It was quite the career
capper for Louisiana Tech's seniors, as the Bulldogs rode a huge second
half to a 47-28 New Orleans Bowl win over Arkansas State.
Louisiana Tech jumped out to a
big 17-3 lead behind the arm of former Florida Gators quarterback Jeff
Driskel and the legs of NCAA record-setting running back Kenneth Dixon.
However, Arkansas State came back and tied the game up at 17 by
halftime, and the Red Wolves answered the Bulldogs' first touchdown of
the second half, as well.
But after that, Louisiana Tech
pulled away, thanks in large part to Driskel. He threw for three
touchdowns and over 450 yards in a dominating performance, as the
Arkansas State secondary had no answer for the Bulldogs' passing attack.
It was a tough ending of the
year for the Red Wolves, who went undefeated in Sun Belt play, including
an impressive 40-27 win over Appalachian State. Quarterback Fredi
Knighton rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown, but he struggled as a
passer, completing just half of his passes. The defense just couldn't
keep up with that kind of production.
Here are three things we learned from the game.
1. Jeff Driskel got his redemption
Driskel really struggled while
at Florida under Will Muschamp, and he ended up transferring to
Louisiana Tech. Driskel's decline with the Gators really began in the
2013 Sugar Bowl, when his team lost to Louisville, 33-23, despite coming
in heavily favored. This New Orleans Bowl, also at the Superdome, gave
him a chance at redemption.
"It's amazing how life works, I
get another chance at making a memory at the Sugar Bowl," Driskel said,
according to the announcers.
He certainly delivered, with
three touchdowns and over 400 yards passing. It was a nice career
capper, even if it was unexpected.
2. NCAA record for Kenneth Dixon
Dixon had himself a day,
setting the career NCAA rushing and receiving touchdowns record with 87.
He also set a New Orleans Bowl record with four touchdowns, and he did it while running out of his jersey number.
Dixon might lose the record to
Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who plays Pitt in the Military Bowl,
but this was Dixon's day to cherish.
3. Bad experience for the Sun Belt
The Sun Belt got a nice win
from Appalachian State over Ohio, but the league had a chance to show
that its champion could hang with a simply above average Conference USA
team. Instead, Arkansas State, which laid an egg in the New Orleans Bowl
after going through the Sun Belt slate unscathed. Bowl games really
shouldn't determine how we think of conferences, but they do, and this
isn't great for the Sun Belt.
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