RUSTON – The Louisiana Tech football team continues its Conference USA slate when it returns to Joe Aillet Stadium to host Middle Tennessee at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Nov. 5
Time: 2 p.m. (CT)
Location: Ruston, La. (Joe Aillet Stadium)
Live Stats: LaTechSports.com/stats
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network (KXKZ 107.5 FM)
TV: ESPN+

SERIES HISTORY
Series: LA Tech leads, 4-2
In Ruston: 3-0
In Murfreesboro: 1-2

ABOUT LA TECH (2-6)
The Bulldogs are coming off a 42-34 double-overtime at FIU on Oct. 28. LA Tech was without starting quarterback Parker McNeil and tight end Griffin Hebert while leading wide receiver Tre Harris left the game in the first quarter due to injury. It was the second time in program history that LA Tech had played in consecutive overtime games, the other being in 2001.

True freshman quarterback Landry Lyddy was solid in the first start of his career, completing 28 of his 40 passes for 256 yards and running for a touchdown at FIU. Lyddy led Tech 75 yards for a touchdown on the game's opening drive and completed his first 10 passes. He became the first true freshman at LA Tech to start a game at quarterback since Nick Isham in 2011.

This season, McNeil leads the Tech offense, having passed for 1,623 yards and 15 touchdowns. He currently ranks fourth in the FBS in passing yards per completion (14.89).

The Bulldogs receiving core is led by the trio of Tre Harris, Smoke Harris and Hebert.

Tre Harris leads LA Tech this season with 646 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. Harris' seven receiving touchdowns rank eighth nationally, while his 646 receiving yards rank 32nd.

Smoke Harris has recorded a reception in his last 28 games, which is the 18th-longest streak nationally. He is the only Bulldog to score a touchdown in every season since 2018. Against FIU, Harris became the seventh wide receiver in program history to eclipse 200 career receptions. On the season he has tallied a team-high 44 receptions for 471 yards and four touchdowns.
 
Hebert's 67.2 receiving yards per game ranks fourth among all FBS tight ends. Hebert also ranks 13th nationally in average yards per catch (20.15).

On the ground, running back Marquis Crosby leads the way with 571 total yards and five touchdowns this season. Crosby statistically had his second-best game of the season at FIU, running for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

LA Tech ranks eighth nationally in scrimmage plays over 50 yards (8), fourth nationally with six plays from scrimmage over sixty yards (6) and fifth nationally in plays from scrimmage over 40 yards (15).

Defensively, LA Tech has had a knack for taking the ball away from opposing offenses. The Bulldogs have forced a turnover in seven games this season. The Bulldogs rank 14^th nationally with 16 turnovers gained.

Linebacker Hugh Davis has elevated the Bulldogs' defense since transferring in from Boston College this offseason. Davis leads LA Tech in tackles with 52, two and a half of which were for loss.

Defensive back BeeJay Williamson is second on the team in tackles with 49, including a tackle for loss in addition to an interception and three pass breakups.

Despite being limited due to injury, Linebacker Tyler Grubbs ranks third on the team in total tackles with 48 total and four and a half tackles for loss this season. He ranks among the FBS active career leaders in total tackles per game (5^th, 9.04) and solo tackles per game (15^th, 4.19). The New Orleans product has tallied five or more tackles in 26 of his 27 career games.

Willie Roberts leads the secondary in interceptions with two. Roberts has recorded an interception in the loss at South Alabama (Sept. 24) and win over UTEP (Oct. 8).

Defensive back Myles Brooks was solid in the loss at FIU, recording four pass breakups, tied for the fifth most in a single game in program history. He also had a season-high seven tackles.

Kershawn Fisher is the Bulldogs leading tackler on the defensive line with 24 total stops, followed by Deshon Hall and Keivie Rose with 15 and 14, respectively.

Cumbie is in his inaugural season at the helm of the LA Tech football program. LA Tech is one of 29 FBS programs with a new coach this season.

ABOUT MIDDLE TENNESSEE (4-4)
Middle Tennessee is coming off a 24-13 win at UTEP, its first conference win of the season. The Blue Raiders opened C-USA play with losses to UTSA (45-30), UAB (41-14) and WKU (35-17).

In non-conference play, the Blue Raiders fell to James Madison in their opener (44-7) before sweeping the rest of the non-conference slate with wins over Colorado State (34-19), Tennessee State (49-6) and an impressive upset at Miami (45-31).

Middle Tennessee comes into the matchup averaging 27.5 points a contest while surrendering 29.2 points.

The offense is led by quarterback Chase Cunningham who has completed 199 of 297 passes this season for 2,057 yards and 13 touchdowns while throwing five interceptions.
Running back Frank Peasant is their leading rusher with 482 yards and six touchdowns. Peasant is averaging 57.25 yards a contest.

Wide receiver Jaylin Lane is one of the best receivers in Conference USA, with 653 receiving yards and three touchdowns in seven games this season. Lane leads the conference and ranks 14^th nationally in receiving yards per game (93.3).

Safety Teldrick Ross leads the Middle Tennessee defense with 60 total tackles this season, including two for loss, six pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

The Blue Raiders are led by head coach Rick Stockstill who is in his 17^th year at Middle Tennessee. Stockstill is 105-102 in his career as a head coach, all of which has been spent at Middle Tennessee. Stockstill attended Florida State, where he started at quarterback for the Seminoles under Bobby Bowden and earned honorable mention honors as a senior in 1981.
  
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