by Malcolm Butler
Trap game.
Louisiana Tech at LSU is the perfect illustration of this sports term.
Last week, LSU dominated Clemson by the score of 51-10. It was a performance that left even some of the Tiger fans speechless (well that may be a stretch).
This week, the school — thanks in large part to Lane Kiffin and the football program — was warned by SEC commissioner Greg Sankey about potentially being expelled by the league. Although it didn’t happen, there was a lot of chatter surrounding it.
Next week, Kiffin and Co. travel to his former school — Ole Miss — for the SEC opener. If you think there was chatter this week? Just wait.
So can Louisiana Tech take advantage of its placement on the LSU schedule and catch these Tigers by their tails? Tech fans will find out tonight at 6:30 p.m.
The Bulldogs (1-0) head to Tiger Stadium looking to build off one of the most dominant season-opening victories in program history while facing a significant jump in competition.
Tech was one of only five FBS programs to score at least 70 points in Week 1 and finished the opening week ranked second nationally in team passing efficiency at 280.29, trailing only Indiana at 285.03.
Jalen Mickens led Tech with 164 all-purpose yards, including 133 receiving, and scored on a 75-yard reception on the Bulldogs’ first offensive snap of the season.
Dedrick Latulas also made an impact, becoming the first Bulldog since Paul Turner in 2015 to record a punt return for a touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the same game. He finished with 107 all-purpose yards and was named the Sun Belt Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.
Transfers Sergio Snider, Jaden Miller, Talyn Shettron (twice) and Joshua Brantley also scored their first touchdowns as Bulldogs.
The offensive explosion came despite plenty of new faces in the lineup. Seven of Tech’s 22 offensive and defensive starters made their first starts as Bulldogs, while only four current players have made at least 10 career starts at Tech — Eli Finley (27), Hayden Christman (25), Kolbe Fields (17) and Ashanti Cole (14).
Saturday’s meeting marks the first time Louisiana Tech and LSU have played in back-to-back seasons since 1940 and 1941.
LSU leads the all-time series 20-1, including 15-0 in Baton Rouge and 9-0 at Tiger Stadium. Tech’s lone victory came 6-0 in Ruston in 1904.
The Bulldogs did hold LSU to 23 points in last year’s meeting, the fewest Tech had allowed against the Tigers since a 20-2 loss in 1913.
Kiffin has faced Louisiana Tech twice as a head coach, splitting two meetings while at Florida Atlantic.
Now the Bulldogs get their first road test of 2026 against a top-10 opponent in one of college football’s most hostile environments.
And maybe at just the right spot on LSU’s schedule.
