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Louisiana Tech 47, Arkansas State 28

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Dec. 19, 2015

Mercedes-Benz Superdome

POSTGAME NOTES

• LA Tech captains were Kentrell Brice, Vernon Butler, Jeff Driskel and Kenneth Dixon.
• Today's announced attendance at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome: 32,847. That is the third most in Louisiana Tech bowl history, topping the Heart of Dallas Bowl last season and fifth most in New Orleans Bowl history.
• With a win over Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech has now won back-to-back bowl games for the first time in program history.
• Louisiana Tech set or tied 17 different New Orleans Bowl records with the 47-28 victory over Arkansas State.
• Louisiana Tech now leads the all-time series, 26-12, over Arkansas State, including having won the past three meetings over the Red Wolves with a win over ASU tonight in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
• Louisiana Tech's senior class is the first group in school history to record two bowl wins.
• This is the fifth Bulldog team to win nine games in a season on the Division I-A/FBS level and only the fourth to do so in the last 30 years.
• This senior class has recorded the most number of wins at Louisiana Tech (31) on the Division I-A/FBS level and the second-most number of wins (31) since moving up to Division I overall in 1975 (includes I-AA years).
• LA Tech is one of only two teams in C-USA to have won nine games in each of the last two seasons along with Marshall.
• LA Tech has now won 10 straight games over teams from the Sun Belt. The win is also Tech's 10th win over Arkansas State in the last 11 meetings.
• The win marks Louisiana Tech's first program win in the city of New Orleans. It is also C-USA's first win in the New Orleans Bowl since 2008.
• Louisiana Tech's Skip Holtz is now 4-0 all-time in games played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, including a 2-0 record as a head coach.
• Arkansas State won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half.

OFFENSE

• Louisiana Tech had 687 yards of total offense in the win over Arkansas State, which is a New Orleans Bowl record and the fifth most in NCAA bowl history (second most in the last 25 years). The 687 yards LA Tech racked up ranks fifth in LA Tech history in a single game.
• Kenneth Dixon is now the NCAA's all-time leader in career overall touchdowns after scoring four touchdowns to give him 87 in his four years as a Bulldog.
• Kenneth Dixon has become the first player in school history with three 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his LA Tech career. He ended his senior season with 1,052 yards. He finished his career as a Bulldog with 4,462 rushing yards in four seasons.
• With four touchdowns against Arkansas State, Kenneth Dixon scored 522 points in his career, which is first all-time in NCAA history.
• Kenneth Dixon has now scored a touchdown in 38 games in his career, tying the NCAA all-time record.
• Kenneth Dixon has scored two or more touchdowns 24 times in a single game, second most in NCAA history. He has also scored at least two touchdowns in 14 of his last 17 games.
• Kenneth Dixon rushed for 102 yards on 21 carries and two rushing touchdowns. Dixon finished his career with 22 100-yard rushing games, which is already a LA Tech record.
• With a 13-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, Trent Taylor now has 20 career touchdown grabs, tied for sixth in program history with Josh Bradley (1995-97).
• Trent Taylor now has 191 career receptions, which ranks seventh in school history.
• Trent Taylor had 10 catches for 149 yards and one touchdown in Tech's win over Arkansas State. The 10 catches is a New Orleans Bowl record and 149 receiving yards is second all-time in New Orleans Bowl history. The 149 receiving yards is also a career-high for the Taylor.
• Trent Taylor has now registered seven 100-yard receiving games this season. He has nine 100-yard games in his career which is the fifth most in program history.
• For the season, Trent Taylor has 1,282 receiving yards, the sixth-most in school history.
• With 2,376 career receiving yards, Trent Taylor has moved into 10th place all-time in program history.
• For the season, Trent Taylor has 99 receptions, the fifth most in program history.
• Paul Turner made a 71-yard reception to end the first half against Arkansas State, which is a new career-long reception for the senior.
• Jeff Driskel surpassed 4,000 passing yards for the season, which ranks third all-time in LA Tech history as he finished the season with 4,033 passing yards.
• Jeff Driskel ranks eighth in program history for touchdowns in a season with 26 touchdowns in 2015.
• Jeff Driskel finished the game 26-for-38 with a career-high 458 passing yards and three touchdowns.
• Boston Scott's 77-yard rush is the longest play from scrimmage in New Orleans Bowl history and the longest rush in Tech bowl history.
• Boston Scott rushed for a career-high 106 yards on four carries to lead LA Tech's rushing attack.
• The sixth play of 50 yards or more this season for Carlos Henderson (5 receptions, 1 kick return).
• The offense has recorded 400-plus yards in a single game 12 out of 13 times this season.

DEFENSE

• With two interceptions against Arkansas State, LA Tech has now registered an interception in four straight games.
• Vontarrius Dora came up with a sack against the Red Wolves. The senior now has six sacks on the season and 13.5 for his career, the second all-time in program history. Dora has recorded a sack in consecutive games for the first time this season.
• Louisiana Tech has allowed seven or less points in the first quarter in 11 consecutive games.
• Aaron Roberson forced a fumble and recovered a fumble against the Red Wolves, both of which are firsts for the freshman.
• Arkansas State entered the game averaging 448.1 yards per game of total offense. Louisiana Tech held them to 323 in the bowl victory.
• Senior linebacker Beau Fitte led the team in tackles with seven against Arkansas State.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Jonathan Barnes was good on all five extra-point attempts, making him a perfect 60-of-60 this season which is the second most in program history. His five PAT's also tied a Louisiana Tech bowl record.
• Boston Scott has now returned six kickoffs in his career with five against Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl. Three of the six returns in his career have gone for over 30 yards.
• Jonathan Barnes tied a career-long with a 50-yard field goal in the first quarter to put LA Tech up 10-3 over Arkansas State. His 50-yard field goal tied a New Orleans Bowl record.
• Barnes also set a New Orleans Bowl record with four made field goals against Arkansas State.
• Jonathan Barnes tied a career high with four made field goals. That ranks second in Louisiana Tech single-game history. His four made field goals are a Louisiana Tech Bowl Record.
• Barnes' 50-yard field goal is the longest by a Bulldog kicker in a bowl game in history.
• Gerald Shouse's 48-yard punt is the third longest in Louisiana Tech bowl history.