Oct. 24, 2014 RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech spent four of its first five games of the 2014 season on the road including a rivalry game against Louisiana-Lafayette and a conference game against North Texas. Over a month later, Tech will combine the two as it plays at Southern Miss in the Rivalry in Dixie on Saturday at Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Saturday's rivalry game will be broadcast on the American Sports Network (ASN) with Dave Armstrong (play-by-play) and Jim Donnan (analyst) calling the action.
The rivalry series, which began in 1935 with Louisiana Tech's 27-0 win in Ruston, has been as thrilling as ever recently with three of the last four meetings being decided by one possession. Last season's 36-13 win by the Bulldogs broke the streak.
What wasn't broken in last year's game was a streak of four consecutive Rivalry in Dixie games being played in the rain but that streak is expected to come to an end Saturday as the weather forecast in Hattiesburg calls for temperatures in the low 80s with little to no chance of rain.
"We talk about geographic rivalries," Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz said. "With Southern Miss and the 45 previous games, there is tradition. There is history and we are only three and a half hours away. We recruit against each other. We are in the same conference. I think three of the last four games have come down to the final possession. It is a rivalry game and one we are excited to be involved with. I definitely think it is a huge rivalry."
That leaves two coaches working to rebuild two storied programs that are hitting their stride entering this week. Louisiana Tech (4-3, 3-0 Conference USA) has two dominating wins in league play (42-21 over North Texas, 55-3 over UTEP) followed by a standout defensive performance in a 27-20 win over UTSA.
Louisiana Tech's defense has led the way, recording at least eight tackles for a loss in each of the last four games, including 11 tackles for a loss in the last two.
"Defensively adding Coach Diaz adds an element of confidence," Southern Miss head coach Todd Monken said of the way the Bulldogs are playing on defense. "I think he's always had a swagger to him, a confidence, and I think their players feed off of that. I think just a second year with the staff, defensively and adding that quarter back, they have improved."
Meanwhile Southern Miss is coming off a 30-20 win at North Texas where the usually pass-happy Golden Eagles ran for over 200 yards.
"Offensively, they are very good," Holtz said of the Golden Eagles. "They have a young quarterback that is in the system for his second year. He throws the ball very accurately. They throw the ball around to some very good receivers. Their offensive line is doing a good job of pass protection. As many times as they have thrown it, they have only given up 14 sacks in six or seven games. Offensively they are putting up some numbers. That is why you cannot just look at what they are averaging. They are getting better and better. You can see them starting to make some changes. Some freshmen are coming along and starting to play for them."
USM cannot be overlooked on defense, either. Dasman McCullm will be a player to watch in Saturday's game as he enters the contest with eight tackles for a loss including 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick. KXKZ 107.5 FM will serve as the flagship station for the LA Tech Sports Network for the 16th straight year as the 100,000 watt station will carry all of the Bulldog football games in 2014.
In addition to KXKZ, the LA Tech Sports Network will consist of KNBB-FM 97.7 (Ruston), KPCH-FM 99.3 (Ruston), KJVC-FM 92.7 (Mansfield), KTKC-FM 92.9 (Springhill), KBEF-FM 104.5 (Minden), KASO-AM 1240 (Minden), KVCL-FM 92.1 (Winnfield), WUBR-AM 910 (Baton Rouge/Zachary) and KRMDFM 100.7 (Shreveport) which also simulcasts on 1340 AM.
All Bulldog football games can also be accessed online (audio for all games) by purchasing a subscription to LA Tech All-Access on LATechSports.com. Cost of a subscription to LA Tech All-Access is only $9.95 per month or $79.95 for the entire year (which includes all live broadcasts for all of Tech's athletic teams).
Fans can also choose to purchase the C-USA Digital Network subscription for $14.95 per month or $119.95 per year which includes all of the above content as well as audio and video for all road C-USA games along with additional video content throughout the year.
This fall all of the Tech football broadcasts can be heard on the LA Tech Sports Network as Dave Nitz, Teddy Allen, Malcolm Butler, Bennie Thornell and Mason Ellenberger comprise the broadcast team. Nitz - one of the longest-tenured broadcasters in college football - is entering his 40th year of broadcasting Bulldog Football games.
For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow @LATechFB on Twitter or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.
