By Drew Parsley, Louisiana Tech Associate Director for Strategic Communications; featured photo by Josh McDaniel
RUSTON — Louisiana Tech secured the Sun Belt Conference West Division championship in emphatic fashion Saturday afternoon, scoring a series-record 63 points and returning two interceptions for touchdowns in a 63-31 victory over Southern Miss at Joe Aillet Stadium.
The Bulldogs (8-2, 6-0 SBC) extended their winning streak to seven games and clinched a berth in the Sun Belt Championship Game in their first season as a conference member. Louisiana Tech will make its first conference championship game appearance since 2016, when the Bulldogs represented Conference USA’s West Division.
Louisiana Tech’s defense forced five turnovers, including four interceptions, while the offense accumulated 495 total yards, including a season-high 350 passing yards. The Bulldogs scored 42 first-half points, highlighted by interception returns for touchdowns from Jadon Mayfield and Jordan McRae on consecutive Southern Miss possessions.
Quarterback Blake Baker completed 21 of 28 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Eli Finley led the receiving corps with six receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown, while Rayshun Hurtrushed for a career-high 88 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.
The Bulldogs wasted little time establishing control, intercepting Southern Miss quarterback John White on the Golden Eagles’ first offensive play. Kolbe Fieldssecured the interception after Emmanuel Oguns deflected the pass, setting up Louisiana Tech at the Southern Miss 26-yard line.
Four plays later, Dylone Brooks scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 advantage just 1:44 into the contest.
Southern Miss (3-7, 2-4 SBC) responded with a 44-yard field goal from Creighton Wilbanks, cutting the deficit to 7-3 with 5:28 remaining in the opening quarter.
Louisiana Tech answered with a 91-yard scoring drive capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Calwise Jr. to Jay Wilkerson on a double-pass play. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 21-3 late in the quarter when Sergio Snider scored on a 2-yard touchdown run.
The Golden Eagles briefly cut into the deficit early in the second quarter when Jamarice Wilder broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run, making it 21-10.
Louisiana Tech responded with 21 unanswered points in less than four minutes. Baker connected with Talyn Shettron on a 9-yard touchdown pass before the Bulldogs’ defense took over.
Mayfield intercepted White and returned the ball 36 yards for his first career interception and defensive touchdown, extending Tech’s lead to 35-10 with 9:14 remaining in the half.
Less than two minutes later, McRae intercepted White and returned the ball 89 yards for another touchdown, giving Louisiana Tech a commanding 42-10 advantage with 7:16 remaining before halftime.
The Bulldogs carried the 32-point lead into the break after recording three interceptions and two sacks in the opening half.
Louisiana Tech continued its offensive production on the opening possession of the third quarter, marching 75 yards in eight plays. Baker connected with Brayden Bockleron a 2-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 49-10.
Southern Miss answered with a 7-yard touchdown pass from White to Grant Page, but the Bulldogs added another explosive play early in the fourth quarter.
Following a fumble recovery by Taeden Rogers, Hurt broke free for a career-long 55-yard touchdown run, the first rushing touchdown of his collegiate career, to extend Louisiana Tech’s lead to 56-17.
The Golden Eagles responded with a 41-yard touchdown pass from White to Mario Sanders before Baker connected with Finley on a 12-yard touchdown pass to give the Bulldogs their final 63 points with 8:48 remaining.
Southern Miss added the game’s final score on a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown by MaLik Caswell with 2:11 remaining.
Louisiana Tech will return to Joe Aillet Stadium next Saturday to face Arkansas State at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The regular season concludes at Georgia Southern on Saturday, November 28 in Statesboro, Georgia. Kick time against the Eagles is to be announced at a later date.
