LSU football meets Louisiana Tech this weekend as Brian Kelly and the Tigers look to start 2-0. LSU is riding high after a statement win over Clemson in week one. LSU is the talk of the sport, surging up to No. 4 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and No. 3 in the AP Poll.
LSU won in a hostile road environment last week, but now the Tigers get to play within the comforting walls of Tiger Stadium. LSU vs. Louisiana Tech doesn’t carry the same level of excitement that LSU vs. Clemson did, but playing in-state foes is a yearly tradition for LSU. The Tigers usually win big, but it still serves as a celebration of football within the state of Louisiana.
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LSU and Louisiana Tech have met four times — LSU is 4-0 in those meetings. The Tigers and Bulldogs last played in 2018 with LSU winning 38-21. The Bulldogs played a competitive game vs. an LSU team that went on to win a NY6 bowl.
Here are five things LSU football fans should know about Louisiana Tech before kickoff.
1. Who did Louisiana Tech play in week one?
Louisiana Tech opened its year with a 24-0 win over Southeastern, an FCS opponent from Louisiana. Tech led 3-0 after halftime, but three second-half touchdowns allowed the Bulldogs to pull away.
2. The Bulldogs have a new starting quarterback
Evan Bullock was Louisiana Tech’s starter last year, but Bullock lost the quarterback battle to Trey Kukuk. Kukuk is a JUCO transfer who spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Saddleback College.
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Kukuk made his Tech debut in week one, completing 13 of 20 passes while averaging 6.6 yards per attempt. He only threw one touchdown, but took care of the ball and didn’t throw a pick. Kukuk was involved in the run game, carrying the ball 15 times and averaging 3.3 yards per carry. Those numbers aren’t great, but it was Kukuk’s first start at the FBS level.
Louisiana Tech faced an FCS defense last week. Now, Kukuk has to play a night game in Tiger Stadium vs. LSU’s defense. Unless Tech’s passing game took a major step forward in practice, it will be tough to move the ball.
3. The Bulldogs’ defense was good last year
Louisiana Tech’s 2024 defense was one of the best in the Group of Five. The Bulldogs ranked No. 3 nationally in success rate allowed and No. 6 in yards per play allowed. The unit was top-20 in EPA/dropback and EPA/rush. The Bulldogs held opponents to 10 points or less on four separate occasions. Per SP+, this was the No. 67-ranked defense in the country. Pretty good by Conference USA standards.
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So, how much of this is still relevant in 2025?
4. What does the defense look like now?
The man who coordinated that defense, Jeremiah Johnson, left for Coastal Carolina. Personnel-wise, the unit ranked outside the top 100 in returning production.
Star defensive tackle David Blay transferred to Miami. Defensive ends J’Dan Burnett and Jayden Gray were portal exits, too. The defensive line was a major question mark entering the year.
But productive players return in the back seven. Former LSU linebacker Kolbe Fields was one of the best LBs in the C-USA in 2024. He’s back and looks primed to be the star of this defense. Fields plays next to Sifa Leota, who made 19 stops to go along with 13 pressures in 2024.
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On the backend, Cedric Woods, Michael Richard, and Jacob Fields all returned after helping the Bulldogs’ pass defense be among C-USA’s best last year. Is Louisiana Tech’s secondary good enough to test LSU’s wide receivers? Probably not, but they’re better than some Group of Six teams LSU has faced in the past.
5. Three players to know
LB Kolbe Fields
Kolbe Fields originally began his career with South Carolina before transferring to LSU for the 2022 season. Fields spent one year in Baton Rouge before transferring. At Louisiana Tech, he’s emerged as one of the best linebackers in the Group of Six. Fields made 44 stops last year. Through one game in 2025, he already has five.
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LB Mekhi Mason
Mekhi Mason is one of the Bulldogs’ most versatile defenders. He does a little bit of everything. Last year, most of his snaps came lined up as a slot defender. But in Week One, the majority of Mason’s reps were in the box. He got after the quarterback with three pressures and two sacks last week.
TE Eli Finley
The Bulldogs’ offense doesn’t have much firepower, but keep an eye on tight end Eli Finley. He was Tech’s leading receiver in week one and provides a reliable target in the middle of the field. In 2024, he caught 25 passes for 314 yards.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Five things LSU football fans need to know about Louisiana Tech
