RUSTON, La. – There have been only four FBS teams that have won seven or more straight bowl games.
 
Louisiana Tech now looks to become the fifth.
 
LA Tech entered the 2020 season having won each of its last six bowl games. The Bulldogs now look for their seventh straight bowl victory as Tech (5-4, 4-2 C-USA) takes on Georgia Southern (7-5, 4-4 Sun Belt) in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 23, at 2 p.m. (CT), inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The game will mark the first meeting between the programs.
 
"We'll learn a lot about our football team this week, but I'm certainly proud of what they've been able to accomplish in a crazy year with a lot of hard work and a lot of leadership," head coach Skip Holtz said. "They are really excited about having the opportunity to play in the Dome. They're really excited to go to New Orleans and have the opportunity to get down there with the friendliness and the hospitality that the city and everybody shows with the bowl. We couldn't be more excited to have the opportunity to represent Louisiana Tech in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl."
 
Louisiana Tech ended the regular season with a 5-4 overall record, include a 4-2 mark in Conference USA play. The Bulldogs opened the 2020 season by going 4-3, but then were unable to compete during the month of November after having four games either postponed or canceled due to COVID-19-related issues. Tech came back for two games in the month of December as the Bulldogs defeated North Texas, 42-31, before losing at TCU, 52-10.
 
Holtz is in his eighth season at the helm of LA Tech football where he has collected a 61-40 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. He also led Tech to a 47-28 victory over Arkansas State in the 2015 New Orleans Bowl.
 
Georgia Southern finished its regular season with a 7-5 overall record, including 4-4 in Sun Belt action. Chad Lunsford is in his third season as the helm of the Eagles program where he has collected a 26-18 overall record.
 
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LA TECH NOTABLES
>> Louisiana Tech will look for its seventh-straight bowl victory as the Bulldogs take on Georgia Southern on Wednesday, Dec. 23, at the 2020 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
>> Only 10 of 130 FBS teams have won six or more consecutive bowl games, with LA Tech and App State holding the only active streak with six.
>> Louisiana Tech and App State are the only non-Power 5 school to win bowl games in at least six consecutive years.
>> LA Tech is the only C-USA school and only school in the state of Louisiana to win bowl games in at least six consecutive years.
>>  Five of LA Tech's six bowl victories during the streak have been won by 14 or more points with an average scoring differential of +18.5.
>>  LA Tech has allowed fewer than 20 points in each of the last three bowl games and is one of only two teams to do that (Appalachian State). The Bulldogs have the best scoring defense between the 2017-2019 bowl games, allowing only eight points per game while App State has allowed an average of 10 points per game in that same span.
>>  LA Tech has forced at least one turnover in all 12 of its bowl games and has forced a total of 12 in the last three games combined.
>> Louisiana Tech head football Skip Holtz is one win away from reaching his 150th career victory as a collegiate head coach.
>> Louisiana Tech has not lost to a current Sun Belt Conference opponent since 1996 which marks an 18-game winning streak.
>> Wednesday's game will mark just the second time LA Tech will face a Sun Belt Conference opponent in a bowl game. The other time was in the 2015 New Orleans Bowl when Louisiana Tech defeated Arkansas State. 47-28.
>> Wednesday's game will mark the third time Louisiana Tech will play a football game inside the Superdome (2015 vs. Arkansas State and 1998 vs. Tulane).
>>  Redshirt freshman kicker/punter Jacob Barnes was named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2020 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl.
>> Freshman linebacker Tyler Grubbs and senior linebacker Trey Baldwin rank 30th and 42nd in the nation, respectively, in tackles per game at 9.7 and 9.2.
>> The Bulldogs have forced a turnover in 39 of their last 41 games.
>> Since joining the league in 2013, Louisiana Tech leads Conference USA with 198 forced turnovers.
>> LA Tech leads C-USA and ranks second in the FBS in fourth down conversions at 88.9 percent (16-of-18).
>> Louisiana Tech ranks second in C-USA and 22nd nationally in red zone offense, converting on 88.9 percent (32-of-36) of its red zone attempts.
>> Louisiana Tech has posted an interception in 12 of its last 14 games. Five different Bulldogs have recorded an interception this season and two players have returned an interceptions for a touchdown.
>> Six Louisiana Tech skill players have recorded multiple touchdowns in a single game this season.
 
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GAMEDAY COVERAGE
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020
Time: 2 p.m. (CT)
Location: New Orleans, La.   
Venue:  Mercedes-Benz Superdome
                Surface: Artificial
Series: First Meeting
                In Ruston: N/A
                    Last: N/A
                In Statesboro: N/A
                    Last: N/A
                In New Orleans: N/A
                     Last: N/A
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Audio: Tunein.com (Louisiana Tech Football)
Twitter Updates: @LATechFB
 
Media
TV: ESPN
PxP: Matt Barrie
Analyst: Mike Golic Jr.
Reporter: Dawn Davenport
 
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network (KXKZ 107.5 FM)
PxP: Dave Nitz
Analyst: Teddy Allen