RUSTON – Football season is upon us and with that comes new storylines, fresh matchups, and renewed rivalries.
This year's Louisiana Tech schedule is a cross-country road trip that comes with its own backstory – a mix of quirky stats, streaks worth bragging about, and games that Bulldog fans still talk about decades later.
Before kickoff, here's a look at fun facts, record streaks, and memorable moments that make each of these opponents more than just a date on the calendar.
AUG. 30 VS. SOUTHEASTERN
FUN FACTS
LA Tech kicks off the 2025 season at home against Southeastern. This will mark the third straight year that LA Tech will open the season in Ruston (first time since 1960-62). The Bulldogs have won 11 straight season openers at home (last such loss was 1978).
The Bulldogs have owned the series against the in-state lions, having won nine straight which is the longest active winning streak against any opponent.
The Bulldogs have scored 40+ points against the Lions in each of the last three contests. If you are curious, the program record is four straight, done three times – UL-Lafayette (1997-2000), Nevada (1995-2003), and Rice (2014-17).
NOTABLE GAME (Nov. 8, 1969)
LA Tech traveled down to Hammond to face upset-minded Southeastern on their homecoming. The Gulf States Conference preseason favorite Bulldogs, who were looking to stay undefeated in the league, found themselves down 14-0 in the first quarter.
Thanks to a trio of touchdowns – two on the ground and one through the air – by Terry Bradshaw, LA Tech pulled ahead 19-17 at halftime. Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the Lions forged ahead in the fourth when Darrel Beard scored from one yard out.
SLU was threatening again with a field goal attempt when David Wilkins of Tech pounded on a loose ball to give the Bulldogs the chance for the winning score. Bradshaw would lead LA Tech on a game-winning drive, punching it in himself from the one-yard line. SLU got the ball back twice but key interceptions by Ricky Taylor and Ronnie Wiggins preserved the 25-24 victory for the Bulldogs.
SEPT. 6 AT LSU
FUN FACTS
It will be almost 124 years since the Bulldogs played their first ever football game, which came against the Tigers. LA Tech suffered a 57-0 defeat. The Bulldogs weren't the only ones to get shut out by LSU that season. The Tigers went 5-1 that year with all five victories being shutouts.
With LA Tech staying in 'the Boot' for the first two weeks, this will mark the first time since 1984 that the Bulldogs will face in-state opponents in each of the first two weeks of the season.
This will be the first time since 1941 that LA Tech plays at LSU in the Tigers' home opener. The last meeting (2018) was the Tigers second home game while the three before that all came in the month of November.
NOTABLE GAME (Oct. 29, 1904)
LA Tech's lone win against LSU came in 1904. The Bulldogs got two cracks at the Tigers that season, first losing in Baton Rouge, 17-0. LA Tech returned the favor a couple of weeks later, winning 6-0 in Ruston.
SEPT. 13 VS. NEW MEXICO STATE
FUN FACTS
LA Tech is 8-4 all-time in Conference USA openers. The Bulldogs are 4-1 in CUSA openers at Joe Aillet Stadium, having won four straight. This will be the second time ever that LA Tech faces New Mexico State in a conference opener (also did so in 2005 in the WAC opener).
The longest punt in program history happened against New Mexico State. After the Bulldogs went 3-and-out on their own 13-yard line, Ryan Allen booted an 85-yard punt that was downed at the New Mexico State 2-yard line. It broke the previous school record by 10 yards.
The first time LA Tech ever played in the state of New Mexico was at New Mexico State in 1967. It was part of a home-and-home series with the Bulldogs hosting the Aggies in 1968.
NOTABLE GAME (Nov. 28, 1968)
A huge New Mexico State team had beaten LA Tech, 48-7, in Las Cruces in 1967. For a long time on Thanksgiving night in Ruston, it looked like a repeat performance.
The Aggies jumped out to a 17-6 lead as mistakes bothered the Bulldogs. But, Terry Bradshaw's phenomenal passing led LA Tech back, taking a 21-17 lead after a 38-yard touchdown strike to Tommy Spinks.
