Louisiana Tech8-53Sonny Cumbie enters his fourth season with an 8-5 record, but a coordinator change and weak program tier demand sustained progress to match the legacy of historic North Louisiana football.
Louisiana Tech is the little Ruston school that produced Terry Bradshaw and a national title — a program that doesn't chase glamour but quietly carries a pedigree most of its peers will never have.
Fans are tired of their program being treated as a footnote — they'll remind anyone who'll listen that the sport's most famous quarterback came from Ruston, and that the Bulldogs have a national title…
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · vs Northwestern State · Sat Sep 5 · 23:30 UTC
Louisiana Tech is the Conference USA program whose Terry Bradshaw 1968-1969 + 2014 C-USA West Division title + Skip Holtz era + Joe Aillet Stadium define what historic-North-Louisiana-football looks like.
The team's roster features a high transfer out total and low recruiting rank, which may impact performance. With a moderate continuity score and significant portal losses, the squad's depth and stability remain concerns.
Champ the Bulldog is patient.
the open questiondo the new coordinators fit the roster?
Sonny Cumbie enters his fourth season with an 8-5 record, signaling a shift in momentum for a program historically defined by its roots in Conference USA and Joe Aillet Stadium.
Sonny Cumbie enters his fourth season with an 8-5 record, but a coordinator change and weak program tier demand sustained progress to match the legacy of historic North Louisiana football.
Sonny Cumbie enters his fourth season at Louisiana Tech with an 8-5 record, anchoring a program defined by its historic ties to North Louisiana football and Joe Aillet Stadium.
Andrew Burnette sees a real spike in usage once the game is out of reach.
Eli Finley is used almost exclusively underneath -- a low share of his targets are downfield shots.
Louisiana Tech leaped 33 spots in SP+ — 8-5 under Cumbie proves the ceiling is higher than Conference USA's historic-North-Louisiana-football identity suggests.
Louisiana Tech leaped 33 spots in SP+ — the 8-5 record and Joe Aillet Stadium legacy suggest a return to prominence, but the 116th talent rank raises questions about sustaining.
Top 3 commits
Among the stronger offseasons on record for this program
88th percentile among FBS programs
Market outlook
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Louisiana Tech · Next-Season Outcome Band
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
Louisiana Tech: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
The optimistic read: momentum, and the 'this is real' takes.
The analytical counter: rankings, results, and 'the hype is ahead of the tape' takes.
Only 7 of 17 board posts mention it — below our floor to call a community stance. Shown as texture, not a verdict.
The boards ≠ the fanbase: a vocal, self-selected slice.
Louisiana Tech: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
The optimistic read: momentum, and the 'this is real' takes.
The analytical counter: rankings, results, and 'the hype is ahead of the tape' takes.
Only 7 of 17 board posts mention it — below our floor to call a community stance. Shown as texture, not a verdict.
The boards ≠ the fanbase: a vocal, self-selected slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
Opens Sep 5
vs Northwestern State · at home
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
TX leads the 2026 class with 10 commits. National footprint reaching 6 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
94 signees across 10 states, 2023-2026. LA leads the pull.
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
5 games with TV coverage: 1 ESPN, 2 cable, 2 streaming
Kickoff windows: 1 afternoon, 4 primetime
20% recovery rate on their own fumbles — below the ~51% league baseline.
1 of 5 own fumbles recovered themselves; 2 of 5 forced fumbles recovered, 2025 only.
24% of tipped/broken-up passes have turned into picks — running hot vs. the ~19% league average.
20 interceptions of 82 disrupted passes (62 deflected, 20 intercepted), 2025 only.
100 penalties committed, 104 drawn on opponents — ceding 132 yards of field position.
1006 penalty yards committed vs. 874 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Fanbase Signals
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
What little we hear
Only 2 cohort(s) cleared the signal floor this week, so we won’t stage a split we can’t back. Here’s the honest read:
How Louisiana Tech fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
Those kids in West Africa are going to look stunning in their new Rattler jerseys.
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
~ our readLouisiana Tech fans are split right down the middle, with almost nothing concrete behind it yet.
✓ counted We read 61 posts from Louisiana Tech fans this week.
