The Louisiana Tech senior duo of Jeff Driskel and Kenneth Dixon powered the Bulldogs to a 47-28 victory over Arkansas State on Saturday in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
It was a memorable night for both Driskel and Dixon in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Driskel, who lost in New Orleans as Florida's quarterback in the Sugar Bowl following the 2012 season, threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns. Dixon totaled 203 yards rushing and receiving and scored four times to move atop of the FBS record books.
Top play: With the game tied late in the third quarter, Driskel dashed out of the pocket to his right. There, he saw Dixon break past his man down the sideline. On the run, Driskel floated a perfect lob to Dixon, who, with the help of a clear-out block from teammate Paul Turner, raced into the end zone. The 59-yard touchdown put the Bulldogs up 27-20 and gave them the lead for good.
Stat of the game: Dixon moved ahead of Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds for the FBS record for total touchdowns, finishing his career with 72 rushing and 15 receiving. Dixon opened the New Orleans Bowl with a nine-yard touchdown catch on Louisiana Tech's first drive. He added a pair of scores in the third quarter, including the 59-yard touchdown reception. The dynamic running back finished off the record night with a powerful 4-yard scoring rush in the fourth quarter. Reynolds, who has 85 touchdowns, will have a chance to reclaim the record Dec. 28 against Pittsburgh in the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman. But for now, the record is Dixon's.
What the win means for Louisiana Tech: It was quite the encore performance for Driskel and Dixon, who both finished their college careers with spectacular senior seasons. Driskel will have a strong chance of being selected in the NFL draft; Dixon will go down as one of the finest players in Louisiana Tech history. The bowl victory also gave Bulldogs coach Skip Holtz nine wins for a second consecutive year, back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in school history and plenty to build on going forward.
What the loss means for Arkansas State: The Red Wolves had an opportunity to secure their third double-digit win season in the past five years. But the No. 1 FBS turnover defense failed to come up with a single takeaway, preventing Arkansas State from keeping pace with Driskel and Dixon. Despite the disappointing finish in the bowl, it was still an outstanding season for the Red Wolves, who went 8-0 in conference play to capture the Sun Belt title.