In Ruston, La., Mississippi State’s impending visit to face Louisiana Tech is nothing short of a big deal.
Louisiana Tech is playing host to an opponent from the Southeastern Conference for the first time since 1913, which is 20 years before the SEC was even around. LSU traveled to Ruston that year and beat Tech 20-2.
Louisiana Tech’s Web site urges fans to buy their tickets early for Saturday’s opening game at Joe Aillet Stadium, to avoid long lines to get into the stadium. Louisiana Tech averaged 18,000 fans per home game last season, when it went 5-7 under first-year coach Derek Dooley.
“There’s a tremendous amount of excitement,” Dooley told the Monroe News-Star, “and it’s more because such a great team is coming to Ruston. You’ve got a SEC football team, you’ve got a bowl champion, (the) SEC coach of the year. It’s certainly exciting.”
MSU coach Sylvester Croom understands there are some unknowns.
“It is going to be a great challenge,” Croom said, “going into an opening game on the road in an environment that we haven’t been in before. This will be a very good road situation, to see if we can handle it.”
sunherald.com
8/27/08
