Bulldogs Rally in Shreveport to Win Independence Bowl, 23-14 

Louisiana Tech football closed its season with a fourth-quarter comeback Tuesday afternoon, beating Coastal Carolina 23-14 in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.

The Bulldogs scored the final 20 points, turned a quiet day into a celebration for a crowd of 30,298, and brought another bowl trophy back to Ruston. 

A Louisiana Tech Slow Start That Flipped Fast 

Coastal Carolina grabbed a 14-3 lead and looked comfortable through three quarters as Louisiana Tech’s offense struggled to find rhythm. The Bulldogs had only two field goals and 150 total yards through three quarters, then hit the gas when the game tightened. Head coach Sonny Cumbie said the second half was about his team settling in and finally playing its brand of football. 

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The turning point came in a burst. Louisiana Tech’s Jordan McRae came up with an interception, and one play later quarterback Trey Kukuk hit Marlion Jackson for a 52-yard catch-and-run touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-12 after a missed two-point try. 

Fourth-quarter Finish Seals it for Louisiana Tech

Field position mattered late, and Louisiana Tech took advantage. A punt return and a Coastal Carolina penalty helped set the Bulldogs up deep in Chanticleer territory, and Andrew Burnette punched in the go-ahead score on a 1-yard run. Kaegen Kent later added a 35-yard field goal to put the game away. 

Kukuk finished with 121 rushing yards and added 114 passing yards and a touchdown, earning Offensive Player of the Game honors. Defensive back Jakari Foster ended Coastal Carolina’s final real chance with an interception, his eighth of the season. 

A Shreveport Connection in the Kicking Game 

North Louisiana had plenty to point at on special teams. Kent, an Evangel Christian Academy product, drilled a 42-yard field goal early and later hit the clincher. John Hoyet Chance, a Captain Shreve High School product, nailed a 51-yard field goal that ranked among the longest kicks in Independence Bowl history and had an incredible game overall. He was named the Delta Utilities Utility Player of the Game. 

The game also got chippy and messy at times, with 25 combined penalties and 17 combined punts, a reminder of how hard clean football can be after a long layoff.