RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech athletics director Tommy McClelland announced changes to the Bulldogs' 2016 non-conference football schedule Thursday, finalizing three games with one (likely an FCS opponent) still to be scheduled.

With the newly confirmed non-conference schedule Louisiana Tech will now face Arkansas, Texas Tech and UMass in the 2016 slate, altering previously scheduled dates against Mississippi State and Texas A&M.

"In arranging the schedule this way I am trying to find an ideal balance between having a schedule in which our team can be competitive in but one that also addresses our financial needs," said McClelland. "I also want to schedule opponents that will play key match-ups at home in Ruston and this will help us achieve that in future years."

The Bulldogs will open the season against Arkansas on Sept. 3 at Razorback Stadium, marking Louisiana Tech's first trip to Fayetteville. In the three previous meetings between LA Tech and Arkansas, the Razorbacks hosted the 1996 and 1997 meetings at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock while the first game in the series was hosted in Ruston in 1901.

Louisiana Tech will then travel to Texas Tech on Sept. 17 to face the Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. That game will mark only the second time the two Techs have faced each other with Texas Tech claiming the only meeting back in 1933 in Lubbock.

Tech will face UMass on Oct. 15 in the first meeting between the two schools on Oct. 15 with the game taking place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, home to both the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots and select home games of the Minutemen. Gillette Stadium is located less than 90 miles from UMass' Amherst campus.

That game will mark the first time Louisiana Tech's football team will travel to Massachusetts and the first time to New England since playing at Army in 2008. UMass will return the home-and-home agreement with a game at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston on Oct. 12, 2019.

The previously scheduled game against Mississippi State is currently set for Sept. 9, 2017 to be played at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston. That should ensure that the 2017 schedule will feature at least six home games for the Bulldogs.

Completing the previously scheduled series with Mississippi State, LA Tech will travel to Starkville in 2018 (Sept. 15) and 2021 (Sept. 4).

The details regarding game against Texas A&M that was originally set for 2016 is still being worked out by administrators.

A yet-to-be-scheduled game against an FCS opponent will round out the 2016 non-conference schedule. Additionally, Louisiana Tech will play eight games in Conference USA to wrap up the 12-game schedule allowed by NCAA rules. The schedule could be lengthened by one or two games depending on if the Bulldogs represent the C-USA West Division in the league's annual championship game and/or if LA Tech is selected to play in a bowl game.

Season tickets for LA Tech's 2015 season are currently on sale at the LA Tech Ticket Office.

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