RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech football (2-1, 1-0 C-USA) will host UTEP (3-1, 0-0 C-USA) in LA Tech's homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m. (CT), inside Joe Aillet Stadium.
 
"It's going to be a challenge for us on both sides of the ball," head coach Skip Holtz said during his Tuesday press conference on Oct. 6. "It's a conference team. It's a division team. Having the opportunity to play at home, our football team is really excited to get back into conference play. But, when you put on UTEP's film, they've gotten everybody's attention."
 
The Bulldogs are 2-1 this season after winning their first two games of the 2020 campaign and losing, 45-14, to then-No. 22 BYU on Oct. 2. LA Tech won its season opener at Southern Miss, 31-30, on Sept. 19. Louisiana Tech then improved its home winning streak to seven with a 66-38 win over Houston Baptist in its home opener on Sept. 26. Since joining the ranks of Division I-A/FBS in 1988, LA Tech has posted a 103-41 record at home, a winning percentage of 71.5 percent.
 
"Where we are right now at the beginning of the week, it's as healthy as we've been," Holtz said during his Oct. 6 press conference. "I really commend our players. Once COVID gets into your program, to try and get it out is not easy. Your players have to be really smart and responsible with what they're doing, wearing masks, practicing social distancing and doing all of those things. They've really done a nice job since the Southern Miss game of trying to get it under control."
 
Holtz is in his eighth season at the helm of LA Tech football where he has collected a 58-37 overall record. He has led the Bulldogs to six straight bowl victories, including a 14-0 win over Miami (Fla.) in the Walk On's Independence Bowl last season (Dec. 26). The win was the first shutout in Independence Bowl history and the only shutout of the 2019 bowl season. Just 10 out of 130 FBS teams have won six or more consecutive bowl games, and LA Tech has the only active streak.
 
UTEP is off to its best start since 2010 with a 3-1 overall record. The Miners opened the 2020 season with a 24-14 win over Stephen F. Austin before losing to then-No. 14 Texas, 59-3. UTEP then posted back-to-back victories with a 17-13 win over Abilene Christian and a 31-6 win at ULM. Dana Dimel is in his third season at the helm of UTEP where he has collected a 5-23 overall record.
 
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LA TECH NOTABLES

• Louisiana Tech will take on UTEP for the 17th time in program history. All-time, the Bulldogs are 13-2-1 against the Miners.
• LA Tech has won all seven meetings against UTEP since Louisiana Tech joined Conference USA in 2013.
• Since joining C-USA in 2013, LA Tech has defeated UTEP by an average of 18.14 points per game.
• The Bulldogs have won seven straight home contests after defeating Houston Baptist, 66-38, in the 2020 home opener and posting an undefeated 6-0 mark inside Joe Aillet Stadium in 2019.
• LA Tech has posted a 103-41 record at home since joining the ranks of Division I-A/FBS in 1988, a winning percentage of 71.5 percent.
• The Bulldogs have forced a turnover in 33 of their last 35 games.
• Since joining the league in 2013, Louisiana Tech leads Conference USA with 187 forced turnovers.
• Four Louisiana Tech wide receivers have recorded multiple touchdown catches in a single game in junior Griffin Hebert (2 at USM, Sept. 19), sophomore Wayne Toussant (2 vs. HBU, Sept. 26), senior Isaiah Graham (2 vs. HBU, Sept. 26) and sophomore Smoke Harris (2 at No. 22 BYU, Oct. 2). This marks the first time since 1999 that four Bulldogs have had a two-TD receptions game in one season.  There were only four two-TD receptions games in the last three years combined.
• LA Tech is the only team in the nation to have four different players record multiple touchdown receptions in a single game this season.
• Sophomore wide receiver Smoke Harris had caught three touchdown receptions this season, including a 66-yard touchdown catch at No. 22 BYU (Oct. 2), to rank ninth in the nation.
• Redshirt freshman kicker/punter Jacob Barnes has not missed a field goal (2-of-2) or extra point attempt (15-of-15) this season.
• Barnes made a career-long 51-yard field goal on his lone field goal attempt against HBU (Sept. 26). It was the longest made field goal by a Bulldog since his older brother, Jonathan Barnes, made a 53-yarder on Nov. 25, 2017. Jacob Barnes became the 11th Bulldog in program history to make a 50+ yard field goal.
• Graduate student quarterback Luke Anthony has passed for 10 touchdowns this season to rank second in the nation. Anthony is responsible for 66 points this season which ranks third nationally.
• Freshman linebacker Tyler Grubbs leads the Bulldogs in tackles with 31 this season. Grubbs led LA Tech in tackles in back-to-back games to open the 2020 season, totaling 28 tackles through the first two contests. Grubbs currently ranks ninth in the nation in total tackles with 11.0 per game.
• Junior defensive lineman Milton Williams leads LA Tech with 2.0 sacks this season.

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GAMEDAY COVERAGE
Date: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020
Time: 6:30 p.m. (CT)
Location: Ruston, La.  
Venue: Joe Aillet Stadium
                Surface: FieldTurf Revolution
Series: LA Tech leads, 13-2-1
                In Ruston: LA Tech leads, 6-1
                    Last: (2018, LA Tech won, 21-24)
                In El Paso: LA Tech leads, 7-1-1
                    Last: (2019, LA Tech won, 42-21)
                In Shreveport: N/A
                     Last: N/A
Live Stats: https://latechsports.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Live Audio: Tunein.com (Louisiana Tech Football)
Twitter Updates: @LATechFB
 
Media
TV: ESPN2
PxP: Dave O'Brien
Analyst: Mike Golic
Sideline Reporter: Ian Fitzsimmons
 
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network (KXKZ 107.5 FM)
PxP: Dave Nitz
Analyst: Teddy Allen
 
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