Bulldogs Fall in Independence Bowl

Saturday, December 28

Shreveport, La.

8:20 PM

Louisiana Tech University

5-8 , 4-4

Army

12-2 , 8-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Louisiana Tech	0	3	3	0	6
Army West Point	14	7	0	6	27

Photo by: Josh McDaniel

Bulldogs Fall in Independence Bowl

12/29/2024 12:35:00 AM | Football

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LA Tech lost, 27-6, to nationally ranked Army

By: Kane McGuire

SHREVEPORT, La. – Louisiana Tech was not able to stop the high-powered running game of Army on Saturday night, falling by a final score of 27-6 In the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium.

Nationally ranked Army (12-2) did what it does best right from the start, using the ground game to score touchdowns on its first three drives to put LA Tech (5-8) behind the eight ball. The Black Knights pounded the ball for 196 yards in the first half, converting four 4th-downs in the process.

While Army was only able to score once more in the second half, LA Tech struggled to finish drives all night. Six of the Bulldogs eight drives went into Army territory but all the team could muster was a pair of field goals.

LA Tech's first two offensive drives stalled at midfield. Meanwhile, Army marched down twice in the first quarter for touchdowns, both covering 80 yards and ending in rushing touchdowns by Bryson Daily and Hayden Reed.

Down two scores, the Bulldogs got into the red zone thanks to a 27-yard grab by Eli Finley followed by a 17-yard reception by Tru Edwards. However, the 'Dogs were forced to settle for a 27-yard field goal off the foot of Drew Henderson.

All the Black Knights did was counter with a back-breaking drive, eating up 12 minutes and 21 seconds on a 21-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that included three 4th-down conversions (two of which were made by a matter of inches) to give them a 21-3 lead at halftime.

LA Tech's defense was able to get stops in the second half, halting Army on its fifth 4th-down attempt, which the Bulldogs flipped into a 44-yard field goal by Henderson, while also forcing a turnover.

Following the 4th-down stop, the 'Dogs were knocking on the door in the red zone again, but a holding penalty combined with a negative pass play led to the made FG attempt that made it 21-6 in favor of the Black Knights with 2:11 to go in the third quarter.

Army's Daily put an end to any LA Tech hope though, punching it in from three yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter, setting the NCAA record for most rushing TDs by a quarterback in a single season in the process.

Edwards thought he had a touchdown of his own, stretching the ball out over the pylon along the left sideline after a 26-yard catch from Evan Bullock. However, the referee ruled he stepped out at the 2-yard line (the play was not reviewed). Four attempts from two yards away from the end zone were unsuccessful.

LA Tech finished with 218 total yards of offense with 169 of that coming through the air by Bullock. Edwards had a team-best 92 receiving yards, coming just 11 yards short of reaching 1,000 for the season.

Army collected 386 total yards of offense, 321 of that coming on the ground. Daily carried the ball 27 times for 127 yards to go along with two completions for 65 yards.

NOTABLES

With the loss, LA Tech now trails in the all-time series with Army, 3-0.
LA Tech is now 8-5-1 all-time in bowl games. The Bulldogs have dropped two straight bowl games for the first time in program history.
The six points was the second fewest scored by LA Tech in a bowl game (scored three points in the 2020 New Orleans Bowl).
Evan Bullock eclipsed 2,000 passing yards for the season (finished with 2,101, the most by a Bulldog since J'Mar Smith in 2019).
O'Miri Wiggins led the Bulldogs in rushing for a sixth time this season, finishing with 40 yards on the ground.
Tru Edwards led LA Tech in receiving yards for an eighth time this season, finishing with 92 receiving yards. He finished the season with 989 receiving yards, the most by a Bulldog since 2018.
Tru Edwards hauled in eight receptions, the 12th time this season with at least five. He finished the season with 85 grabs, tied for the eighth most in program history. The 85 receptions is the most by a Bulldog since 2016.
Drew Henderson, seeing his first career action as a Bulldog, went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts making a 27-yarder and 44-yarder.
Zach Zimos finished with 10 tackles, reaching double digits for the fourth time this season (third straight game). He finished with a team-best 94 tackles on the season.
Jacob Fields registered a season-high 10 tackles.