# 2021 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team

The 2021 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team represented Louisiana Tech University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana, and competed in the West Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They were led by ninth-year head coach Skip Holtz.

## Preseason
### Media poll

The Bulldogs were predicted to finish third in the West Division.
Media poll (West Division) :
| Predicted finish | Team |
| 1 | UAB |
| 2 | UTSA |
| 3 | Louisiana Tech |
| 4 | Southern Miss |
| 5 | Rice |
| 6 | North Texas |
| 7 | UTEP |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 3:00 p.m. | at Mississippi State* | Davis Wade StadiumStarkville, MS | ESPNU | L 34–35 | 44,669 |
| September 11 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 13 (FCS) Southeastern Louisiana* | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | ESPN3 | W 45–42 | 15,328 |
| September 18 | 2:30 p.m. | SMU* | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | CBSSN | L 37–39 | 15,326 |
| September 25 | 6:00 p.m. | North Texas | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | Stadium | W 24–17 | 15,488 |
| October 2 | 5:00 p.m. | at No. 23 NC State* | Carter–Finley StadiumRaleigh, NC | ACCNX/ESPN+ | L 27–34 | 51,064 |
| October 16 | 8:00 p.m. | at UTEP | Sun BowlEl Paso, TX | ESPN+ | L 3–19 | 18,468 |
| October 23 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 24 UTSA | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | Stadium | L 16–45 | 18,314 |
| October 30 | 2:30 p.m. | at Old Dominion | S.B. Ballard StadiumNorfolk, VA | CBSSN | L 20–23 | 13,309 |
| November 6 | 11:00 a.m. | at UAB | Protective StadiumBirmingham, AL | CBSSN | L 38–52 | 21,261 |
| November 13 | 2:30 p.m. | Charlotte | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | Stadium | W 42–32 | 14,068 |
| November 19 | 7:00 p.m. | Southern Miss | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA (Rivalry in Dixie) | CBSSN | L 19–35 | 10,410 |
| November 27 | 12:00 p.m. | at Rice | Rice StadiumHouston, TX | ESPN+ | L 31–35 | 15,832 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### At Mississippi State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| LT Bulldogs | 7 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 34 |
| MSST Bulldogs | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 35 |
at Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Mississippi
* Date: September 4
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 87 °F (31 °C)
* Game attendance: 44,669
* Referee: James Carter
* TV announcers (ESPNU): John Schriffen and Rene Ingoglia
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | LT | MSST |
| First downs | 14 | 22 |
| Total yards | 369 | 435 |
| Rushing yards | 101 | 65 |
| Passing yards | 268 | 370 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 25:06 | 34:54 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Austin Kendall | 20/36, 269 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Austin Kendall | 5 rushes, 68 yards, TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Bub Means | 2 receptions, 94 yards, TD |
| Mississippi State | Passing | Will Rogers | 39/47, 370 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Mississippi State | Rushing | Jo'Quavious Marks | 12 rushes, 71 yards, 2 TD |
| Mississippi State | Receiving | Jamire Calvin | 3 receptions, 67 yards, TD |

### No. 13 (FCS) Southeastern Louisiana

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 13 (FCS) | 7 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
| Bulldogs | 14 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Louisiana
* Date: September 11
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 15,328
* Referee: Kevin Vicknair
* TV announcers (ESPN3): Lyn Rollins and Chris Mycoskie
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | SELA | LT |
| First downs | 32 | 23 |
| Total yards | 598 | 448 |
| Rushing yards | 103 | 198 |
| Passing yards | 495 | 250 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 32:48 | 27:12 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | Cole Kelley | 44/59, 495 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Rushing | Cole Kelley | 14 rushes, 42 yards, 2 TD |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Receiving | C. J. Turner | 8 receptions, 131 yards, TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Austin Kendall | 19/27, 217 yards, TD, INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 18 rushes, 99 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Tre Harris | 4 receptions, 72 yards, TD |