“I mean Bobby has this team looking a hell of alot better than they have before this. The team isn’t quitting in games”— r/CFB
“As long as yall remember it’s our turn to win next year so we can end our drought”— r/CFB
“Hell yeah it is. He started the worst qb on the roster for the first two games. I don’t even think he watches practice because he does this shit every year. His ass better be gone at the end of the year”— r/CFB
“There is a player completely uncovered on every single play. This is the worst pass defense I have ever seen”— r/CFB
“I’m happy to win. I’m happy to see a consistent and competent defense so far this year. I just wish we had a complete offense.”— r/CFB
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
Fanbase Health Index · Louisiana Tech · high confidence
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrambler · +0.24 EPA/play | 5 | 8 | 102 / 155 | 65.8 | 1252 | 8.1 | 5 | 3 | 140.4 | 61.9 | 7.2 | 4.3 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage32.0% 82th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Completion %67.3% 77th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Blake Baker's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Scrambler · +0.13 EPA/play | 2 | 10 | 67 / 106 | 63.2 | 644 | 6.1 | 3 | 4 | 116.0 | 41.2 | 4.3 | 7.0 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage48.0% 99th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush yards / carry6.2 96th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Trey Kukuk's full player page | |||||||||||||
| -0.13 EPA/play | 7 | 4 | 26 / 46 | 56.5 | 243 | 5.3 | 0 | 2 | 92.2 | 19 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satellite Back · +0.12 EPA/play | 4 | 13 | 131 | 634 | 4.8 | 8 | 50 | 13.6 | 15.2 | 23.8 | 12.7 | 13.7% (36/262) | |
Yards by week → Satellite BackDeployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 50 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Receiving share20.1% 91th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Rush TD rate6.1% 75th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Clay Thevenin's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Power Back · -0.11 EPA/play | — | 11 | 94 | 486 | 5.2 | 9 #65 FBS | 98 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 15.7 | 9.0 | — | |
Yards by week → Power Back· Boom-or-bustShort-yardage and goal-line specialist. Carries the load, owns the red zone. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 10 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush TD rate9.6% 98th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Receiving share3.1% bottom 10th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Plays like View Andrew Burnette's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · +0.02 EPA/play | 22 | 12 | 97 | 468 | 4.8 | 4 | 37 | 10.2 | 8.4 | 17.7 | 14.6 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 186 of 349 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · junior · 3-star, 2024 class View Omiri Wiggins's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete TE · +0.72 EPA/play | 84 | 11 | 38 | 445 | 11.7 | 0 | 73 | 11.7 | 11.2 | 17.2% (45/262) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception11.8 60th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Reception volume38 91th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Eli Finley's full player page | |||||||||||
| Deep Threat · +0.67 EPA/play | 9 | 10 | 20 | 370 | 18.5 | 2 | 52 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 12.6% (33/262) | |
Yards by week → Deep Threat· Money-downStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. lives on the sticks and moves the chains 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception18.8 93th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Reception volume20 bottom 21th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Marlion Jackson's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.37 EPA/play | 1 | 11 | 21 | 366 | 17.4 | 2 | 42 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 14.1% (37/262) | |
Yards by week → Possession Receiver· Return threatReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. a house-call threat every time he fields it All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. The most common profile in its group this season — 332 of 558 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior View Devin Gandy's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.26 EPA/play | 11 | 10 | 20 | 177 | 8.8 | 1 | 40 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 9.9% (26/262) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception9.7 bottom 17th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.3 bottom 21th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jalen Mickens's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.39 EPA/play | 16 | 8 | 24 | 165 | 6.9 | 1 | 15 | 6.7 | 7.5 | 11.8% (31/262) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception6.3 bottom 4th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate4.2% bottom 24th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Marques Singleton Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.37 EPA/play | 15 | 6 | 8 | 89 | 11.1 | 0 | 56 | 5.7 | 3.6 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-Gap Base | 94 | 12 | 30 | 5 | 5.5 | 1 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate18.3% 65th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Olamide Oguns's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 98 | 12 | 29 | 8 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · junior View Donovan Rieman's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 90 | 12 | 25 | 5 | 1.5 | 0 | 3 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · junior · 3-star, 2025 class View Jayden Madkin's full player page | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 97 | 11 | 21 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight318 lb 89th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Christian Davis's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 96 | 12 | 20 | 7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate2.5% bottom 10th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 91 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate18.2% 64th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Caleb Sims's full player page | |||||||
