RUSTON, La. – It will have been 33 days since Louisiana Tech last faced an opponent on the gridiron.
 
The Bulldogs (4-3, 3-2 C-USA) were unable to compete during the month of November after having four games either postponed or canceled due to COVID-19-related issues. After the month-long hiatus, LA Tech will finally return to the field on Thursday, Dec. 3, as Tech takes on North Texas (3-4, 2-3 C-USA) inside Apogee Stadium at 5 p.m. (CT).
 
"It's a lot like playing the opening game again," head coach Skip Holtz said. "You have some nervous jitters. I'm not really sure how we're going to adjust to the speed of the game, especially against a team that plays as fast as North Texas does. There will be a little bit of getting acclimated to playing a game again and the speed of the game, but I know this is something that North Texas had a very similar situation where they went 35 days without playing a game. It's uncharted waters for us right now. We're not really sure what to expect, but I know we have a football team that is really excited about having the opportunity to play."
 
Louisiana Tech defeated UAB in double overtime on Oct. 31 in its last game. LA Tech swept the Conference USA weekly awards after the victory as sophomore quarterback Aaron Allen, sophomore defensive back BeeJay Williamson and redshirt freshman kicker/punter Jacob Barnes earned offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week honors, respectively. It was the first time a C-USA school swept with the weekly awards since North Texas on Sept. 17, 2018. The Bulldogs had lost the two games prior to the win against UAB, losing 27-26 at UTSA and 35-17 to Marshall.
 
Holtz is in his eighth season at the helm of LA Tech football where he has collected a 60-39 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.
 
North Texas is 3-4 during its 2020 campaign, holding a 2-3 mark in C-USA action. After opening the season 2-3, UNT went 35 days between games. After the hiatus, the Mean Green split its last two contests as UNT defeated Rice, 27-17, before losing at UTSA, 49-17. Seth Littrell is in his fifth season at the helm of the North Texas program where he has collected a 30-29 overall record.
 
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LA TECH NOTABLES
>>  Louisiana Tech has won five of its last six meetings against North Texas and has won four straight games in Denton.
>>  LA Tech's only road loss to North Texas was in 1987 when the Mean Green defeated the Bulldogs, 10-5.
>>  Since 2014, the Bulldogs are 23-2 against the four Texas C-USA schools (Rice, UTSA, UTEP and North Texas).
>> Since 2014, Louisiana Tech is 14-3 when playing in the state of Texas.
>> Louisiana Tech looks to return to the gridiron for the first time during since October after its last four games against North Texas, Rice, ULM and FIU were postponed and/or canceled due to injuries, COVID-19 positive cases and contact tracing.
>> The last time Louisiana Tech saw action on the field was on Oct. 31 when the Bulldogs defeated UAB, 37-34, in a double-overtime, comeback victory.
>> The 33 days between the UAB game (Oct. 31) and the North Texas game (Dec. 3) will be the longest stretch without LA Tech football since 2001 when the Bulldogs ended the regular season on Nov. 24 and played in a bowl game on Dec. 31.
>> Thursday's game will be LA Tech's latest regular season game since Louisiana Tech faced No. 14 Nevada on Dec. 4, 2010.
>> Louisiana Tech will have another opportunity to compete on the gridiron during the 2020 regular season as the Bulldogs and TCU announced that the two programs will play on Dec. 12, at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth.
>> LA Tech swept the Conference USA weekly awards on Nov. 2 after the 37-34 comeback victory over UAB (Oct. 31) in double overtime. Sophomore quarterback Aaron Allen, sophomore defensive back BeeJay Williamson and redshirt freshman kicker/punter Jacob Barnes earned offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week honors, respectively. It was the first time a C-USA school swept with the weekly awards since North Texas on Sept. 17, 2018.
>> With Allen's earning of C-USA Offensive Player of the Week and graduate transfer Luke Anthony winning the Sept. 28 award, LA Tech is  the first school in league history to have two different quarterbacks earn C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors in the same season.
>> LA Tech leads C-USA and ranks fourth in the FBS in fourth down conversions at 83.33 percent (10-of-12).
>> Freshman linebacker Tyler Grubbs and senior linebacker Trey Baldwin rank 20th and 21st in the nation, respectively, in tackles per game at 10.7.
>> The Bulldogs have forced a turnover in 37 of their last 39 games.
>> Since joining the league in 2013, Louisiana Tech leads Conference USA with 196 forced turnovers.
>> Louisiana Tech has posted an interception in 10 of its last 11 games. Five different Bulldogs have recorded an interception this season and two players have returned an interceptions for a touchdown.
>> Six LA Tech skill players have recorded multiple touchdowns in a single game this season in junior wide receiver Griffin Hebert (2 at USM, Sept. 19), sophomore wide receiver Wayne Toussant (2 vs. HBU,  Sept. 26), senior wide receiver Isaiah Graham  (2 vs. HBU, Sept. 26), sophomore wide receiver Smoke  Harris (2 at No. 22 BYU, Oct. 2), senior running back Israel Tucker (2 vs. UTEP, Oct. 10) and senior wide receiver Adrian Hardy (2 vs. UAB, Oct. 31).
 
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GAMEDAY COVERAGE
Date: Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020
Time: 5 p.m. (CT)
Location: Denton, Texas  
Venue:  Apogee Stadium
                Surface: Artificial
Series: LA Tech leads, 11-7
                In Ruston: LA Tech leads, 5-3
                    Last: (2019, LA Tech won, 52-17)
                In Denton: LA Tech leads, 6-1
                    Last: (2018, LA Tech won, 29-27)
                In Shreveport: North Texas leads, 3-0
                     Last: (1979, North Texas won, 19-17)
Live Stats: MeanGreenStats.com
Live Audio: Tunein.com (Louisiana Tech Football)
Twitter Updates: @LATechFB
 
Media
TV: CBS Sports Network
PxP: Chris Hassel
Analyst: Sed Bonner
 
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network (KXKZ 107.5 FM)
PxP: Dave Nitz
Analyst: Teddy Allen