Bulldogs Blank Warhawks In First Meeting Since 2000

Saturday, October 17

Monroe, La.

7 PM

Louisiana Tech University

4-2 , 2-0

ULM

0-6 , 0-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Louisiana Tech	0	0	14	10	24
ULM	0	0	0	0	0

Travel Game Book

Photo by: Josh McDaniel

Bulldogs Blank Warhawks In First Meeting Since 2000

10/17/2026 11:22:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Louisiana Tech is 2-0 in conference play for the second-straight season and fifth time since 2019, securing their ninth-straight win over ULM and pitching their first shutout in Monroe since 1988.

By: Drew Parsley

MONROE, La. -- Louisiana Tech used a dominant defensive performance and three second-half touchdowns to shut out in-state rival ULM, 24-0, Saturday night at FMOL Health | St. Francis Stadium, extending its winning streak to three games while remaining unbeaten in Sun Belt Conference play.

The Bulldogs (4-2, 2-0 SBC) earned their first shutout since defeating Southeastern Louisiana, 24-0, in the 2025 season opener and their first shutout victory in Monroe since a 23-0 win over ULM (0-6, 0-2 SBC) in 1988.

After a scoreless first half, Louisiana Tech seized control when Taeden Rogers intercepted a ULM pass on the opening play of the third quarter. The turnover sparked the Bulldogs' offense, which capitalized on the short field with a touchdown drive capped by Sergio Snider's 5-yard scoring run, his third rushing touchdown of the season.

Louisiana Tech's defense continued to control the contest, forcing consecutive three-and-outs following the opening touchdown. The Bulldogs extended their lead later in the third quarter when quarterback Blake Baker connected with Brayden Bockler on a 2-yard shovel pass for Bockler's first touchdown as a Bulldog.

The Bulldogs added another touchdown in the fourth quarter following a 56-yard reverse by Marcus Calwise Jr. that moved the ball deep into ULM territory. Baker capped the possession with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Bockler, giving the tight end his first career multi-touchdown receiving performance.

Louisiana Tech's defense delivered another pivotal play in the fourth quarter when Kam Franklin intercepted a pass and returned it 66 yards to the ULM 10-yard line. Kaegen Kent followed with a 21-yard field goal to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 24-0.

The Warhawks threatened to break the shutout on their final possession, advancing inside the Louisiana Tech 20-yard line before the Bulldog defense forced a turnover on downs with 1:38 remaining. Trey Kukuk later converted a first down on an 11-yard run to seal the victory.

Calwise highlighted the Bulldogs' offensive production with career highs of eight receptions and 119 receiving yards. Andrew Burnette recorded his third consecutive game with at least 50 rushing yards, while Bockler finished with two touchdown receptions.

Defensively, Louisiana Tech recorded multiple interceptions for the second consecutive game and the third time this season. The Bulldogs have now forced at least one turnover in nine consecutive games dating back to 2025.

The victory marked Louisiana Tech's first three-game winning streak since the end of the 2025 season and gave the Bulldogs their ninth consecutive victory over ULM.

