ON THE SIDELINES

Bizarre first half ending helps Tech cruise past Cajuns

Sean Isabella
sisabella@thenewsstar.com
Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Vernon Butler (9) hoists up Bryson Abraham (15) after he returned an interception for a touchdown in Saturday's win over UL Lafayette.

Three plays and 1:48 off the clock. That's all it took for Louisiana Tech to turn a semi-competitive game with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette into a full-fledged blowout.

The Bulldogs can thank cornerback Bryson Abraham for that, or maybe even Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth.

Tech scored 17 points in less than a two-minute span at the end of the second quarter and the beginning of the third quarter via a field goal and long touchdown pass and a bizarre interception returned for a touchdown that had many scratching their heads.

With Tech leading 19-7 after a Jonathan Barnes field goal, UL Lafayette gained possession at its own 28-yard line with just 17 seconds on the clock. The Cajuns attempted a pair of passes and Abraham picked off the second one — a floater that Abraham caught like a punt — and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to give Tech a 26-7 halftime lead.

"Getting a little bit greedy; frustrated because we had only seven points," Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth said. "The play before we had somebody wide open down the seam. I thought, hey, let’s come back and try to get something cheap. Bad decision. That’s when you let your frustrations get the most of you. Can’t do that. The main thing wasn’t the points. It was just the momentum."

Tech adds another lopsided win to rivalry with Cajuns

Everyone, including the Bulldogs' coaching staff and players, was shocked the Cajuns didn't just kneel it.

Tech coach Skip Holtz wasn't complaining in what he described as an "awesome ending" to the half.

"I said to (defensive coordinator) Blake Baker, I said they're going to take a knee," Holtz said. "There's 10 seconds to go and they won't do anything like that."

UL Lafayette did the unthinkable, though. Cajuns quarterback Jalen Nixon threw an incomplete pass on a short out route on his first throw. For whatever reason, they dialed up another pass with 5 seconds left.

"I was kind of surprised they tried it but we took advantage of it," Abraham said.

When Nixon dropped back, Holtz originally was hoping for a sack fumble to end the half. He ended up with so much more than that.

"I saw (defensive tackle Aaron Brown) take his offensive lineman and just put him on roller skates and run him right into the quarterback.," Holtz said. "As he ran into the quarterback and I saw that thing go floating up in the air like a duck. I turned and saw Bryson. Bryson did an unbelievable job of playing the ball in the air.

"I was just saying get in the end zone, get in the end zone."

Quick hits from Tech's 29-point win over ULL

Butler pressured Nixon just enough to force a high, wobbly throw. Abraham, who was in coverage on the right side of the field, caught the ball like a punt near the 50-yard line and sprinted down the sideline with several blockers in front.

When Abraham got inside the 5-yard line, he leaped over the pylon and into the end zone as the crowd went wild. Moments later, Butler hoisted Abraham up before the team ran to the locker room. The Bulldogs then came out and scored on the opening possession of the second half on Marcus Gaines' 72-yard touchdown catch.

"He had a nice little hurdle into the end zone," Tech quarterback Jeff Driskel said. "That was sweet. Hopefully someone got a cool picture of that. I'm sure it will be his Facebook profile photo."