The new kid in class wasted zero time becoming the bully.
In its first year as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, the Louisiana Bulldogs clinched the championship game with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
Louisiana Tech (8-2, 6-0 Sun Belt) secured its seventh consecutive victory Saturday night in Ruston, hammering former Conference USA rival Southern Miss 63-31. The Bulldogs sealed the Sun Belt West division title in their highest-scoring performance against an FBS opponent since 2019.
The Sun Belt Championship Game was established in 2018, and Louisiana Tech is the first Sun Belt West division winner besides Troy or Louisiana.
The Bulldogs started year five of the Sonny Cumbie era on fire with an 80-6 annihilation of FCS Northwestern State, where they had 77 points by the 6:28 mark of the third quarter. However, they followed up the sheer domination by dropping back-to-back non-conference matchups at LSU and Baylor, falling to 1-2. But they’ve been perfect since.
Louisiana Tech survived several close finishes at the start of its seven-game win streak, powering past Army 31-29 and executing a 12-point fourth quarter comeback to upend Louisiana. Ever since the 32-31 win over the Ragin’ Cajuns, no opponent has come within 15 points of the Bulldogs. They produced consecutive shutouts over ULM and Old Dominion, handled South Alabama and Troy on the road, and completed their 6-0 Sun Belt start by shellacking Southern Miss.
Louisiana Tech won its first six conference games by a combined 122 points, which equates to an average margin of victory of 20.3 points. The red-hot Bulldogs conclude their inaugural Sun Belt slate with matchups against Arkansas State and current Sun Belt East division leader Georgia Southern. If Louisiana Tech and Georgia Southern both win their Week 12 matchups, the Week 13 contest will determine which campus serves as the host site of the championship game.
Many conference championship games will see their final installment this December, becoming a casualty of the looming 24-team College Football Playoff. The Sun Belt has not officially axed its title game for 2027, but there is a possibility Louisiana Tech will compete in the final Sun Belt Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 4.
Louisiana Tech isn’t the first new arrival in recent memory to qualify for the conference championship game in year one. Army (American), SMU (ACC), Arizona State (Big 12), Oregon (Big Ten), and Texas (SEC) all competed in their respective conference title games in 2024.
