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<span style='font-family:Arial'><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Bulldogs Face Seven Bowl Teams in 2004</span></span>

Updated Apr 23, 2004 14:08:09

RUSTON - Louisiana Tech will continue its trend of playing some of the nation's top teams as head coach Jack Bicknell and Co.'s 2004 schedule includes seven programs that participated in post-season bowls last year.

Highlighting the 2004 Louisiana Tech schedule are out-of-conference games against Miami, Tennessee and Auburn as well as the annual in-league battles against Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii and Tulsa. All seven of those teams played in a bowl game last year, making this one of the Bulldogs most challenging schedules in the program's history.

"Obviously, there is nothing easy about this schedule," said Tech head coach Jack Bicknell. "It's going to be challenging from week No. 1 to week No. 12. We're excited about the opportunity to play in some great places and in some great college football atmospheres."

With the three games against Miami, Tennessee and Auburn, Louisiana Tech will have played 51 games against BCS programs since the university made the move to Division I-A prior to the 1989 season. Tech has developed a reputation over the past decade of knocking off the "big boys" posting victories over California, Mississippi State, Alabama twice, Oklahoma State and Michigan State.

Those victories against the BCS have not come against the bottom feeders as Tech's last three wins over BCS programs came against teams that participated in a post-season bowl game that same year.

"Once again we will have one of the nation's most competitive schedules," said Tech Athletic Director Jim Oakes. "Playing teams such as Miami, Tennessee and Auburn should continue to help us with national recognition and in the recruiting process. Hopefully, this year's Louisiana Tech team will be able to defeat a BCS program like we have for the past two seasons."

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