| 93 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage 'Backer | 9 | 11 | 62 | 26 | 36 | 14.5 #25 FBS | 3.5 | 4 | 0 |
Coverage 'BackerCarries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The rare part: he covers, too — and he lives in the backfield, too 99 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate6.5% 91th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate23.4% 98th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles — the part the label misses Trait fingerprint Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score moved from the 33rd to 88th percentile among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 22 | 13 | 61 | 18 | 43 | 9 | 3.5 | 1 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume61 64th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate14.8% 78th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jadon Mayfield's full player page | |||||||||
| Coverage 'Backer | 42 | 11 | 58 | 24 | 34 | 11.5 #62 FBS | 3.5 | 8 | 1 |
Coverage 'BackerCarries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 99 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate13.8% 100th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate19.8% 93th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile our readAscending: his CFB Index score went from the 67th percentile among FBS LBs to the 94th | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 10 | 5 | 39 | 12 | 27 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 2 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume39 bottom 34th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate0.0% bottom 18th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Kolbe Fields's full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 21 | 8 | 32 | 11 | 21 | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume32 bottom 25th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate0.0% bottom 18th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Zheric Hill's full player page | |||||||||
| Coverage 'Backer | 24 | 6 | 29 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Coverage 'BackerCarries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage. 99 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate10.3% 100th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Tackle volume29 bottom 22th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Alonzo Jackson Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||
| 35 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rover | 8 | 12 | 90 | 5 | 3 #56 FBS | 2.5 | 0 |
Rover· Takeaway threatHits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way 83 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate5.6% bottom 37th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readSustained Ascent: his CFB Index score shows two real climbs in a row — 0th to 79th to 97th percentile among FBS Ss | |||||||
| Rover | 6 | 12 | 55 | 4 | 8 #1 FBS | 1.5 | 0 |
Rover· Takeaway threatHits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way All-American — named 1st team by at least one NCAA-recognized selector. 83 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate7.3% bottom 46th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score went from the 68th percentile among FBS Ss to the 99th | |||||||
| Rover | 7 | 12 | 47 | 9 #36 FBS | 0 | 1.5 | 0 |
RoverHits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 83 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate19.1% 93th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 36th percentile among FBS Ss, fell to 5th, now back up to 51st | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 1 | 11 | 38 | 3 | 3 #56 FBS | 5 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate7.9% bottom 50th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 73rd percentile among FBS Ss, up from the 27th | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 11 | 11 | 34 | 8 #45 FBS | 0 | 1 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate23.5% 98th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 43rd percentile among FBS Ss, up from the 16th | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 17 | 12 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate12.0% 70th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Amari Butler's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 4 | 10 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · sophomore View Kam Franklin's full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | — | 9 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate9.5% 58th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Sam Fongang's full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 3 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate13.3% 76th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Kameron Carter's full player page | |||||||
| 26 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | |
| 20 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 43 | 10 | 5/10 | 50 | 27/29 | 42 | 51 |
| 38 | 3 | 2/2 | 100 | 9/9 | 15 | 42 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete | 48 | 13 | 66 | 3120 | 47.3 | 72 | 28 | 5 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.37 EPA/play | 1 | 11 | 17 | 474 | 27.9 | 2 | 93 |