Quotables
Head Coach Sonny Cumbie
Opening Statement
“Yeah, just a dominant performance by our players. I just couldn’t be more proud of how they answered the bell. I think this week had a great week of practice, had a great mindset and great determination, and clearly understood what we had an opportunity to do from the standpoint of what a win meant. And I think they ran at it. They embraced it. They looked forward to the challenge, and we’re very excited to play this football game. And I think it was evident in how we played. It was evident in how our offense, defense, and special teams played. And when you go, you win a game by 32 points, I think the average margin of victory that we’ve had in this conference is obviously increasing after tonight. You’re 6-0 in the league. You have an opportunity to continue to play for home-field advantage, I guess, when it comes to the championship game. And so, there’s a lot of great things that went on tonight with our football team, the way they play, how they play together, the belief and the confidence that they play with. And I think they clearly have shown, from the standpoint of how I think one of the things that separates these guys right now is, I believe, you’re 6-0 in conference. And you’re, I think, seven-straight, and doing it in the manner that they’re doing it in, and how they’re playing, and they’re continually getting better, and we’re going to continue to do that as well. And so, it’s exciting, you know, to be West Division champs, first year in the league, continue to write our history as a team in this league, and we got, you know, two more ahead of us plus the championship game. And I’m so excited. We’re going to celebrate this one, that’s for sure, and then look forward to getting 1-0 next week.”
Cumbie on building the culture for Louisiana Tech football…
“It is where it starts which is in the locker room with the players and the people that are there. It fleshes itself out with those players and their belief, trust, and the state of course. You think about the continuity and consistency we have had with the core of our roster, it’s very uncommon. The recipe is because they are uncommon people. There are a lot of special individuals that are selfless, love football, and great teammates in the locker room. They have that skill set that allows them to care about Louisiana Tech and performance. It allows you to have an opportunity to have a season like we’re having. It’s a special group and that is what I talked to them about. When you go through storms you are not the same team and the same people on the other side of them. That is sometimes what storms are all about, which is who you are becoming and what you become. I believe that is what we are seeing with this football team right now.”
Cumbie on what has kept him here in Ruston prior to this season…
“I’m here because of the belief that Dr. Jim Henderson and Ryan Ivey had in me with this program and the direction that we were going. Coming out a 5-7 season then coming into a new year we knew what was on the table and what was at stake. I have all the confidence in the world from the standpoint of whom that next president is going to be, and their passion and desire to see Louisiana Tech be successful on all fronts and phases. Certainly, that’s what Ryan Ivey has, and the belief he has in our staff says a lot. When you have an alignment of trust, people that believe in one another, and can see the progress, you know what’s going on. Sometimes it wasn’t always equaling the final score, and it is a complement to our players.”
Tight End Eli Finley
Finley on what Sonny Cumbie means to LA Tech football…
“First off, I want to give all glory to God. This place is special and all props go to our coaching staff and Coach Cumbie. He has the hardest role. We go out and play, but he gets all the criticism and negative comments. He sees and hears them, but that is nothing to him and to us. To see him go out there and be persistent to us, it really means a lot. We go out there and we wear it on our sleeve and we play for him.”
Finley on what it means for LA Tech to sweep their rivals in UL-Lafayette, ULM and Southern Miss…
“We see that and it does not really do anything for us necessarily. It is great for the fanbase and great for the rivalries, but for us every week it is a nameless face opponent. We go out there with respect for each opponent we play, but who we play does not have an effect on how we treat the game.”
Linebacker Jadon Mayfield
Mayfield on what Sonny Cumbie means to LA Tech football…
“As Eli said, Jesus is the start of it all. He built the foundation here and he blessed us. When we come in here at 3-9, to 5-7, and then 8-5, it is a work in progress. The stuff that Cumbie pours into us, that is what we bleed for and what we play for. The consistency of the work we have done during the off season and now, that is building a foundation. All that hard work is not for nothing, so I just say we have to keep going one week at a time. Also keep giving all glory to God.”
Mayfield on what it means for LA Tech to sweep their rivals in UL-Lafayette, ULM and Southern Miss…
“We go into every week with the same preparation. No matter who it is or where we are at in the season, whether it is early or late in the season. If we keep our head up and do our one-to-one, we will be great.”