New Mexico State capitalized on a fumble recovery to regain the lead, but a quick 78-yard drive got LA Tech ahead again – this time to stay. Bradshaw went 23-of-49 for a then program-record 445 yards and four touchdowns (became first Gulf States Conference player to throw for four TDs in one game). Oh, and LA Tech's defense intercepted six passes. 42-24 Bulldogs.
SEPT. 20 VS. SOUTHERN MISS
FUN FACTS
This will mark the 54th matchup between LA Tech and Southern Miss on the gridiron, making it the third most meetings ever against a single opponent (most of any team outside the state of Louisiana). After playing each other every season from 2013-21 as members of Conference USA, the rivalry returns as a non-conference battle this season and future showdowns as members of the Sun Belt Conference.
Recent history says when the Bulldogs score 30, they win. In fact, each of the last five victories by LA Tech has coincided with the 'Dogs scoring 30+ points. They have never lost to the Golden Eagles when doing so, going 7-0.
This will mark the fourth straight game that LA Tech plays in the state of Louisiana. The last time the Bulldogs did not leave the state through the first four weeks of the season was in 1964.
NOTABLE GAME (Sept. 16, 1972)
LA Tech faced heavily favored Southern Miss who was the alma mater of head coach Maxie Lambright and who had owned the lopsided series record (22 wins over Tech in 30 games). This time though, a leader was born in quarterback Denny Duron.
By intermission, LA Tech had piled up a 26-0 lead and Duron already had already hit seven of 13 passes for 156 yards. Safety John Causey set up Tech's final score just one minute into the third quarter when he intercepted a pass and returned eight yards to the USM 20-yard line. Three plays later, fullback Roland Harper crashed over, the PAT kick was good, and Tech led 33-0.
With the game out of reach, the Golden Eagles would tack on a pair of meaningless touchdowns. 33-14 Dogs. Ho-hum.
SEPT. 27 AT UTEP
FUN FACTS
LA Tech owns a lopsided 17-3-1 advantage in the series versus UTEP. It is the best winning percentage against any opponent (83.3 percent) with at least 10 meetings.
This will mark the 12th straight season the Bulldogs and Miners face off against one another (longest active streak) and may very well be the last as UTEP exits Conference USA to join the Mountain West Conference. The first time the two teams met was in 1939, which was also the first time that the Bulldogs ever played a game in the Mountain Time Zone.
This will mark the 10th time LA Tech faces UTEP in the Sun Bowl. The Bulldogs are 8-1 all time in the stadium.
NOTABLE GAME (Nov. 23, 1991)
After Houston handed LA Tech its worse loss in school history (73-3) in the 1991 season opener, the Bulldogs reeled off a nine-game unbeaten streak. They looked to make it 10 consecutive when they traveled to El Paso, Texas to close out the season at UTEP in the Sun Bowl.
Jason Davis helped LA Tech do just that, rushing for 203 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown run with 2:22 left in the game, to recapture the lead. The LA Tech defense – led by Carlos Bolton – took over from there, holding the Miners on a fourth-and-one play at the Tech 35 with 35 seconds left to preserve the 21-17 season-ending victory.
OCT. 9 AT KENNESAW STATE
FUN FACTS
LA Tech pitched a 33-0 shutout against Kennesaw State last season in what was the first ever meeting between the two programs. That was not that rare as it marked the 34th time the Bulldogs ever shut out a team in the first meeting. However, it was only the second time since 1960 (shut out Sacramento State, 56-0, in 1977).
There are four FBS schools that have Owls as their mascot. LA Tech has now played three of them (Rice, Florida Atlantic, and Kennesaw State) with all three being CUSA foes at one point. The lone Owls that the Bulldogs have not played is Temple.
