Bulldogs battle Sam Houston

Louisiana Tech’s (34, 2-2 CUSA) chances of playing meaningful football games in November could get a major boost if the Bulldogs truly seize momentum in their final Conference USA midweek matchup against Sam Houston State ( 6- 2, 3- 1 CUSA) tonight.

Not only could the Bulldogs win back-toback games for the first time since 2020, but they could truly vault themselves into the CUSA race with four weeks to go with a win over a talented Bearkats squad that’s already secure in their bowl eligibility. Tech is the only CUSA team with two conference wins, putting the team 5th in the standings, but trailing third place Liberty and Sam Houston by one game. Win, and Tech has a puncher’s chance of a postseason shot. Lose, and it’s back to square one of needing a never- before-seen run by coach Sonny Cumbie’s Bulldogs to salvage a season.

For Cumbie, now 9-22 as head coach at Tech, he’s made sure his team has paid attention to league play’s wacky results in recent weeks, including winless Kennesaw State’s knocking off College Football Playoff hopeful Liberty and Sam Houston’s winning a tight battle over FIU.

It seems week to week, if a team plays clean, LA Tech included, opportunities are ready to be had. Cumbie said it’s on the Bulldogs to handle their business.

“I think they’re aware of the landscape of the league and they’re aware of games that are going on and how they’re being played,” Cumbie said. “ The scores don’t always tell the story. Does a team win a game or does a team lose a game in terms of the play, in terms of is it clean play? Did they turn the football over? Did they take the football away? Are they making plays on special teams? Are they eliminating penalties?

“Those are the things that a score sometimes doesn’t always tell. You try to paint the picture for your team to have an understanding that every team that we play remaining is a really good team and we can win just as well as they can go the other way if we don’t play winning football.”

Playing clean has been easier said than done for Tech in CUSA play, with the Bulldogs ranking second in the league with 28 penalties in conference games. Tech has also struggled mightily in the run game this year, most notably a 7-yard rushing performance last week against UTEP in an ugly 14-10 win.

“ Each week, if we play a clean brand of football, if we play up to our football identity, I feel good about our chances with this football team, and I think we have a determined group ready to seize the momentum from one week to the next,” Cumbie said.

To beat Sam Houston, Tech will need to play turnover free and give quarterback Evan Bullock time to distribute the ball as Sam Houston ranks second in CUSA in sacks (16) and interceptions (8), and is tied for first in fumble recoveries (6).

The Bearkats will also have starting quarterback Hunter Watson (987 yards, 9 TD, 5 INT) back after missing last week’s game against FIU.

Sam Houston’s pass rush could be the Xfactor in the matchup with the Bulldogs, as Tech has allowed 9 sacks over the last two games. SHS, meanwhile, has 6 tackles for loss in each of the last three games.

“Their defensive line is very active; they can get after the quarterback. They have great pass rushers,” Cumbie said. “ They’re really good against the run. I think they’d like to establish the run on offense. Their offensive line is a big, physical, nasty unit. Their quarterback Hunter Watson is a big part of the run game, as well as their two running backs DJ McKinney and Jay Ducker. They do a really good job with RPOs and play-action shots down field.”

Sam Houston’s veteran quarterback and bulldozer run game ( 208.6 ypg) will have their hands full going up against LA Tech’s stout defense in what’s been a stark turnaround for the Bulldog D in less than a calendar year.

Thanks to the coaching of DC Jeremiah Johnson and his staff, the Bulldogs have gone from second-worst run defense (232 ypg) last year to now the 28th best run defense (113 ypg). Tech also allowed 418 ypg last season. Now, the Bulldogs are 23rd in the country in total defense with opponents averaging 307 ypg.

Redshirt junior linebacker Kolbe Fields, who leads Tech in tackles (52) and tackles for loss (6.5) said the Bulldogs are just holding themselves to a higher standard.

“I feel like we’re living what we preach every day,” Fields said. “I think we are the best defensive unit in the conference. I know we are. We’re just living out what we preach everyday: attacking and executing with violence together.”

In last week’s win over UTEP, the Bulldogs held the Miners to 1-14 on third down — the fewest third down conversions allowed in a game since 2018.

Fields knows Tech has to contain the SHS run game of Watson, Ducker, and McKinney, and get off the field when it matters.

“We go in there every week and the goal is to stop the run. If we go out there and force you to be one-dimensional, I think it’ll be a pretty good night for the Bulldogs,” Fields said. “It really doesn’t matter what they do. It’s all about what we go out there and do and how we execute. If we execute, we can’t be beat.”

LA Tech ( 3- 4, 2- 2 CUSA) takes on Sam Houston (6-2, 3-1 CUSA) tonight in Huntsville, Texas, at Bowers Stadium.