| Satellite Back · +0.12 EPA/play | 4 | 13 | 7 | 93 | 13.3 | 0 | 21 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -0.04 EPA/play | 3 | 11 | 21 | 228 | 10.9 | 0 | 30 |
2025 stat leaders
finalRoster
2025+22 more
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30 | #176 | #167 | -14.5 | SE Louisiana | W 24–0 126 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #173 | #5 | +36.5 | @LSU | L 7–23 128 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 13 | #128 | #250 | -10.5 | New Mexico State | W 49–14 132 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 20 | #130 | #193 | -3.5 | Southern Miss | W 30–20 141 | 3-1 | 1-0 |
| 5 | Sep 28 | #131 | #124 | -3.5 | @UTEP | W 30–11 141 | 4-1 | 1-0 |
| 7 | Oct 9 | #104 | #158 | -4.5 | @Kennesaw State | L 7–35 138 | 4-2 | 1-0 |
| 9 | Oct 21 | #123 | #126 | -4.5 | Western Kentucky | L 27–28 155 | 4-3 | 1-0 |
| 10 | Nov 1 | #129 | #196 | -16.5 | Sam Houston | W 55–14 133 | 5-3 | 1-0 |
| 11 | Nov 8 | #104 | #145 | -5.5 | @Delaware | L 24–25 135 | 5-4 | 1-0 |
| 12 | Nov 16 | #100 | #98 | +10 | @Washington State | L 3–28 115 | 5-5 | 1-0 |
| 13 | Nov 22 | #127 | #91 | +1 | Liberty | W 34–28 140 | 6-5 | 1-0 |
| 14 | Nov 29 | #115 | #135 | +2.5 | @Missouri State | W 42–30 122 | 7-5 | 1-0 |
| Bowl Season | ||||||||
| 18 | Dec 30 | #111 | #184 | -10 | Coastal Carolina (N) | W 23–14 | 8-5 | 2-0 |
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 30 | Coastal Carolina | W 23–14 | — | — | — | +0.046 | 29.9% | 135.2% | |
| Nov 29 | @Missouri State | W 42–30 | 475 | 0 | 33:50 | +0.347 | 40.3% | 158.1% | Most explosive |
| Nov 22 | Liberty | W 34–28 | 437 | 1 | 32:45 | +0.298 | 42.3% | 123.3% | One-score win |
| Nov 16 | @Washington State | L 3–28 | 167 | 1 | 24:57 | -0.163 | 25.9% | 90.9% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Nov 8 | @Delaware | L 24–25 | 333 | 1 | 30:04 | +0.071 | 37.7% | 140.1% | One-score loss |
| Nov 1 | Sam Houston | W 55–14 | 646 | 2 | 28:52 | +0.685 | 72.1% | 125.7% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Oct 21 | Western Kentucky | L 27–28 | 449 | 1 | 28:40 | +0.139 | 38.2% | 147.9% | One-score loss |
| Oct 9 | @Kennesaw State | L 7–35 | 305 | 2 | 29:09 | -0.041 | 42.7% | 90.9% | Defense's roughest night |
| Sep 28 | @UTEP | W 30–11 | 232 | 4 | 32:15 | -0.160 | 36.8% | 85.3% | Best defensive stand |
| Sep 20 | Southern Miss | W 30–20 | 340 | 0 | 27:24 | +0.154 | 32.8% | 141.5% | |
| Sep 13 | New Mexico State | W 49–14 | 575 | 1 | 35:30 | +0.366 | 48.8% | 139.6% | Blowout win |
| Sep 6 | @LSU | L 7–23 | 154 | 0 | 23:08 | -0.072 | 32.1% | 92.9% | |
| Aug 30 | SE Louisiana | W 24–0 | 263 | 0 | 32:07 | +0.028 | 41.5% | 88.4% | |
| Season average (13 games) | 365 | 1.1 | +0.131 | 40.1% | 120.0% | ||||
Louisiana Tech fields a limited run-heavy offense behind an elite, gives up the big play defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
39th percentile quality, 61st percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 68th percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it climbs to the 69th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
41st percentile success on standard downs, 24th on passing downs — a 17-point gap between the two.
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
1st-half offense ranks 46th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 28th — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.13; 59th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.04. The widest gap came in week 4: 0.12 raw vs. 0.02 adjusted.
Louisiana Tech reads strongest in rushing epa allowed (top 13%) and epa allowed (top 14%); the crux lives in explosive plays allowed, where Louisiana Tech sits at the 11th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
Most Similar Programs · Louisiana Tech
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Louisiana Tech · 2018-present
65% home win rate vs 27% on the road. margin runs +18.1 better at home. Joe Aillet Stadium seats 28,019, averaging 61% full (17,185 attendance, 23 games reported).
Positional competition · RB room
Clay Thevenin and Omiri Wiggins split the carries (128/225 vs 97/225) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Clay Thevenin owns the receiving work.
Positional competition · WR/TE room
Devin Gandy (WR) and Eli Finley (TE) split the targets (34/74 vs 40/74) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Devin Gandy produces in bigger chunks.
What changed
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved down 6 points. The rest held closer to steady.
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved down 6 points. The rest held closer to steady.
Defensive identity · pass zones
On short passes, Louisiana Tech’s defense allows a completion rate below the FBS mean (61.2% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 162-play sample) — mid-pack, 9 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
Historical echo
Programs whose stature fell in the same shape. The grey line is their decline; the color is what came next for them.
An analogy on the shape of a program’s Zeitgeist stature arc — not a prediction. Interim calibration, medium confidence; matched among current FBS programs at a comparable level.
74°F average kickoff temp; 9% of games had measurable precipitation; 6 mph average wind.
Based on 67 home games with weather data.
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
Louisiana Tech's 2014–2025 record is 79-72. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
All-Time Record
since 1904 · 93 seasons · .473 win rate
Terry Bradshaw went to Louisiana Tech. Four Super Bowls. Hall of Fame. The program won a national title in 1973. None of that gets Louisiana Tech out of Ruston, Louisiana — but the Bulldogs carry it without apology.
