The 2024 Louisiana Tech football season is 10 days away! We enter into Sonny Cumbie's 3rd season at LA Tech after following back-to-back 3-9 seasons. To review back last season, through the first 6 games, Tech was 3-3 with close losses to North Texas and Nebraska. After their 3rd win against UTEP, Tech would finish the season losing 6 in a row with 3 of the games being decided by 1 possession. After losing a few key players to the transfer portal like Hank Bachmeier and Cyrus Allen. Tech brought in more key transfers like Kolbe Fields from LSU on the defensive side and Denerio Davenport from Texas ST on the offensive side. Hiring Jeremiah Johnson as the new Defensive Coordinator has been a huge get as many have heard from defensive players. There's a short recap on the offseason, now time to get into 2024 football season prediction.
Record Predictions:
Ceiling: 9-3 (7-1)
Wins: Nicholls, Tulsa, FIU, MTSU, NMSU, UTEP, SHSU, JSU, KSU
Loses: NC ST, WKU, Arkansas
Prediction: 7-5 (5-3)
Wins: Nicholls, Tulsa, FIU, NMSU, UTEP, SHSU, KSU
Loses: NC ST, MTSU, JSU, WKU, Arkansas
Floor: 2-10 (1-7)
Wins: Nicholls, KSU
Loses: NC ST, Tulsa, FIU, MTSU, NMSU, UTEP, SHSU, JSU, WKU, Arkansas
Ceiling Prediction:
Going 9-3 after back-to-back 3-9 seasons would leave a ton of Tech fans in disbelief but in excitement. However, this 9-3 task is not out of reach for this bulldog squad. This season is primetime for Tech to get back to the national stage due to the weakness of the conference schedule.
Prediction:
Finishing 7-5 this season would get the job done for Sonny Cumbie and his staff. As stated before, they are hungry for wins and to get to a bowl game. With this prediction, it means Tech would win the games they are supposed to and steal a W from New Mexico St who is on a 1st year head coach Tony Sanchez. Tech also gets their revenge against Sam Houston St from last year's Homecoming lost.
Foor:
Tech wins their first and last game of the season. This would obviously be the worst outcome from anybody that is a part and/or supports LA Tech football. Tech takes care of business in their wins but is still plagued with injuries and not being able to finish out ball games in their loses.
Here is the run down for my actual prediction for the 2024 Bulldog Football Season.
Louisiana Tech vs Nicholls State - 50-24 W
August 31 (Sat) - 7:00PM - ESPN+
Nicholls St, a member of the Southland Conference, finished 6-5 (7-0)* and won the Southland Conference. Nicholls State returns a lot of talent from their 2023 squad and Tim Rebowe, in his 10th season, will have his squad ready coming into Ruston. The past two seasons against FCS opponents, Tech has always won by multiple scores and was never sweating a victory; however, Nicholls is a pre-season ranked #24 in the FCS division so they will present a challenge for the Bulldogs to start the season. The game will be close for the 1st half with each team going back and forth on the offensive end, but Tech will pull away in the 2nd half with defensive adjustments causing Nicholls St to turnover the ball and letting Jack Turner and his offense pull away with the game. LA Tech starts off the season 1-0.
*won by forfeit against Northwestern St.
Louisiana Tech @ North Carolina State - 17-42 L
September 14 (Sat) - 11:00AM - ACC Network
After the week 2 bye, Louisiana Tech travels to Raleigh, N.C. to face pre-season rank #24 North Carolina State Wolfpack. They finished the season 9-4 (6-2). North Carolina St has a high-powered run offense. If you watched Tech football last year, you would know Tech consistently struggled against a run-first offense. With new defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson, the run defense will improve drastically, however, NC State's offense will be too much for the Dogs to handle. The offense will connect on a few drives but it will not be enough to keep up with the Wolfpack. LA Tech leaves Raleigh 1-1.
Louisiana Tech vs Tulsa - 28-17 W
September 21 (Sat) - 6:00PM - ESPN Platforms
After a disappointing outing against ACC powerhouse NC State, Tech returns home to face the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. Tulsa finished 4-8 last season but only beat bottom tier teams like Northern Illinois, Temple, and East Carolina. Tulsa has a balanced offensive play style that will not see much improvement. In order to win this game, Tech defensive line will need to put pressure on Redshirt Soph. QB to create turnovers in the passing game to give the Tech offense more possessions and chances to capitalize. The Dogs are going to capitalize of the Tulsa mistakes late in the game and seal the game late in the 4th quarter. After 4 weeks into the season, Tech goes into week 5 with a 2-1 record.
Louisiana Tech @ FIU - 45-28 W
September 28 (Sat) - 5:00PM - ESPN Platforms
In a dramatic fashion win last year against FIU, Tech pulls aways an impressive win against a much improve FIU Panthers teams than we saw last year. With a win against Tulsa, Tech's defense will use that momentum to stop this much improved FIU offense. FIU found their starting QB late into last season and will role with him against this season. Tech's offense is clicking to begin the year and have connected all the pieces to Sonny Cumbie's puzzle. Defense creates many quick stops and holds the Panthers offense to only 4 scores. This win gives Tech their third win of the season to improve to 3-1.