This season will be just the second time ever LA Tech will play a football game in the state of Georgia. The other time came 100 years ago (Nov. 26, 1925) when the Bulldogs played Camp Benning Officers' School (Ft. Benning Infantry) in Benning, Georgia, just outside of Columbus.
NOTABLE GAME (Nov. 30, 2024)
Not a lot of options here since last season was the first time LA Tech and Kennesaw State ever played football against one another.
It was pure domination for the Bulldogs with most of the damage done on the ground. O'Miri Wiggins found the end zone three times as he led a rushing attack that compiled 210 yards. Meanwhile, the defense limited the Owls to just 146 yards of offense, pitching the program's first shutout since 2019.
OCT. 21 VS. WKU
FUN FACTS
LA Tech leads the all-time series with WKU, 7-6. The road team has had the upper hand as of late, winning the last four meetings, which includes the Bulldogs 12-7 victory over the Hilltoppers in Bowling Green last season. Four consecutive games with the road team winning has only happened three times in LA Tech history with the record being six straight, which came against Southern Miss (1968-75).
The matchup between the Bulldogs and Hilltoppers has been very competitive since the two became CUSA foes. Five of the last seven meetings have been decided by seven points or less.
Only six Bulldog wide receivers have multiple games of 200+ receiving yards in their career. Carlos Henderson did it three times in 2016 with two of those coming against WKU. It is believed that Henderson is the only player in FBS history that surpassed 200 receiving yards in two games against the same opponent in the same season.
NOTABLE GAME (Sept. 16, 2017)
It was the first CUSA game of the 2017 season, pitting the two league division favorites against one another. Oh, and it was also a rematch of the 2016 CUSA Championship. LA Tech lost that title game at WKU and found themselves back in Bowling Green three weeks into the regular season with revenge on their mind. And they got it.
Trailing 22-13 entering the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs defense stood tall on a numerous four quarter possessions while the LA Tech offense came up with some late big plays of its own. Quarterback J'Mar Smith led a pair of late game scoring drives and senior Jonathan Barnes' 22-yard field goal with two seconds to play giving the Bulldogs a 23-22 win over WKU, snapping the Hilltoppers 13-game home conference win streak.
OCT. 31 VS. SAM HOUSTON
FUN FACTS
It will be a unique Homecoming game for LA Tech as they square off against Sam Houston on a Friday night. Not only will it be the 100th Homecoming game played for the Bulldogs, the first ever Homecoming game in 1925 was also played on a Friday when LA Tech hosted UL-Lafayette.
It will mark the 14th time in LA Tech history that the Bulldogs will play a game on Halloween. The last time was in 2020 and there was plenty of craziness in that game. LA Tech would ultimately defeat UAB, 37-34, in double overtime as Jacob Barnes nailed a game-winning 35-yard field goal.
LA Tech was only able to muster three points in a 9-3 loss to Sam Houston last season in Huntsville. Despite the defeat, one thing it did do was preserve the Bulldogs streak of not being shut out in a game. Their active streak is at 211 games and counting.
NOTABLE GAME (Sept. 11, 1999)
After falling to No. 1-ranked Florida State and No. 6-ranked Texas A&M to open the 1999 season, the Bulldogs took out their frustration on Sam Houston in the home opener, pulverizing the Bearkats by a final score of 55-17.
LA Tech scored 20 unanswered points in the first 10 minutes of the game and never looked back. With a 48-10 halftime lead, they called the 'Dogs off. Quarterback Tim Rattay completed 16 of his 18 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns. It sparked an 8-game winning streak for LA Tech who was ranked No. 25 in the country in the week 13 AP poll (first time nationally ranked as a Division I-A team).
NOV. 8 AT DELAWARE
FUN FACTS
Following a 35-0 victory over Tennessee Tech to earn a perfect 12-0 record, LA Tech claimed Co-National Champion honors along with Delaware as chosen by the National Football Foundation.
This will mark the fourth time in the last five seasons that the Bulldogs will play a team for the first time as Conference USA foes (2022 – Charlotte, 2023 – New Mexico State, Liberty, Sam Houston, Jacksonville State, 2024 – Kennesaw State, 2025 – Delaware, Missouri State).
