Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Louisiana Tech's 80-6 demolition of Northwestern State set a program record for points in a game, surpassing the 76 scored against Rice in 2014. The Bulldogs racked up 528 yards and 10 touchdowns, with six different receivers finding the end zone. However, the opponent was an FCS program that was a 44.5-point underdog, so the performance tells us little about how the offense will fare against Sun Belt or SEC competition. The real tests begin now, starting with a road trip to LSU where the Bulldogs are 35.5-point underdogs.

Blake Baker, returning from a torn ACL that ended his 2025 season, looked sharp in the opener, throwing three touchdown passes including a 75-yard strike to Jalen Mickens on the first play from scrimmage. Trey Kukuk, the junior-college transfer who led the team to a three-game winning streak last year, also saw action and completed all of his passes, adding a touchdown through the air. The coaching staff appears to be giving both quarterbacks reps, but Baker's ability to stay healthy and perform against tougher defenses will determine whether he holds onto the starting job or yields to Kukuk's dual-threat ability.

With the top three running backs and top four wide receivers from last season gone, Louisiana Tech needed new playmakers to emerge. In the opener, Jalen Mickens led the way with three catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, while Jay Wilkerson, returning from injury, and Eli Finley, the senior tight end, also scored. Talyn Shettron, the Oklahoma State transfer, added a touchdown run, and Dylone Brooks also found the end zone on the ground. The production was impressive, but it came against an overmatched defense. The running back position remains a concern, as no player on the roster had taken a single NCAA snap before this game, and the offensive line, which allowed the fewest sacks in Conference USA last year, will need to open holes against stiffer competition.

Louisiana Tech tied for second nationally with 22 interceptions in 2025, but the entire starting secondary is new after the top safeties departed for the NFL or transferred to Power Five programs. The opener against Northwestern State, which managed only 129 total yards, provided little resistance. The Bulldogs' defensive backs will face a far more formidable challenge in Baton Rouge, where LSU's offense will test their coverage skills and communication. The linebacker corps, led by sixth-year veteran Kolbe Fields and sophomores Jadon Mayfield, Alonzo Jackson Jr., and Zheric Hill, who gained valuable experience when Fields was injured last season, will need to support the young secondary against the run and in pass coverage.

After 13 years in Conference USA, Louisiana Tech is set to join the Sun Belt for the 2026 season, a move that brings a fresh start but also a higher level of competition. The Bulldogs finished 8-5 last year, but matching that record in their new conference will be a challenge given the roster turnover. The opener was a confidence booster, but the schedule ahead includes a daunting trip to LSU, where the prediction market gives Louisiana Tech just a 2% chance of winning. The rest of the season will reveal whether the Bulldogs can develop enough depth and consistency to compete in the Sun Belt, where their offensive line and linebacker corps should be strengths, but the unproven skill positions and secondary will be under scrutiny.