Louisiana Tech vs Middle Tennessee - 21-24 L
October 10 (Thursday) - 7:00PM - CBS Sports Network
October means CUSA midweek games! Tech lost last year to MTSU by one possession, however, Tech will not be able to make the key defensive stops against MTSU's dual threat QB, Nicholas Vattiato. Being able to stop Vattiato's passing attack and trying to limit him to his feet will give this Tech's defense trouble all night. MTSU will be able to make the key plays towards the end of the game to get this victory. Tech drops game 5 and goes to a 3-2 record.
Louisiana Tech @ New Mexico State - 17-10 W
October 15 (Tuesday) - 8:00PM - ESPN U
After only a 4-day break for Tech and a 5-day break for the Aggies, they will face off on a Tuesday night in Las Cruces. With both teams coming off a short weekend break, the offensive fire power will be limited. NMSU will still be trying to find an offensive rhythm with a new head coach will also be limited by Tech's improved defensive scheme. A late-night game on short breaks will have little offensive shown but will be a defensive battle. Tech escapes another close game to start the first 6 games 4-2 on the season. This already surpasses last year's win total.
Louisiana Tech vs University Texas (El Pase) - 35-10 W
October 22 (Tuesday) - 7:00PM - CBS Sports Network
UTEP is under first year head coach Scotty Walden who has sparked a fire into this dormant football program. With UTEP coming into Ruston, their backs will be against the wall in a much improve fan environment due to the success the program is having so far. This will create a hostile environment that the team will need be able to handle that will cause mishaps on the offensive side of the ball. Jeremiah Johnson continues to prove the Tech fans why he was a great hire for this program and will shut down this UTEP offense. Tech's offense stays in rhythm and cruises to a 35-10 victory to improve to a 5-2 record. One win away from a bowl game.
Louisiana Tech @ Sam Houston State - 31-27 W
October 29 (Tuesday) - 7:00PM - ESPN U
After a shocking Homecoming lost last year to the Bearkats, the Dogs go into Huntsville with revenges in their eyes. Both of these teams are looking to rise up in the CUSA ranks and earn respect from others. In a back-and-forth battle, the Dogs will, once again, create the turnovers needed for the Bulldog offense to win this game. Tech gets their 6th victory to match the total wins from the last 2 seasons. Tech goes into Homecoming 6-2 with a bowl birth.
Louisiana Tech vs Jacksonville State - 45-24 L
November 9 (Saturday) - 3:30PM - CBS Sports Network
With a 6-2 record, Tech will be walking into Joe Aillet Stadium with never seen before confidence that Louisiana Tech fans will get behind. However, this confidence will not be enough to pull out a victory against the high-powered run offense Jacksonville State produces. Much like the NC State game, Tech will have no answer for this offense. Tech's offense shines in the second to keep Tech in the game will the defense can not make the stops to pull out a win. Tech is not 6-3.
Louisiana Tech @ Western Kentucky - 48-42 L
November 16 (Saturday) - 11:00AM - CBS Sports Network
The overall series against the Hilltoppers is a tie at 5-5 with WKU winning the latest matchup last year. Defense will not be much of a factor in this game as it has never been in the past with every matchup being high scoring. This game will come down to who can limit the turnovers and make the big plays. The Hilltoppers are known to always have a high power passing offense, the Bulldogs will showcase their talents on offense with a back-and-forth game. Bulldogs drop this game and now sit at 6-4 and losing the last 2 games.
Louisiana Tech @ Arkansas - 45-17 L
November 23 (Saturday) - TBA - SEC Network
While Arkansas is not a SEC powerhouse and will finish bottom of the conference, they will still prove to be too much for this Tech team. The game will be back-and-forth to begin with each team scoring right off the back, but costly turnovers on Tech's side to give Arkansas the much needed swing to pull away in this matchup. Tech drops their 3rd straight game in their toughest part of their schedule. Tech is now 6-5 heading into their last home game of the season.
Louisiana Tech vs Kennesaw State - 54-14 W
November 30 (Saturday) - 3:30PM - ESPN Platforms
After 3 straight loses, Tech will redeem themselves with an impressive victory against new CUSA foe Kennesaw State. KSU just moved up from the FCS ranks but will not be impressive in their first year in the FBS. Louisiana Tech comes out firing on all cylinders and wins big in their last home and give them much needed confidence heading into bowl season. Tech finishes the year 7-5 with a 5-2 conference record.
Louisiana Tech finishes the season with a 7-5 (5-3) record while making a bowl game. With this performance this season and having a lot of key pieces returning, this will extend Sonny Cumbie's contract for another few years. With a performance like that, this gives Tech fans hope going into the offseason and the 2025 season.
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