NOTABLES

Louisiana Tech improved to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in Sun Belt Conference play, extending its winning streak to three games.
The Bulldogs recorded their first shutout since a 24-0 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Aug. 30, 2025, and their first shutout at ULM since 1988.
Louisiana Tech extended its winning streak over ULM to nine consecutive games.
The Bulldogs recorded their first scoreless first half by both teams in available program records.
Louisiana Tech held ULM scoreless in the first half, its first first-half shutout since facing Sam Houston on Oct. 31, 2025.
The Bulldogs held an opponent below 250 total yards for the second time this season, joining their 129-yard defensive performance against Northwestern State on Sept. 5.
Louisiana Tech forced multiple interceptions for the third time this season and second consecutive game.
The Bulldogs have recorded multiple interceptions in nine games since the start of the 2025 season, tied with Notre Dame for the most nationally over that span, according to the team's postgame notes.
Louisiana Tech extended its streak of games with at least one forced turnover to nine consecutive contests.
The Bulldogs have forced multiple turnovers in four of their last five games.
Taeden Rogers intercepted ULM's first offensive play of the second half, setting up Louisiana Tech's opening touchdown.
Kam Franklin recorded a 66-yard interception return in the fourth quarter, setting up the Bulldogs' final points.
Marcus Calwise Jr. established career highs with eight receptions and 119 receiving yards.
Brayden Bockler recorded the first two receiving touchdowns of his Louisiana Tech career, marking his first multi-touchdown receiving performance.
Blake Baker recorded multiple touchdown passes without a turnover for the second consecutive game, accomplishing the feat in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
Andrew Burnette recorded his third consecutive game with at least 50 rushing yards and second straight with at least 60. His 19 rushing attempts established a new Bulldog career high.
Jalen Mickens became the first Louisiana Tech wide receiver to record at least 40 receiving yards in six consecutive games since Tru Edwards accomplished the feat in nine straight games in 2024.
Eli Finley extended his streak to 14 consecutive games with a reception and six straight games with multiple catches.
Rayshun Hurt recorded the first reception of his collegiate career.
Louisiana Tech recorded its fourth consecutive game with at least 300 yards of total offense.
Saturday's win was Tech's first shutout victory on the road in conference play since Nov. 8, 2008, with a 21-0 win at San Jose State during the Bulldogs' tenure in the WAC.

QUOTABLES

Head Coach Sonny Cumbie

Opening Statement
I'm excited that our football team was able to get to 1-0 this week. I mean, that was the big thing that we challenge ourselves with really every week, and we will moving forward, is we've got, I guess at this point, it looks like we have six one-week seasons left. And so, for us to be able to be 1-0 at the end of each week--and just extremely proud of Coach Olson and our defensive staff and defensive players to get a shutout. It's really hard to do that. The takeaways that they were able to create, I mean, just the preparation that our players had all week. He challenged them defensively, he challenged our defensive unit on Tuesday to play four quarters of our style of football because we hadn't done that yet. And I think our guys answered the bell, and they played really well. I think that offensively, obviously the first half--there's not a magic word or magic potion or anything other. You're sitting there and you're like, I can tell you guys, I could holler and scream and throw a huge fit, but at the end of the day, we're well aware you guys have a lot of pride, and you're well aware that we've played really poorly on offense. And I can tell you about what we've done wrong, but I want to focus on where can we go right, and how can we get it right in the third quarter. How can we get it right the next time we get the football. And that's what our guys are the ones that got it right. Our players started to play the way that they're coached to, and they started to execute. Our quarterbacks saw the field better. We ran the football better, and we rose up together. And that was the challenge just from the standpoint defensively, we end up getting an interception and we score, then we get a stop, we get a score, we get a stop. And so that's what our team rose up together coming out of halftime. And so just really excited to get the win. I thought ULM played hard. I think they did a great job in the first half defensively. And again, it's hard to win football games. We've waited a long time to play this game, and we're excited to be able to get the win in this series. So proud of our team, proud of our coaches, and excited about moving forward after today and trying to get to 1-0 next week.

Cumbie on the stakes of the game…
I think our players, in the first half offensively in particular, were a little frenzied, and maybe that had something to do with it from the standpoint of the excitement of this rivalry being renewed, the excitement of playing in this game. And then I think our guys really settled down, and I thought it was an unbelievable atmosphere. I really appreciate all of our fans that made the trip. When we took the field, you definitely could hear them and you could feel them, and so that was exciting to see. And I know that our players appreciate the support that our crowd's given them really about every game, because I mean, I even think back to LSU when we had the interception at the end of the first half, and all you heard was our fan base. They've been incredible this year, and so just very appreciative of how they've shown out.

Cumbie on ULM's pressure on defense…
I think that our guys just settled into executing how we prepared for it. They played a little bit more four-down in the first half than what we anticipated. Second half, they got into a little bit more of what they have been doing with the middle safety. And I thought they played hard up front. And like I said at halftime, on that side of the ball, they played harder than we did.
That was the biggest thing, is they were playing harder, and then our guys in the second half answered the bell.

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