SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 25, 2014
Louisiana Tech 31, Southern Mississippi 20: Cody Sokol passed for a career-high 423 yards and three touchdowns as the visiting Bulldogs remained undefeated in Conference USA play.
Kenneth Dixon caught six passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns while adding a team-high 41 yards and a score on the ground for Louisiana Tech (5-3, 4-0 C-USA). Sokol finished 27-of-46 and did not throw an interception as the Bulldogs snapped a five-game road losing streak against Southern Mississippi with their first win in Hattiesburg since 1982.
Cole Weeks was 28-of-45 for a career-high 338 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Southern Mississippi (3-5, 1-3). Markese Triplett hauled in six passes for 114 yards, Michael Thomas made seven catches for 104 yards and a score and George Payne had a rushing touchdown for the Golden Eagles.
The Bulldogs' offense rebounded from a disastrous first half, as Sokol found Dixon for an 84-yard catch-and-run on the second play of the third quarter to give Louisiana Tech a 10-7 lead. After Corey Acosta's 44-yard field goal tied it, Sokol and Dixon connected again for a 5-yard TD as the Bulldogs moved ahead for good.
Acosta's 26-yard field goal pulled the Golden Eagles within 17-13, but the Bulldogs answered with another long drive that resulted in Sokol hitting Carlos Henderson for a 29-yard touchdown. Dixon tacked on a 1-yard TD run that was set up by Trent Taylor's 22-yard punt return and 31-yard reception to make it 31-13 before Weeks and Thomas hooked up for a late 16-yard touchdown.