JOURNAL SPORTS
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Louisiana Tech posted a surprising road win last Saturday at Conference USA frontrunner Western Kentucky, and that raised the stakes considerably for Saturday’s non-conference visit to Arkansas.
Both the Bulldogs (4-6) and the Razorbacks (5-5) are still bowl eligible, needing to get six wins. Tech wraps up with CUSA bottom dweller Kennessaw State next weekend in Ruston, making the visit to Reynolds Razorback Stadium the swing game in its suddenly viable postseason hopes. Arkansas wraps up with its border war against Missouri, at best a tossup game for coach Sam Pittman’s up-and-down Hogs.
The Razorbacks played third-ranked Texas tough last week in a 20-10 loss, their third in four games since stunning then No. 4 Tennessee in Fayetteville 19-14 Oct. 5. All of their losses have come to teams ranked in the Top 25 at game time, although Oklahoma State has now dipped to 3-7.
The 3 p.m. matchup will be carried on SEC Network+ and broadcast locally on 107.5 FM with Malcolm Butler, Teddy Allen and Jerry Byrd calling the action.
Tech is a 23-point underdog bidding to secure consecutive road wins for the first time since the 2019 season. But the Bulldogs were nobody’s pick last week, when they parlayed four Buck Buchanan field goals and a stiff defense to a 12-7 upset.
The defense climbed back into the top 15 nationally in total defense, 12th in the FBS allowing just 302.3 yards per game. The Bulldogs rank in the top 30 in rush defense (29th, 115.0 ypg) and pass defense (26th, 187.73 ypg).
Tech held its fourth opponent of the season under 100 rushing yards, limiting the Hilltoppers to just 63 yards on the ground.
Buchanan earned his second CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week award after connecting on 4-of-5 field goals.
The Bulldogs surpassed 100 yards on the ground for just the second time this season, with their first 100+ yard rusher of the season in Amani Givens (103 yards on 17 carries, 6.1 per run).
