standing crowd.
The game marks the program's annual CTB RED OUT game as all fans are encouraged to wear red instead of the normal predominant blue. The team will also be wearing its special red jerseys Saturday.
Rice is hoping to build on the momentum the Owls started building last weekend as they upended Kansas, 25-24, in Lawrence, the first-ever win for the program over a Big XII opponent since the league began (at least in its current incarnation) in 1996.
Overall, this will be the sixth meeting between the two schools with Rice holding a slight 3-2 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams first met in 1965 when the Owls held Tech scoreless in a 14-0 decision in Houston. The four meetings from 2001 to 2004 were all conference games when both teams were members of the Western Athletic Conference.
The first of those four WAC games was a wild, high-scoring affair as Josh Scobee's 20-yard field goal in overtime gave the Bulldogs a 41-38 win, Tech's first overtime win in program history.
Like that 2001, the 2012 Tech team has been known for its offense (albeit through only one game in this young season) after putting up 56 points and 598 yards of offense on a Houston team that won 13 games last season.
The two teams are likely to meet again in the coming years as Tech joins Conference USA, the current home of the Owls.
The game is the second of five against a Texas school this season with remaining contests against Texas A&M (Oct. 13), UTSA (Nov. 3) and Texas State (Nov. 10) left on the schedule.
Saturday also marks Girls Sports Day at Louisiana Tech, promoting a healthy lifestyle through staying active in sports. Open to all girls from five years old to the eighth grade, coaches and players from Lady Techster teams will be on hand to interact and encourage girls at the Lady Techster Softball Complex. The price of admission to the event will include a ticket into the football game while families will be able to purchase discounted tickets.
Adding to the already great tailgating experience around Joe Aillet Stadium will be the "Crush `n' Chuck Truck," a combined mobile skill game and recycling center. Fans can crush their cans or plastic bottles and try to chuck their recyclables through targets set up on the bed of the truck. For those who participate, each game there will be three lucky winners will be randomly selected to win a Coach Sonny Dykes autographed football, a $10 gift certificate to the Tech Farm Salesroom and their photo will be displayed on Dawgzilla, the large videoboard in the north end zone of Joe Aillet Stadium.
For the 14th straight year, KXKZ 107.5 FM will serve as the flagship station for the LA Tech Sports Network as the 100,000 watt station will carry all of the Bulldog football games. It's sister station - KNBB 97.7 FM - will host the Inside Tech Football with Sonny Dykes radio show each and every Monday throughout the season.
In addition to the affiliates in Ruston, Shreveport and Baton Rouge, the LA Tech Sports Network will also include KJVC 92.7 FM (Mansfield), KTKC 92.9 (Springhill), KBEF 104.5 FM (Minden), KASO 1240 AM (Minden), KPCH 99.3 (Ruston) and KVCL 92.1 FM (Winnfield).
Legendary Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Nitz returns for his 38th year of calling Bulldog football games as the veteran behind the mic will once again team up with color analyst Teddy Allen and sideline reporter Max Causey, who both enter their second year on the broadcast team. Bennie Thornell and Ryan Kavanaugh will serve as the fourth and fifth members of the team, serving as the statistician and engineer, respectively.
Each week's Bulldog broadcast will include a one-hour pregame show and a 30-minute postgame show, complete with interviews with Dykes as well as the opposing coach.
Fans can also access the broadcasts through a subscription to LA Tech All-Access. For only $9.95 per month or $79.95 for the year (which includes all football, men's and women's basketball, majority of baseball and all home soccer, volleyball and softball), fans can access any audio/video via www.latechsports.com.
For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow @LATechFB on Twitter or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.
