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Not many people saw the Illinois Fighting Illini heading to a bowl game just a month ago as they were just 4-6 heading into the final two-game stretch of the year. However, they overcame all odds and produced their first bowl berth under Tim Beckman. The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs were in no danger, though, as a five-game win streak in the middle of the season gave them a solid cushion.
Louisiana Tech has run out an above average passing attack and a below average rushing game each week, adding up to the 13th-best scoring team in the country. The Bulldogs have relied heavily on senior quarterback Cody Sokol to lead the offense as he has passed for 3,189 yards, 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 59 percent of his passes. Trent Taylor has easily been his favorite target, catching 62 passes for 814 yards and nine touchdowns — nearly double the next closest receiver. Junior running back Kenneth Dixon has been a force in the backfield, rushing for 1,236 yards and 21 touchdowns while no other rusher has more than 300 yards.
It has been a strange year for starting quarterbacks at Illinois as transfer Wes Lunt was supposed to take the offensive reigns and never look back. However, an injury gave way to Reilly O’Toole and he has done a solid job in place of the transfer QB, passing for 1,049 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions to Lunt’s 1,729 yards, 14 touchdowns and three picks. Lunt is clearly the better QB, but injuries have given others a chance. Freshman receiver Mike Dudek has burst onto the scene leading the team with 69 catches for 965 yards and six touchdowns. Josh Ferguson leads the struggling run game with just 685 yards and eight scores.
Defensively, the Bulldogs have been just above average this season, ranking 54th in points allowed and an even better 32nd in total yards surrendered per game. Illinois has been a struggling unit, ranking just 107th in scoring and 115th in total defense in 2014.
When: 1 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 26
Where: Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas
TV: ESPN
PREDICTION: Illinois 27, Louisiana Tech 20
Want to see Illinois take on Louisiana Tech in the Heart of Dallas Bowl? Check out ScoreBig for tickets.
Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also reach him at [email protected].