The pedigree is real and the profile is modest, and Louisiana Tech has made peace with the distance between them. Bradshaw came from Ruston, played for Maxie Lambright's Bulldogs in the late 1960s, went first overall in the 1970 NFL Draft, and went on to become one of the sport's most famous faces. The program won the College Division national championship in 1973. By any measure of what a small north Louisiana school should produce, that is an extraordinary history. By the measure of where the program has spent its modern life — Group of Five, Conference USA, the Sun Belt starting July 1, 2026 — the gap between the pedigree and the circumstance is real and generational.
Under fourth-year head coach Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech went 8-5 in 2025 and beat Coastal Carolina 23-14 in the Independence Bowl — a clean, unflashy winning season that describes the program's modern mode precisely. Stability, not glamour. Bowl-eligible, not headline-chasing. The 2025 season also brought a significant change on the horizon: Louisiana Tech leaves Conference USA for the Sun Belt as a full member on July 1, 2026 — a new league, a fresh competitive context, and the first legitimate shot at a conference title since the WAC championship in 2011.
That's the 2026 question in Ruston: can steady football, in a new league, turn pedigree into a present-tense result? The fanbase knows what the program is and isn't. They carry Bradshaw's name like it outranks the standings. A Sun Belt title would let the scoreboard catch up to the history.
Quarterback-developing, throw-it-around football — a lineage from Bradshaw through Tim Rattay that prizes producing passers and making the game move through the air. Cumbie's modern system fits that tradition: efficient passing concepts, pro-style reads, stability over splash. The defense aims for sturdy rather than spectacular. The fan character is plainspoken north Louisiana pride — people who know what their school produced, wear it without bragging, and show up anyway.
Louisiana Tech 2016–2025. Slipping -1.4 rungs across the last 10 seasons. Slope -0.19 rungs / year — moving down the prestige scale.
12 seasons on file
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 8-5
Louisiana Tech: 6+ wins, bowl access secured. The baseline of a successful FBS year.
Sun Belt Standing · 2025
Louisiana Tech is 10th of 14 in the Sun Belt at 2-0. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on bowl access and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison | 8-0 |
| 2 | Old Dominion | 6-2 |
| 3 | Southern Miss | 5-3 |
| 4 | Troy | 5-3 |
| 5 | Coastal Carolina | 5-4 |
| 6 | Georgia Southern | 5-4 |
| 7 | Arkansas State | 4-3 |
| 8 | Louisiana | 4-3 |
| 9 | South Alabama | 3-4 |
| 10 | Louisiana Tech | 2-0 |
| 11 | Marshall | 2-5 |
| 12 | App State | 2-7 |
| 13 | UL Monroe | 1-6 |
| 14 | Georgia State | 0-8 |
Coaching Era · Louisiana Tech
Sonny Cumbie has held the program for 5 seasons — the era is established.
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
since 1968
Terry Bradshaw played QB at Louisiana Tech 1968-1969 + was drafted #1 overall by Pittsburgh in 1970. Bradshaw's Hall of Fame NFL career (4 Super Bowl rings with the Steelers) + the iconic Steel Curtain era retroactively elevated LA Tech football. Bradshaw's #12 jersey is retired + permanent program identity.
since 1973
Louisiana Tech won the 1973 NCAA Division II national championship — Maxie Lambright coaching, perfect 12-0 season. The title cemented LA Tech as the dominant North Louisiana football program + opened the path to FBS reclassification (eventually) + Conference USA membership.
Program memory
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
1970
The Ruston QB goes first in the NFL draft, putting Louisiana Tech on the national map
Louisiana Tech wins the College Division / Division II national championship
A 23-14 bowl win over Coastal Carolina caps an 8-5 season and the program's return to stability
Moment of the Year · Louisiana Tech · 2025
Week 2 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Most recent: 2025 — win 23-14 (home). Last 5 postseason: 3-2.
Unit lineage
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
Hired for 2026: Nathan Young — not yet reflected in on-field data.
All-time top community posts · ranked by upvotes
Louisiana Tech · Next-Season Outcome Band
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Fanbase Health Index · Louisiana Tech · high confidence
2025 stat leaders
How They Play · 2025
Most Similar Programs · Louisiana Tech
Season Standing · 2025 · 8-5
Coaching Era · Louisiana Tech
Moment of the Year · Louisiana Tech · 2025
Bowl / Postseason Ledger