Box Score Oct. 3, 2015

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RUSTON -- Make it two years in a row for Skip Holtz and Co.

Louisiana Tech overcame an early UL-Lafayette touchdown, reeling off 36 straight points and dominating the Ragin' Cajuns for the second straight year, this time by the score of 43-14 before 26,910 fans at Joe Aillet Stadium Saturday night.

UL-Lafayette came into the contest with a gameplan to stop Kenneth Dixon on the ground, one year after Dixon dismantled the Ragin' Cajuns with almost 200 yards rushing in last season's 48-20 Tech win. The Ragin' Cajuns were successful with their attack, limiting Dixon to a season low 59 yards on 22 carries.

However, it was the only phase of the game UL-L succeeded in as Tech scored on offense, defense and special teams in improving to 48-33-6 all-time against the Ragin' Cajuns and winning for the eighth straight time in the series.

"They came out tonight to stop Kenneth Dixon," said Tech head coach Skip Holtz. "They loaded the box to stop him on the ground. If I had to play this game again, I might put Jeff (Driskel) in the shotgun and let him throw in 70 times. He could have had 700 yards of offense but this wasn't a game about stats. It was a game about getting the lead and managing the game. I thought our guys did a pretty good job of that for the most part."

Early on it appeared as though Tech (3-2, 1-1 C-USA) would have its hands full. ULL quarterback Jalen Nixon led the Ragin' Cajuns on a five-play, 80-yard drive that culminated in a 49-yard touchdown pass to running back Elijah McGuire. Less than two minutes into the contest, ULL had a 7-0 lead. It would be the last lead of the night.

"Defensively, outside of the first drive of the game, our defense played a great football game," said Holtz. "The only points they gave up outside of the opening drive, when we lost leverage on a screen pass, was when we fumbled and they only had 15 yards to go to score a touchdown. That was the only points they scored in the second half. I thought it was a dominant performance by our defense. I thought they did a great job."

Tech responded on its first possession. Driskel methodically drove Tech down the field and found Trent Taylor on an eight-yard scoring pass in the right corner of the end zone, tying the game. Taylor, who finished the game with five catches for 78 yards and the score, made a diving catch for the TD.

On Tech's next possession, the Bulldogs started on their own four-yard line. This time Tech drove 96 yards on 10 plays and scored on a 19-yard TD run by Driskel. On the scoring drive, Driskel completed passes to Taylor for 18 yards and Marcus Gaines for 10 yards.

It was a career night for Gaines, the sophomore wide out. With speedster Carlos Henderson sidelined with a nagging injury, Gaines stepped in and made the most of his opportunities, recording career highs in receptions (8) and yards (165).

Tech's special teams struck next. Leading 14-7, senior wide receiver Paul Turner broke free on a punt rush and blocked a ULL punt through the end zone for a safety, increasing the lead to 16-7. Jonathan Barnes then did his part, splitting the uprights on field goals of 50 and 41 yards in the second quarter as the Bulldog lead increased to 22-7.

Following the second field goal, UL-Lafayette took over possession on its own 28-yard line with only 10 seconds to play in the half. Instead of kneeling on the ball and going to the locker room, the Ragin' Cajuns called back-to-back pass plays. It proved costly.

After an incompletion on the first one, Tech pressured Nixon on the final play of the half, forcing an off-balance pass that was intercepted by Bryson Abraham at midfield. Abraham then raced down the UL-Lafayette sideline and dove into the endzone for a touchdown, giving Tech a 29-7 lead and all the momentum heading into halftime.

"I told Blake Baker that I thought they would just kneel on it," Holtz said. "We got into a base defense. They throw an incompletion on the first play and I told him again, I thought they would just kneel on it. I thought it was a beautiful way to end the half."

Any chance of any type of Ragin' Cajun comeback was doused at the start of the third quarter. On the third play of the second half, Driskel hit Gaines on an inside receiver screen and Gaines raced untouched 72 yards to paydirt, giving Tech a 36-7 lead. Driskel completed 20-of-33 passes for 290 yards and two scores without throwing an interception.

"Jeff Driskel is a stud," said Holtz. "He is an absolute stud. He is so composed out there. He comes over to the sideline and is so relaxed. It's like we are sitting in a film session. He did a great job on that play of looking off the safety and hitting Marcus in stride."

Both teams added a touchdown. ULL scored late in the third quarter on a five-yard run by Nixon following a Tech turnover while Dixon scored on a six-yard run mid-way through the fourth quarter.

For the game, Tech totaled 428 yards and 27 first downs while ULL recorded 18 first downs and 331 yards.

Tech returns to action Saturday when it travels to play UTSA.