Bulldogs blow out Middle Tennessee

Louisiana Tech (2-3, 1-1 CUSA) was on the right side of a run-up-the-score ballgame in a 48-21 win over Middle Tennessee (1-5, 0-2 CUSA) on Thursday at Joe Aillet Stadium, with Tech’s new play caller Nathan Young bringing out the fireworks before the halftime show even got started.

After coming in averaging just 18 ppg, 79 yards rushing, and not cracking 30 points through four games, Tech’s change in play caller proved to work with explosive effect to open the first of four Conference USA midweek contests, with the Bulldogs racking up over 550 yards of offense and seven touchdowns. LA Tech came into the night with nine touchdowns through four games – the fourth fewest in the country. By the end of Thursday, the Bulldogs not only improved their offensive standing in the league but might have found a winning combination they’ve been waiting on for so long.

“I told our team before the game, and I truly believed this all week, I think we were on the verge of exploding as a team because we’ve been so close,” Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie said. “And there have been so many things in the first four games that went against us. Our kids just stayed the course and had tremendous amounts of work ethic and just a confidence and belief tonight in who we were on offense and who we were on defense.

“I told Nathan [Young] I think we’re capable of scoring more than we had been and producing more yards than what we had been. And so now, he set the bar pretty high. Now our expectations are really high. Just really proud of him. Proud of our football team.”

Redshirt freshman quarterback Evan Bullock looked far from inexperienced, finishing with a career night of 290 passing yards and 5 touchdowns – the most by a Tech quarterback since Luke Anthony on Sept. 26, 2020 – and added a rushing score to cap off his big night. By the end of the first half, he led Tech to 34 points with 5 total touchdowns.

Demarcus Griffin-Taylor’s 49-yard kickoff return set Tech up for easy field position to work with on its first drive. And the Bulldogs took advantage as Bullock found running back Omiri Wiggins for a 5-yard touchdown pass – the first time Tech scored a touchdown on its opening drive since Oct. 5, 2023.

MTSU would score on back-to-back possessions to open the game but Tech would go down and respond once again, with Bullock connecting with Jimmy Holiday on a 15-yard touchdown over the middle. MTSU’s third drive ended quickly as Isaiah Mcelvane forced a fumble, only to be recovered by Tech DB Roderick Roberson. Four plays later, Bullock found Wiggins on a well-blocked screen pass that went the distance for a 16-yard touchdown to put Tech in front for good 20-14

After a three and out for MTSU, Bullock marched right back down the field, finding Jay Wilkerson on 20-yard crossing route for a touchdown strike. Tech’s defense came up big once again on an interception from Mcelvane after MTSU got to Tech’s 22 after a muffed punt.

Nine plays later, with Bullock throwing for three first downs on the drive alone, he rushed in for a 1-yard score.

Bullock enjoyed the experience of a new play caller to make his second career start one for the record books.

Tech first drive of second half picked up where it left off on 3 play, 75 yard drive as Bullock launches downfield to Tru Edwards for a 75-yard TD (41-14) 14:06 54 second drive

6th TD of the night for him total – most since Luke Anthony Sept. 26, 2020

“Offensively, we’ve always had it, have the ability to explode and go off really anytime. I think it was really just finding the right match and maybe the perfect fit, and that’s exactly what allowed us to explode and showcase like we did tonight,” Bullock said.

“I liked how we can mix things up a little bit, give new looks, some things we hadn’t done before. It’s really just a new little curve on the offense that we had.”

Bullock wasted no time in the second half to officially bury MTSU as he launched downfield through dense firework smoke still sitting over the field from halftime for a 75-yard touchdown to Tru Edwards – putting Edwards at 127 yards on the night.

Through his four games, Bullock has completed 70.59% of his passes for 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

“He has such poise. He’s very unflappable. He doesn’t let things get to him, and he’s a smart kid, accurate with the football,” Cumbie said of Bullock. “I was really proud of his pocket presence. I thought he handled himself very well in the pocket in terms of moving up whenever he felt pressure, kept two hands on the football and made really good decisions. I think he’s just going to continue to get better and better as he plays.”

Tech added a late score on a pass from Marquis Crosby to Solo Lewis with five minutes left in the third quarter.

While the night ended with a winning feeling, the Bulldogs faced serious adversity when sophomore safety Michael Richard collapsed on the field with just over 13 minutes left in the third quarter. Richard remained on the field for nearly 20 minutes of real time, eventually put into a neck brace and onto a stretcher as he was helped off the field.

Cumbie told reporters postgame Richard made his way to Shreveport by airlift and was ‘responsive and talking.’

“That’s the best news of the night, to be honest. Never really, as a coach or a player, gone through anything like that on the field that was as traumatic and as significant as what happened. A beloved player for our team and for our defense. Really thrilled with the news he’s doing well.”

LA Tech returns to action Tuesday on the road against New Mexico State (1-5, 0-3 CUSA) in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. CST.