In a game that featured over 90 points, 900 yards of total offense, and 12 touchdowns, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs beat the Navy Midshipmen, 48-45.
The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl had shootout written all over it, as both the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Navy Midshipmen can put up points in bunches. The Bulldogs had one of the more prolific passing offenses in all of college football, led by senior quarterback Ryan Higgins. Higgins threw for over 4,200 yards this season, with 37 touchdowns against only eight interceptions.
A big reason for Higgins’ big year was the play of his two star receivers, who both made their presence felt on Friday night. Carlos Henderson and Trent Taylor each went over 1,000 yards during the regular season, and against Navy, you could see how. The two combined for over 350 yards in the game, hauling in three of Higgins’ four touchdowns.
For Navy, most people outside of the program did not know who Zach Abey was heading into the regular season. As a third-string quarterback behind Tago Smith and Will Worth, Abey was not expected to contribute much this season. However, after Smith and Worth both went down due to injury, it was up to Abey to finish out the season, and he did it in style on Friday night. Abey rushed for 114 yards and two scores, while throwing for 159 yards and a score against zero interceptions.
The two teams combined for 12 touchdowns in the game, as it resembled more of a Pro Bowl than an actual bowl game. However, it was a field goal that decided the contest, as Jonathan Barnes hit from 32 yards out to give the Bulldogs the win, 48-45. It was an incredible ending for a game that featured over 900 yards of total offense, five touchdown passes, and seven rushing touchdowns. This game was supposed to be high-scoring, and it certainly lived up to the expectations.
The Bulldogs finish the season with a 9-5 record, while Navy ended their season with a three-game losing streak. If Navy would have come away with the victory on Friday, they would have won nine games in a season for the second straight year. That would have been a first in program history. However, the team lost its heart and soul in Keenan Reynolds this season to graduation, so an eight-win campaign is nothing to hang their heads about.
Highlights
Three Stars
1. Trent Taylor
The senior wide receiver went out with a bang, catching a game-high 12 balls for 233 yards and two touchdowns. One of the best kept secrets in college football, Taylor has been magnificent for the Bulldogs in 2016, catching 124 receptions for over 1,500 yards. The Bulldogs are going to miss his production, but junior Carlos Henderson should pick up the slack in his absence. Henderson also was a beast on Friday, catching 10 passes for 129 and two scores of his own.
2. Ryan Higgins
Quite a way to go out for Higgins, who had to wait four years to get the starting nod at Louisiana Tech. Coming into the game with over 4.200 yards on the season, Higgins lit up Navy for over 400 yards in the win, throwing four touchdowns against zero interceptions. The four TD passes enabled him to exceed 40 for the season, as he will go down as one of the more single-season prolific passers in the history of Louisiana Tech football.
3. Zach Abey
What a game for Abey, who was not expected to sniff the field heading into the season. After Tago Smith blew out his ACL in Week 1, Will Worth stepped in and played remarkably, but he was also hurt during the conference championship against Temple. Abey showed he can run the ball last week against Navy, and on Friday, he exploded for a huge game in the biggest game of the year. Abey rushed for two scores, went over 100 yards in both the air and on the ground, and accounted for three touchdowns overall. Not bad for someone who began the season as a third-stringer.
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Next Season
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs will open their 2017 season at home, as they welcome FCS school Northwestern State to Ruston. Navy will play their opener on the road, as they play Conference USA’s Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton.