JOURNAL SPORTS
Louisiana Tech opens Conference USA action tonight when the Bulldogs host New Mexico State at Joe Aillet Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the contest can be seen on ESPN+ with Malcolm Butler (PxP), Luke McCown (Analyst), and Madison Kaufman (Sideline) providing a call of the action.
The match-up pits two teams that have shown a propensity to playing good defense.
Tech (1-1) is allowing just 11.5 points per game with a loss to No. 3 LSU and a win over (FCS) Southeastern Louisiana, while New Mexico State (2-0) is allowing 8.5 per contest with wins over Tulsa and (FCS) Bryant.
“It’s an exciting conference opener,” said head coach Sonny Cumbie. “We are playing at home … We anticipate having a great home field crowd. We are playing an opponent that we know pretty well. They know us pretty well. In conference (games) it comes down to the wire. We have seen that the last few years.”
One of the questions entering this week is who will start at quarterback for Tech. Trey Kukuk has started the first two games, but the Bulldogs have struggled to score points. Blake Baker was inserted into the LSU game in the fourth quarter and led Tech to its only score.
Cumbie said all three quarterbacks, including Evan Bullock, would be evaluated during practice this week and a decision would be made gameday.
“Offensively, we have to sustain drives,” said Cumbie. “We have to find a rhythm. There are some moving pieces there and it’s taking a little bit of time. I have seen our offense do it during fall camp, and I’m confident they will find it.
“The quarterback (position) gets more attention than he deserves. More praise than he deserves. More criticism than he deserves. And the truth is always somewhere in the middle.”
Tech has scored just three offensive TDs over the first two games although Cumbie did say he was pleased with the improvement of the Bulldogs O-line from week one to week two.
New Mexico State is off to its first 2-0 start in more than a decade and the Aggies come into Ruston with a confident football team.
Offensively, the Aggies have struggled to run the ball, averaging just 2.0 yards per carry. Quarterback Logan Fife (transfer Fresno State, Montana) has passes for almost 500 yards through two games and is one of the keys to slowing down NMSU.
“New Mexico State is a very good football team on all three sides,” said Cumbie. “They are very physical. We have to be able to match it and elevate our game.”
Tech leads the all-time series 8-6, but the Aggies have won two straight including a 33-30 double overtime win in Las Cruces last season.
