2014 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team

The 2014 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team represented Louisiana Tech University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Skip Holtz and played their home games at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, Louisiana. They were in their second season as a member of Conference USA, competing in the West Division. They finished the season 9–5, 7–1 in C-USA play to win the West Division title. As West Division Champions, they played East Division Champion Marshall in the C-USA Championship Game, losing to the Thundering Herd 23–26. They were invited to the Heart of Dallas Bowl where they defeated Illinois.

2014 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football
C-USA West Division champion Heart of Dallas Bowl champion
C-USA Championship Game, L 23–26 vs. Marshall
Heart of Dallas Bowl, W 35–18 vs. Illinois
Conference	Conference USA
Division	West Division
Record	9–5 (7–1 C-USA)
Head coach	Skip Holtz (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Tony Petersen (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Manny Diaz (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Joe Aillet Stadium

2014 Conference USA football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
No. 23 Marshall x$		7	–	1					13	–	1
Middle Tennessee		5	–	3					6	–	6
Western Kentucky		4	–	4					8	–	5
UAB		4	–	4					6	–	6
Old Dominion*		4	–	4					6	–	6
FIU		3	–	5					4	–	8
Florida Atlantic		2	–	6					3	–	9
West Division
Louisiana Tech x		7	–	1					9	–	5
Rice		5	–	3					8	–	5
UTEP		5	–	3					7	–	6
UTSA		3	–	5					4	–	8
North Texas		2	–	6					4	–	8
Southern Miss		1	–	7					3	–	9
Championship: Marshall 26, Louisiana Tech 23
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions * Ineligible for postseason bowl due to transition from FCS As of 22:24, 20 December 2014 (UTC) Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	6:00 pm	at No. 4 Oklahoma*	Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK	PPV	L 16–48	85,063
September 6	6:00 pm	at Louisiana–Lafayette*	Cajun Field Lafayette, LA	ESPN3	W 48–20	25,607
September 11	7:00 pm	at North Texas	Apogee Stadium Denton, TX	CBSSN	W 42–21	16,998
September 20	6:00 pm	Northwestern State*	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA		L 27–30	26,004
September 27	3:00 pm	at No. 5 Auburn*	Jordan–Hare Stadium Auburn, AL	SECN	L 17–45	87,451
October 4	6:00 pm	UTEP	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA	FCS	W 55–3	18,157
October 18	11:00 am	UTSA	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA	FSN	W 27–20	18,071
October 25	2:30 pm	at Southern Miss	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS (Rivalry in Dixie)	ASN	W 31–20	23,343
November 1	2:00 pm	Western Kentucky	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA	FSN	W 59–10	20,011
November 8	11:00 am	at UAB	Legion Field Birmingham, AL	ASN	W 40–24	9,457
November 22	12:00 pm	at Old Dominion	Foreman Field Norfolk, VA (Oyster Bowl)	FCS	L 27–30 OT	20,118
November 29	11:00 am	Rice	Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA	CBSSN	W 76–31	18,029
December 6	11:00 am	at Marshall	Joan C. Edwards Stadium Huntington, WV (C-USA Championship)	ESPN2	L 23–26	23,711
December 26	12:00 pm	vs. Illinois*	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (Heart of Dallas Bowl)	ESPN	W 35–18	31,297
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game All times are in Central time

Schedule Source:

Game summaries

Oklahoma

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	3	0	13	16
#4 Sooners	21	10	10	7	48

Louisiana–Lafayette

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	7	10	14	17	48
Ragin' Cajun	0	7	0	13	20

North Texas

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	21	14	7	42
Mean Green	0	0	7	14	21

Northwestern State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Demons	0	3	7	20	30
Bulldogs	10	3	7	7	27

Auburn

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	3	7	7	17
#5 Tigers	7	17	0	21	45

UTEP

	1	2	3	4	Total
Miners	0	3	0	0	3
Bulldogs	7	21	20	7	55

UTSA

	1	2	3	4	Total
Roadrunners	3	7	0	10	20
Bulldogs	0	6	21	0	27

Southern Miss

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	3	14	14	31
Golden Eagles	7	0	3	10	20

Further information: Rivalry in Dixie

WKU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hilltoppers	7	3	0	0	10
Bulldogs	10	21	21	7	59

UAB

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	14	10	6	10	40
Blazers	3	7	7	7	24

Old Dominion

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Bulldogs	7	17	0	0	3	27
Monarchs	0	14	3	7	6	30

Rice

	1	2	3	4	Total
Owls	3	14	7	7	31
Bulldogs	21	7	28	20	76

Marshall

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	10	7	6	0	23
Thundering Herd	0	13	3	10	26

Illinois–Heart of Dallas Bowl

See also: 2014 Illinois Fighting Illini football team and 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl (December)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Fighting Illini	3	6	6	3	18
Bulldogs	14	7	0	14	35