### SMU

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mustangs | 7 | 9 | 17 | 6 | 39 |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 37 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Louisiana
* Date: September 18
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 83 °F (28 °C)
* Game attendance: 15,326
* Referee: Patrick Foy
* TV announcers (CBSSN): Chick Hernandez and Ben Leber
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | SMU | LT |
| First downs | 31 | 24 |
| Total yards | 578 | 483 |
| Rushing yards | 183 | 132 |
| Passing yards | 395 | 351 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 32:37 | 27:23 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| SMU | Passing | Tanner Mordecai | 36/48, 395 yards, 5 TD |
| SMU | Rushing | Ulysses Bentley IV | 13 rushes, 61 yards |
| SMU | Receiving | Grant Calcaterra | 7 receptions, 103 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Austin Kendall | 24/40, 351 yards, 4 TD, INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 13 rushes, 65 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Tre Harris | 5 receptions, 102 yards, 2 TD |

### North Texas

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mean Green | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Bulldogs | 14 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Louisiana
* Date: September 25
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 15,488
* Referee: Scott Hardin
* TV announcers (Stadium): Chris Hassel and Sed Bonner
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | UNT | LT |
| First downs | 24 | 20 |
| Total yards | 333 | 286 |
| Rushing yards | 241 | 79 |
| Passing yards | 92 | 207 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 29:25 | 30:35 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Texas | Passing | Austin Aune | 12/27, 79 yards, TD |
| North Texas | Rushing | DeAndre Torrey | 26 rushes, 119 yards, TD |
| North Texas | Receiving | Jason Pirtle | 4 receptions, 26 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Aaron Allen | 14/18, 137 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 17 rushes, 73 yards, 2 TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Samuel Emilus | 2 receptions, 69 yards, TD |

### At No. 23 NC State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 27 |
| No. 23 Wolfpack | 7 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 34 |
at Carter–Finley Stadium, Raleigh, North Carolina
* Date: October 2
* Game time: 5:00 p.m. CDT/6:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 79 °F (26 °C)
* Game attendance: 51,064
* Referee: Gary Patterson
* TV announcers (ACCNX/ESPN+): John Schriffen, Rene Ingoglia, and Tori Petry
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | LT | NCST |
| First downs | 26 | 23 |
| Total yards | 480 | 418 |
| Rushing yards | 139 | 167 |
| Passing yards | 341 | 251 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 30:41 | 29:19 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Austin Kendall | 26/43, 341 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Austin Kendall | 15 rushes, 71 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Bub Means | 5 receptions, 67 yards, TD |
| NC State | Passing | Devin Leary | 22/36, 251 yards, 2 TD |
| NC State | Rushing | Ricky Person Jr. | 15 rushes, 90 yards, TD |
| NC State | Receiving | Emeka Emezie | 4 receptions, 67 yards |

### At UTEP

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Miners | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
at Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas
* Date: October 16
* Game time: 8:00 p.m. CDT/7:00 p.m. MDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 73 °F (23 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,468
* Referee: Joe Lehring
* TV: ESPN+
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | LT | UTEP |
| First downs | 14 | 18 |
| Total yards | 288 | 385 |
| Rushing yards | 92 | 102 |
| Passing yards | 196 | 283 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 23:17 | 36:43 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Austin Kendall | 14/28, 174 yards, 3 INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 7 rushes, 42 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Marcus Williams Jr. | 2 receptions, 59 yards |
| UTEP | Passing | Gavin Hardison | 19/29, 283 yards, INT |
| UTEP | Rushing | Deion Hankins | 15 rushes, 55 yards, 2 TD |
| UTEP | Receiving | Jacob Cowing | 9 receptions, 166 yards |

