Louisiana Tech–Northwestern State football rivalry
The Louisiana Tech–Northwestern State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the Northwestern State Demons. The rivalry stems from the proximity of the two colleges, as well as the two teams sharing multiple conferences including the LIAA (1915–24), the SIAA (1928–38), the Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference (1942–57), and the Gulf States Conference (1948–70). The Demons and the Bulldogs often met at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport, playing there annually from 1946 to 1987.[1] The game has been infrequently played since 1987, following Louisiana Tech's transition to the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision. No future matchups have been scheduled.
Sport | Football |
---|---|
First meeting | 1907 Louisiana Industrial, 43–4 |
Latest meeting | September 9, 2023 Louisiana Tech, 51–21 |
Next meeting | September 12, 2026 |
Trophy | None |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 80 |
All-time series | Louisiana Tech leads, 55–20–5 |
Largest victory | Louisiana Tech, 45–0 (1909) |
Longest win streak | Louisiana Tech, 9 (1945–1952) |
Longest unbeaten streak | Louisiana Tech, 11 (1944–1952) |
Current win streak | Louisiana Tech, 2 (2017–present) |
Locations in Louisiana |
History and notable games
editThe two teams have met 80 times on the football field, with Louisiana Tech currently holding a 55–20–5 edge in the all-time series.[2] For the majority of the rivalry, games were held during the State Fair of Louisiana in Shreveport, which is about 75 miles from both Ruston and Natchitoches.
- 1907: Louisiana Industrial and Louisiana State Normal meet for the first time in Natchitoches, with Louisiana Industrial winning 43–4.[3]
- November 4, 1911: The two schools meet for the first time in Shreveport, with Louisiana Industrial winning 39–0.
- October 26, 1946: While the two teams had met in Shreveport in the past, this game began a 31-year streak of playing at the state fair. Louisiana Tech beat Louisiana State Normal 14–7.[4]
- October 19, 1968: With 25 seconds remaining, Tech quarterback Terry Bradshaw completes a touchdown pass to Ken Liberto, winning 42–39 and snapping a 2 loss streak against the Demons.[5]
- October 24, 1987: In the final game in the Shreveport series, Louisiana Tech beat Northwestern State 23–0.[6] This would be the last game between the two schools for many years, as Tech would begin transitioning to FBS the following year.
- September 20, 2014: After a 20-year hiatus, the two schools met in Ruston, with Northwestern State winning 30–27.[7]
Game results
editLouisiana Tech victories | Northwestern State victories | Tie games |
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "La. Tech, NSU alum share memories of rivalry". September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Winsipedia – Louisiana Tech Head-To-Head Records". Winsipedia.
- ^ "Ruston Beats State Normal". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. October 27, 1907. p. 9. Retrieved September 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Tech forced hard to beat Demons". The Times. October 27, 1946. Retrieved September 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bradshaw's bomb topples Northwestern". The Alexandria Daily Town Talk. October 20, 1968. Retrieved September 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Defense lifts Tech by NSU". The Shreveport Times. October 25, 1987. Retrieved September 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "What we learned from La. Tech's shocking loss to NSU". The News Star. September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "l.asp2023 Louisiana Tech Football Record Book". Ruston, Louisiana: Louisiana Tech University. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Demon Football History vs Louisiana Tech from Oct 19, 1922 – Sep 2, 2017". Natchitoches, Louisiana: Northwestern State University. Retrieved September 7, 2023.