RUSTON, La. (Nov. 27, 2019) – The Louisiana Tech football team (8-3, 5-2 Conference USA) will look to bounce back from a pair of conference road defeats and snap a two-game skid this Saturday vs. UTSA (4-7, 3-4 C-USA) at 2:30 p.m. from Joe Aillet Stadium.
 
Date: Saturday, November 30, 2019
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Location: Ruston, La.
Venue: Joe Aillet Stadium (28,562)
                Surface: Artificial (FieldTurf)
Series: LA Tech leads, 6-1
                In Ruston: Tech leads, 4-0
                Last: (2017, Tech won 20-6)
                In San Antonio: Tech leads 2-1
                Last: (2018, Tech won 31-3)
Live Stats: LATechSports.com
Live Audio: Tunein.com (Louisiana Tech Football)
Twitter Updates: @LATechFB
 
Media
TV: ESPN+
PxP: Lyn Rollins
Analyst: Chris Mycoskie
Sideline: Madison Kaufman
 
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network (KXKZ 107.5 FM)
PxP: Dave Nitz
Analyst: Teddy Allen
Sideline: Luke McCown
 
Noting the 'Dogs
 
Louisiana Tech enters Saturday's contest in a three-way tie for first place in C-USA's West Division. In order to clinch the west, the Bulldogs would need a win over UTSA along with a UAB loss to North Texas.
 
Tech will be looking to post its first undefeated season at home since 2016 (5-0). Tech's last season with a perfect 6-0 record in Ruston came back in 1973.
 
The Bulldogs will celebrate 23 seniors on Saturday afternoon. The class has racked up 32 wins over its four years in Ruston.
 
The Bulldogs are bowl eligible for the sixth-straight season under head coach Skip Holtz, who is 54-36 at Louisiana Tech. Tech's streak of five straight bowl wins is tied for longest in the nation (Wisconsin).
 
Tech has scored 35+ points six times this season (most since 2016). The team has scored 35+ in six of its last nine games and has put up 40+ in five games this year (most since 2016).
 
At home this season, Tech is averaging 45.8 points per game, while ranking second in C-USA in scoring offense at 33.4 points per game.
 
On the flip side, the defense leads the nation in red zone efficiency, holding its opponents to a 63% success rate in the red zone. The Bulldogs are ahead of Florida, Temple, Georgia and Ohio State, rounding out the top five.
 
Junior cornerback Amik Robertson leads all FBS with 21 passes defended in 2019. His five interceptions are tied for fifth-most nationally. He was one of 14 semi-finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award. Robertson was named the Bronko Nagurski National Player of the Week, C-USA Defensive Player of the Week and the LSWA Defensive Player of the Week after recording three INT's in Tech's win over Southern Miss.
 
For his career, Robertson has secured 14 interceptions – good for fifth most in program history, and most among FBS active career leaders. He also leads the FBS in active career pick-sixes with three.
 
As a team, the Bulldogs have four defensive touchdowns this season (all pick sixes), tied for third-most in FBS. Tech's four interceptions returned for touchdowns lead C-USA, as the rest of the league has six combined. The 'Dogs are tied for 15th-most turnovers forced in FBS this season with 21.
 
Tech has the nation's longest active streak of forcing at least one turnover at 15 straight games.
 
Senior offensive lineman Ethan Reed made his nation-leading 51st consecutive start Saturday vs. UAB.
 
Over the first 11 games of 2019, the Tech defense has been making sure strides under new D-coordinator, Bob Diaco. The Bulldogs have been one of the top defensive teams in the red zone this season.
 
Tech has posted the nation's best red-zone defense in the country, allowing its opponents just 29 scores in 46 attempts (.630), leading the likes of Florida, Temple, Ohio State and Georgia in the category. Tech has also forced six opponent turnovers in the red zone. No other team in C-USA has forced more than three.
 
On the flip side, the Bulldog offense, under offensive coordinator Todd Fitch, ranks second in C-USA in scoring offense, averaging 33.4 points per contest. The 'Dogs also rank second in the league in total offense, churning out an average of 440.3 yards per contest.
 
Tech running back Justin Henderson continues to make quite an impact for the Bulldogs. The junior transfer has three 100-yard rushing games this season, one of just eight C-USA running backs with that many in 2019. He is also the only running back in C-USA with multiple three-rushing-touchdown games (two this season).
 
Henderson now has seven rushing TD's over his last five games and a league high 15 rushing scores on the season (7th most nationally). With 862 rushing yards on 146 carries, he is averaging 5.9 yards per carry. That average is second best in C-USA.
 
Tech senior quarterback J'Mar Smith has been climbing the record books and placing himself among some prestigious greats. Against North Texas, Smith became just the 4th Tech quarterback to reach 9,000 career passing yards, and is currently just 34 yards away from passing Jason Martin for 3rd all-time.
 
LA Tech Career Passing Yards
1. Luke McCown               12,994
2. Tim Rattay                      12,746
3. Jason Martin                 9,062
4. J'Mar Smith                   9,029
5. Terry Bradshaw            6,589
 
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.