RUSTON - Louisiana Tech will look to move to 4-0 at home as the Bulldogs return to Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium for the first of two consecutive home Conference USA Weekday matchups, as 5-2 (3-1 CUSA) Western Kentucky comes to town for a Tuesday night contest. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 21
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Ruston, La. (Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Live Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Radio: LA Tech Sports Network | LA Tech Athletics App

SERIES HISTORY
Series: LA Tech, 6-5
In Ruston: 3-2
In Bowling Green: 2-3
Neutral: 1-0

Tuesday will be the 12th all-time meeting between LA Tech and Western Kentucky and the ninth as Conference USA foes. The Bulldogs hold a 6-5 advantage in the series after earning a 12-7 win on the road last season. LA Tech and WKU renewed its rivalry in 2014 as the Hilltoppers joined the CUSA after spending five years in the Sun Belt. The two schools are 4-4 against each other in that span, which includes the 2016 CUSA Championship game, in which WKU won 58-44.
 
The two programs first met in 1939 with WKU winning the inaugural game, not before LA Tech evened the series the following season. The programs would meet again 33 years later in the 1973 DII National Championship game in Sacramento Calif., with the Bulldogs earning a 34-0 shutout to claim the DII title.
 
ABOUT LA TECH
 
The Bulldogs moved to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in CUSA after suffering just their second loss of the season, a 35-7 defeat to Kennesaw State on Thursday, Oct. 9. Tech allowed a season-high 35 points to the Owls in the loss. Three different quarterbacks saw action for Tech after starter Blake Baker left the game early in the second quarter. Evan Bullock saw his first significant action of the season, finishing with 112 yards and one interception on 11-of-21 passing.
 
Thursday's loss to Kennesaw State marked the first time this season the Bulldogs' defense did not record a takeaway, ending their streak of five consecutive games. True freshman linebacker Zheric Hill (five tackles) and redshirt freshman linebacker Alonzo Jackson Jr. (seven tackles) made their first career starts, combining for 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks.
 
Tech's defense remains the only team in CUSA allowing fewer than 20 points per game (17.2). The Bulldogs have surrendered just 12 touchdowns, the fewest in the league, ahead of Delaware's 16. LA Tech is allowing 355.2 yards per game, the second fewest in the conference behind UTEP's 350.8.
 
Quarterback Blake Baker is expected to make his fifth consecutive starts of the season against WKU. The redshirt sophomore has completed 50 of 82 passes for 649 yards and three touchdowns. Eli Finley and Marques Singleton Jr. have both caught 17 passes, while Finley leads the team in receiving yards with 252 yards. Devin Gandy ranks second on the team with 188 yards on 13 receptions.
 
Clay Thevenin and Omiri Wiggins have both logged three scores on the ground. Thevenin leads the team with 261 yards on 61 carries, followed by Wiggins who has tallied 225 yards on 57 attempts. Baker has rushed for 170 yards and two scores.
 
Jacob Fields leads the team with 39 stops, to go along with two tackles for loss and three pass breakups. Mekhi Mason had logged 35 tackles with a team-high eight sacks and three tackles for loss.
 
Jakari Foster leads the defense with three interceptions. Linebacker Sifa Leota has collected 33 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss.      
 
HOME COOKING
 
LA Tech will look to win its fifth straight home game when it hosts WKU on Tuesday night. Dating to last season's finale against Kennesaw State, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents 136-34 while averaging 34 points per game during that four-game stretch and giving up 8.5 defensively. The Bulldogs have not won five straight at home since the 2019 season when they finished 6-0 at Joe Aillet Stadium.
 
DEFENSIVE CONSISTENCY
 
The Bulldogs have had seven players start in all six games on the defensive side of the ball. The breakdown includes all three safeties (Michael Richard, Jakari Foster, Jacob Fields), Jhamal Shelby Jr. at corner, Sifa Leota at linebacker and defensive linemen Emmanuel Oguns and Zion Nason.
 
BACK IN BLUE
 
LA Tech will debut its blue helmet for the first time in 2025 when it hosts Western Kentucky on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs are 1-1 in the alternate helmet, which debuted last season in a 48-21 win over Middle Tennessee on Oct. 10. Tech lost 33-30 to New Mexico State in the blue helmet the following week.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
 
37 – Quarterback Blake Baker needs 37 passing yards to reach 1,000 for his career. The redshirt sophomore has thrown for 964 yards across two seasons after passing for 314 yards in 2024 and 649 through five games this season.
 
17 – Punter John Hoyet Chance leads CUSA with 17 punts downed inside the 20 and with 17 punts of 50 or more yards. His 17 punts downed inside the 20 leads the nation.
 
6 – This will be LA Tech's sixth Tuesday night game since CUSA began weekday play in 2023. The Bulldogs are 1-4 in Tuesday CUSA games, with their lone win coming against UTEP in 2024.
 
5 – Louisiana Tech leads the nation with five defensive touchdowns. The Bulldogs have returned three interceptions and two fumble recoveries for scores.
 
4 – Four different true freshmen have seen playing time for the Bulldogs this season. Jalen Mickens, and Luke Watkins have seen time on offense in year one, while Zheric Hill and Jojo Odom have seen time on defense.
 
3 – True freshman linebacker Zheric Hill has recorded five tackles in three consecutive games. After making his debut on special teams against NMSU, Hill tallied five tackles each against Southern Miss, UTEP and Kennesaw.
 
ABOUT WKU
 
WKU enters Tuesday night's meeting with a 5-2 (3-1 CUSA) record. The Hilltoppers are coming off a 6-25 home loss to Florida International on Oct. 14. WKU has notched three conference wins against Sam Houston, Missouri State and Delaware.
 
The Hilltoppers rank 13th nationally in passing offense and are led by quarterback Maverick McIvor, who has thrown for 1,863 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 171 of 254 passes. His top target, Matthew Henry, leads WKU with 435 yards and three touchdowns on 23 receptions. K.D. Hutchinson leads the team with 30 catches to go along with 330 yards and three scores.
 
True freshman Marvis Parrish leads WKU on the ground with 56 carries for 258 yards. La'vell Wright has found the end zone five times on 40 carries to go along with 207 rushing yards. George Hart III has run the ball 38 times for 179 yards and two scores.
 
Jaylen Wester leads WKU on defense with 39 stops and two tackles for loss, followed by Anthony Brackenridge who has registered 33 tackles and three tackles for loss. Jaylen Lewis leads the team with two interceptions.
 
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