### No. 24 UTSA

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 24 Roadrunners | 7 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 45 |
| Bulldogs | 10 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Louisiana
* Date: October 23
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 18,314
* Referee: Jonathan Noli
* TV announcers (Stadium): Chris Hassel and Patrick Murray
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | UTSA | LT |
| First downs | 21 | 22 |
| Total yards | 406 | 401 |
| Rushing yards | 213 | 62 |
| Passing yards | 193 | 339 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 27:25 | 32:35 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| UTSA | Passing | Frank Harris | 12/19, 193 yards, 2 TD |
| UTSA | Rushing | Sincere McCormick | 23 rushes, 113 yards, 3 TD |
| UTSA | Receiving | Zakhari Franklin | 5 receptions, 118 yards, 2 TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Austin Kendall | 23/34, 279 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 13 rushes, 66 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Smoke Harris | 7 receptions, 108 yards, TD |

### At Old Dominion

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| Monarchs | 0 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
at S.B. Ballard Stadium, Norfolk, Virginia
* Date: October 30
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CDT/3:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 66 °F (19 °C)
* Game attendance: 13,309
* Referee: Jonathan Noli
* TV announcers (CBSSN): Chris Hassel and Sed Bonner
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | LT | ODU |
| First downs | 15 | 20 |
| Total yards | 335 | 311 |
| Rushing yards | 59 | 162 |
| Passing yards | 276 | 149 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 24:21 | 35:39 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Austin Kendall | 22/36, 253 yards, TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 14 rushes, 42 yards, TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Smoke Harris | 7 receptions, 63 yards |
| Old Dominion | Passing | Hayden Wolff | 23/34, 149 yards, TD, INT |
| Old Dominion | Rushing | Blake Watson | 25 rushes, 108 yards |
| Old Dominion | Receiving | Zack Kuntz | 8 receptions, 67 yards, TD |

### At UAB

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 38 |
| Blazers | 7 | 17 | 7 | 21 | 52 |
at Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama
* Date: November 6
* Game time: 11:00 a.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 21,261
* Referee: Rodney Burnette
* TV announcers (CBSSN): Chick Hernandez and Randy Cross
* Box score, Recap
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving |
| UAB | Passing |
| UAB | Rushing |
| UAB | Receiving |

### Charlotte

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 0 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 32 |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Louisiana
* Date: November 13
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: 0 MPH
* Game attendance: 14,068
* Referee: Ed Ardito
* TV announcers (Stadium): Chris Hassel and Sed Bonner
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | CLT | LT |
| First downs | 28 | 28 |
| Total yards | 548 | 504 |
| Rushing yards | 100 | 180 |
| Passing yards | 448 | 324 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 27:31 | 32:29 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Charlotte | Passing | Chris Reynolds | 25/42, 448 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Charlotte | Rushing | ChaVon McEachern | 5 carries, 38 yards |
| Charlotte | Receiving | Keith Pearson | 6 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Aaron Allen | 21/27, 324 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 29 carries, 131 yards, 4 TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Smoke Harris | 8 receptions, 98 yards, TD |

### Southern Miss

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Eagles | 7 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 35 |
| Bulldogs | 3 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 19 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Louisiana
* Date: November 19
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 10,410
* Referee: Jonathan Noli
* TV announcers (CBSSN): Chris Lewis and Corey Chavous
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | USM | LT |
| First downs | 17 | 14 |
| Total yards | 294 | 250 |
| Rushing yards | 184 | 150 |
| Passing yards | 110 | 100 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 5 |
| Time of possession | 35:06 | 24:54 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southern Miss | Passing | Frank Gore Jr. | 4/8, 75 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Southern Miss | Rushing | Dajon Richard | 22 carries, 120 yards |
| Southern Miss | Receiving | Jason Brownlee | 5 receptions, 67 yards, 2 TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Aaron Allen | 11/26, 100 yards, 2 INT |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Marcus Williams Jr. | 17 carries, 76 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Smoke Harris | 4 receptions, 48 yards |

### At Rice

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 10 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
| Owls | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
at Rice Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: November 27
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 15,832
* Referee: Joe Lehring
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Matt Pedersen and Stanford Routt
* Box score, Recap
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving |
| Rice | Passing |
| Rice | Rushing |
| Rice | Receiving |