When LA Tech travels to Newark, Delaware, it will mark the 34th different state that the Bulldogs will play a football game in. The last new state was in 2022 when LA Tech played at Missouri in the Show Me State.
NOTABLE GAME (Dec. 11, 1982)
Playing under coach and rainy conditions, the Bulldog offense failed to score against the Blue Hens as LA Tech was eliminated from the Division I-AA playoffs by Delaware, 17-0, in the semifinals (first and only meeting between the two programs).
The Blue Hens had a 7-0 lead at halftime and ultimately sealed the win in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard run by Kevin Phelan. LA Tech's Matt Dunigan led the Bulldog offense, completing 22-of-47 passes for 239 yards. Delaware would fall, 17-14, to Eastern Kentucky in the championship.
NOV. 15 AT WASHINGTON STATE
FUN FACTS
LA Tech has never played in the state of Washington either. The only other time the Bulldogs played in new states in back-to-back games was 1939 when they played at WKU (Bowling Green, Kentucky) followed by a road game at Birmingham-Southern (Birmingham, Ala.).
Playing at Washington State will complete the cycle of LA Tech playing in all four primary time zones within the continental United States. The last time the Bulldogs did that was in 2012.
There has been only one other time when LA Tech played on the east coast then played on the west coast the following week. That came in 1993 when the Bulldogs were at East Carolina (Greenville, North Carolina) followed by a game at San Jose State (San Jose, Calif.)
NOTABLE GAME (N/A)
First ever meeting on deck.
NOV. 22 VS. LIBERTY
FUN FACTS
Liberty will be the 19th different Conference USA opponent that the Bulldogs will host inside Joe Aillet Stadium. LA Tech did so twice last season versus Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State.
This will be LA Tech's lone home game in the month of November. The last time the Bulldogs played only one game in Joe Aillet Stadium in November (minimum four games) was in 2011 when they were at Fresno State, Ole Miss, and Nevada before closing out the season at home versus New Mexico State.
Even though CUSA did not do an official preseason poll, Liberty is considered the preseason favorite by multiple publications. With that being the case, this will be just the fourth time that LA Tech hosts the CUSA preseason favorite (2023 – WKU, 2019 – North Texas (west), and 2013 – Tulsa (west).
NOTABLE GAME (Nov. 4, 2023)
Louisiana Tech Football fell to Liberty, 56-30, at Williams Stadium in the inaugural meeting between the two programs. In a game that featured no shortage of offense, with both teams combining for 990 yards from scrimmage.
LA Tech could not muster enough stops defensively against the high-powered Liberty offense as the Flames scored touchdowns on eight of their ten drives while converting seven of eight third-down attempts.
NOV. 29 AT MISSOURI STATE
FUN FACTS
This will mark just the second time LA Tech will ever play a football game in the state of Missouri. The first time was when the Bulldogs faced the Missouri Tigers in Columbia in the 2022 season opener.
LA Tech will play all six of its road games in different states this season (Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, Delaware, Washington, and Missouri). This is actually the second straight season that has happened. Prior to 2024, it had been 14 years since all road games were played in different states.
Even though the Bulldogs have not had much success when closing out the regular season on the road (have lost eight straight), the last such win was a massive one as LA Tech took down No. 23-ranked Fresno State, 40-28, in 2005.
NOTABLE GAME (Nov. 14, 1987)
After a two-week rest, LA Tech played host to Missouri State in the first ever meeting between the two programs and found itself tied at 10-10 with 54 seconds to play.
The Bears were able to connect on a 44-yard field goal, but the Bulldogs found new life on a pass from McKinney at the LA Tech 25 taken by Paddy Doyle all the way down to the opponent's 10-yard line. It was nullified however, due to an illegal man downfield penalty. That gave the Bears a 13-10 win in the lone meeting between the two programs.
