La. Tech scores 56 points in first half en route to drubbing Idaho
RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech amassed 839 yards in offense en route to a 70-28 football victory against Idaho Saturday night.
Kenneth Dixon rushed for 232 yards and six touchdowns for the Bulldogs (6-1, 1-0 Western Athletic Conference), and Colby Cameron was 29 of 37 for 400 yards and two touchdowns passing. Myles White caught six passes for 100 yards and a score.
The 839 yards are the most by a Football Bowl Subdivision team this season.
Not much went right for the Vandals starting from the opening play when a fumble gave the ball to the Bulldogs on Idaho’s 1.
“If we’re going to be in a shootout, we have to shoot,” Idaho coach Robb Akey said.
Louisiana Tech led Idaho (1-7, 1-2) 56-21 at the half – the 56 points tied a WAC single-game record – and did not score in the fourth quarter.
“That’s a heck of a thing to go through as a player,” Akey said. “But I’ve got respect for them. They kept fighting.”
The Bulldogs were on the scoreboard in no time after Todd Handley fumbled the opening kickoff and Louisiana Tech recovered inside the Idaho 1. Dixon scored with just 12 seconds gone in the game. Idaho trailed 14-0 before quarterback Dominique Blackman tossed the ball to Roman Runner who found Najee Lovett behind the defense for a 58-yard scoring play with 12:17 left in the first.
After the Bulldogs went ahead 21-7, Handley scored on a 92-yard on the ensuing kickoff return to cut the gap to 21-14 with 9:50 to play in the first. It was the longest kickoff return of the season for Idaho and Handley’s first career TD.
Trailing 49-14, defensive tackle Jesse Davis set up Idaho’s third score when he recovered a Tech fumble at the Idaho 13 and lumbered 84 yards before being pulled down at the 3. He fumbled as he went down and Vince Keener recovered at the Tech 1. James Baker scored from the 1 to make it 49-21.
The 56 points the Bulldogs scored in the first half tied the 56 Washington State scored in a half against the Vandals in 1975. The 35 first-quarter points for Louisiana Tech are the most scored against the Vandals in a quarter, breaking the mark of 34 set by Weber State in 1968.
Louisiana Tech 70, Idaho 28
| Idaho | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | – | 28 |
| Louisiana Tech | 35 | 21 | 14 | 0 | – | 70 |
LaT – Dixon 1 run (Nelson kick)
LaT – Dixon 2 run (Nelson kick)
UI – Lovett 58 pass from Runner (Farquhar kick)
LaT – Holley 5 run (Nelson kick)
UI – Handley 92 kickoff return (Farquhar kick)
LaT – Dixon 1 run (Nelson kick)
LaT – Patton 20 pass from Cameron (Nelson kick)
LaT – M.White 36 pass from Cameron (Nelson kick)
LaT – Dixon 7 run (Nelson kick)
UI – Baker 1 run (Farquhar kick)
LaT – Dixon 2 run (Nelson kick)
LaT – Dixon 20 run (Nelson kick)
LaT – Griffith 3 run (Nelson kick)
UI – LaGrone 1 pass from Blackman (Farquhar kick)
| UI | LaT | |
| First downs | 11 | 39 |
| Rushes-yards | 23-47 | 53-408 |
| Passing | 257 | 431 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 21-36-2 | 32-42-0 |
| Return Yards | 0 | 27 |
| Punts-Avg. | 7-46.3 | 2-39.5 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 3-2 | 4-3 |
| Penalties-Yards | 5-35 | 4-30 |
| Time of Possession | 25:35 | 34:25 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Idaho, Baker 10-42, R.Bass 6-18, Handley 3-7, Lovett 1-5, Blackman 3-(-25). Louisiana Tech, Dixon 17-232, B.Davis 14-85, Holley 11-47, Cameron 5-22, Hakmi 1-11, Courtney 2-8, H.Lee 1-5, Griffith 2-(-2).
PASSING – Idaho, Blackman 20-35-2-199, Runner 1-1-0-58. Louisiana Tech, Cameron 29-37-0-400, Griffith 3-5-0-31.
RECEIVING – Idaho, M.Scott 7-71, Lovett 4-78, Handley 3-10, Level 2-45, Runner 2-14, Baker 1-30, Homme 1-8, LaGrone 1-1. Louisiana Tech, M.White 6-100, Guillot 6-89, Patton 4-41, Holley 3-51, H.Lee 2-42, D.Banks 2-20, J.Greenwalt 2-20, Jackson 2-10, Gru 2-9, Casey 1-28, M.Lee 1-17, Stuart 1-4.