RUSTON, La. (Nov. 21, 2019) – The Louisiana Tech football team (8-2, 5-1 Conference USA) will look to bounce back from its first defeat in eight weeks, as it travels to Birmingham, Alabama, this Saturday for a C-USA West Division showdown with the UAB Blazers (7-3, 4-2 C-USA). Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.
 
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2019
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Location: Birmingham, Ala.
Venue: Legion Field (72,000)
                Surface: Artificial (FieldTurf)
Series: LA Tech leads, 5-2
                In Birmingham: Tech leads, 3-1
                Last: (2017, UAB won 23-22)
                In Ruston: LA Tech leads 2-1
                Last: (2018, UAB won 28-7)
Live Stats: UABSports.com
Live Audio: Tunein.com (Louisiana Tech Football)
Twitter Updates: @LATechFB
 
Media
TV: ESPN+
PxP: Curt Bloom
Analyst: Chad Pilcher
 
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network (KXKZ 107.5 FM)
PxP: Dave Nitz
Analyst: Teddy Allen
Sideline: Thomas Graham
 
The Bulldogs and Blazers are set to square off in a crucial game that will play a part in determining the winner of C-USA's West Division. Tech leads the West at 5-1 (owning the tiebreaker over 5-1 Southern Miss) and thus still controls its own destiny for the division crown.
 
The Bulldogs have put together a winning season over each of the last six years (dating back to 2014). Over that span, Tech is the only Conference USA program with such a streak during that time.
 
Tech's six-consecutive winning seasons is its most since the 70's (eight straight winning seasons from 1971-78).
 
Tech most recently fell 31-10 on the road to Marshall, snapping an eight-game winning streak. Redshirt freshman Aaron Allen, who is in line for his second career start this weekend, went 19-for-32 for 159 yards last Friday.
 
The Bulldogs will look to junior running back Justin Henderson, who remains one of the top backs not only in C-USA but across the nation. Henderson leads the league with 15 rushing touchdowns, which is tied for sixth-most nationally. The Lake Wells, Florida, native has rushed for at least one touchdown in each of his last seven games, and is fifth in the league with 799 rushing yards on the season.
 
Henderson's 15 rushing touchdowns are tied for seventh-most in a single season in Tech history (Charles McDaniel, 1974).
 
Meanwhile, UAB enters Saturday's game at 4-2 in conference play after defeating UTEP, 37-10 last Saturday. The Blazers own the nation's fourth-longest home winning streak at 17 straight. UAB is led by its defense, which ranks seventh nationally, allowing 267.9 yards per game.
 
Against Marshall, Tech extended its active takeaways streak to 14-consecutive games dating back to last season - the longest such streak in FBS. The Bulldogs are just one of four teams in the country with a current streak of at least 10 games with a takeaway.
 
LA Tech - 14
Baylor - 12
Illinois - 10
Ohio State – 10
 
The Bulldogs' 8-2 start to the 2019 season is its best since 2012, when the Bulldogs went 10-1 before losing the final two games of the season. At 5-1 in C-USA, this is Tech's best start in C-USA action since 2014.
 
Through its first nine games, the Tech offense is averaging 35.3 PPG. Last season, the Bulldogs averaged 24.7 points per contest. After scoring 35 or more points just once in 2018, Tech has done it six times in 2019 (six times over the last eight games).
 
The Tech defense has been one of the best in the nation at turning interceptions into points over the last three seasons. Five Bulldogs have combined to house ten interceptions since 2017, tied with Utah State for most in the nation. Tech DB's Amik Robertson and L'Jarius Sneed are in a three-way tie for first among active FBS leaders with three pick-sixes apiece.
 
Team Pick Sixes (Since 2017)
Louisiana Tech 10
Utah St. 10
Utah 8
Wisconsin 7
Oregon 7
Fresno St. 7
Florida 7
Clemson 7
Alabama 7
 
Player Pick Sixes (Since 2017)
Amik Robertson (LA Tech) 3
L'Jarius Sneed (LA Tech 3
Isaiah Rodgers (UMass) 3
 
For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow Louisiana Tech on social media at @LATechFB (Twitter), /LATechFootball (Facebook) and @LATechFB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.