MONROE — Louisiana Tech’s and ULM’s fan bases waited 26 years for the return of the I-20 Showdown.
What was an additional 30 minutes to see somebody score?
After LA Tech and ULM battled to a scoreless draw at halftime Saturday night at FMOL Health | St. Francis Stadium, the Bulldogs (4-2, 2-0 Sun Belt) rolled off 24 consecutive points to claim the victory and the inaugural Governor’s Cup after opening conference play with wins over Louisiana (Lafayette) and ULM.
The first half was dominated by the two teams’ defenses, but the Bulldogs made some key offensive adjustments and woke up in the second half.
Second-year safety Taeden Rogers’ interception on the first offensive play of the third quarter set up Sergio Snider’s 5-yard touchdown six plays later, and the Bulldogs added two 2-yard TD passes from fourth-year quarterback Blake Baker to third-year tight end Brayden Bockler, one in the third quarter and another early in the fourth, to push their lead to 21-0.
Kaegan Kent (Evangel Christian) added the final points of the game with a 21-yard field goal with less than four minutes remaining in the game.
“We waited a long time to play this game, and we’re excited to get the win in this series,” LA Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie said.
The Bulldogs’ defense limited ULM to 241 yards of offense in the game, including only 76 rushing yards. They were particularly strong in the third quarter as they opened their lead, holding the Warhawks (0-6, 0-2) to 19 yards and one first down in the third period.
The story of the first half was ugly offense, penalties and missed field goals.
The Bulldogs managed just 109 yards of offense over the first two quarters, including only 18 rushing yards on 16 attempts. ULM’s offense was even more pedestrian with 94 yards of offense.
ULM defensive back Armoni Rue (13) goes up for an interception in the first half of the Warhawks’ 24-0 loss to Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (Photo: Bret H. McCormick, One T Photography)
The Warhawks had more penalty yardage (105 on nine penalties) than they did offensive yards in the first half.
LA Tech came up with zero points on three scoring opportunities, missing two field goals and having a third one blocked. Tyrell Brown blocked Kent’s 39-yard attempt with just two seconds left before halftime.
Cumbie said there was “no magic word or magic potion” that was delivered in the locker room at halftime. The Bulldogs understood they “played really poorly on offense” and had to be better in the second half.
After averaging 1.1 yards per carry in the first half, the Bulldogs ran the ball much more consistently after halftime, rushing for 134 yards and compiling a total of 223 second-half yards.
“Our players started to play the way that they’re coached to, and our players started to execute,” Cumbie said. “Our quarterbacks saw the field better. We ran the football better. And we rose up together.”
Louisiana Tech fourth-year quarterback Blake Baker tossed two touchdown passes in the Bulldogs’ 24-0 win over ULM on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (Photo: Bret H. McCormick, One T Photography)
Third-year receiver Marcus Calwise, a transfer from Eastern Kentucky, was the offensive star of the game for the Bulldogs, catching eight passes for 119 yards and gaining 53 yards on two rushes.
Calwise came through with big plays on each of the Bulldogs’ three touchdown drives.
He made two receptions for 47 yards to set up the Bulldogs’ first score. He caught a 27-yard pass that advanced them into the red zone on their second touchdown drive and then had a 5-yard catch on 4th-and-1 to set up Bockler’s first score. And his 56-yard run to the 5-yard line set up Bockler’s second TD.
ULM coach Bryant Vincent said he was impressed with the Warhawks’ effort and execution on defense, despite giving up 24 second-half points.
“Defensively, we did enough in my opinion to win the game – more than enough,” Vincent said. “But we’ve got to be able to play as a team in all three phases, and that didn’t happen tonight.”
Cumbie praised the Warhawks for their intensity and energy, particularly in the first half, but he said he was most proud that the Bulldog defense played a complete game and kept the Warhawks off the scoreboard.
“They’re hard to get, especially in conference play,” Cumbie said of the shutout. “As we get deeper into the third and the fourth quarter, it’s kind of like a no-hitter, I guess. You kind of don’t want to talk about it, but I definitely violated that cardinal rule because I just told our guys, our defense played really hard. And they played really well. And they played in a manner that they deserved to finish with a shutout.”
Louisiana Tech’s Marcus Calwise races down the field for a 56-yard gain to set up the Bulldogs’ third touchdown in their 24-0 win over ULM on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (Photo: Bret H. McCormick, One T Photography)
The two teams, who last met on Nov. 11, 2000, played before an announced crowd of 20,653 – many of whom were on their feet screaming throughout the game. After not playing on the football field for nearly three decades, the teams saw their fans show an intense appetite for the return of this gridiron rivalry.
“It was exactly what we thought it would be – it was electric,” Vincent said of the atmosphere in the stadium Saturday night. “The fans were in it. Our crowd was in it. So was theirs. It was that environment that you want to be in and that you want to play in and that you expect in this rivalry.”
“I thought it was an unbelievable atmosphere,” Cumbie added. “I really appreciated all of our fans that made the trip. When we took the field, you definitely could hear them, and you could feel them. That was exciting to see, and I know that our players appreciate the support that our crowd’s given them really every game.”
