History Lesson: LA Tech’s Deep Ties With Future Sun Belt Peers
As Louisiana Tech prepares for its return to the Sun Belt Conference in 2026, the Bulldogs won’t be stepping into unfamiliar territory. Tech’s athletic history is deeply intertwined with several current Sun Belt members, especially longtime regional rivals like Louisiana-Lafayette, Southern Miss, and Louisiana-Monroe. Decades of heated contests on the gridiron, hardwood, and diamond have defined Louisiana Tech’s relationships with future league mates such as Arkansas State, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Louisiana-Lafayette.
Below is a look at Tech’s historical records and rivalries with each of the six programs — spanning football, men’s basketball, and baseball — highlighting not only fierce competition but also shared eras in the Southland, WAC, and Conference USA.
Louisiana-Monroe (ULM)
Louisiana Tech and ULM share one of the oldest and most intense rivalries in Louisiana sports, forged just 30 miles apart on I-20. The football rivalry dates back to 1953 but the programs last met in 2000. Tech leads the football series decisively, 29–14.
To say there’s history (and dare we say “hate”) between is putting it lightly. When Tech made the decision to join the WAC in 2001 and not the Sun Belt many in Monroe (even though not members at the time) made it clear they didn’t like it.
Then there was the 2012 Independence Bowl. Tech was ranked in the Top 25 late in the year, Tech goes toe-to-toe with Johnny Manziel in Independence Stadium, Orange Bowl officials make a trip to Ruston for a game the Bulldogs end up losing, had the no. 1 scoring offense in the country, and ultimately spurn an Independence Bowl invite where they would have played ULM in their first and only ever bowl game as Tech brass notoriously said they asked the Independence Bowl for more time as they waited for other potential options. Many believe had the opposing team been anyone but ULM, Tech would not have held out for another bowl bid. Another bowl bid never came, Tech sat at home while ULM played Ohio University in the Independence Bowl.
In men’s basketball, Tech holds the edge historically with a record of 70–49. In baseball, where both schools field competitive teams, Tech again has the upper hand with a record of 88–60.
Louisiana-Lafayette (Ragin’ Cajuns)
Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette have while they’ve met more than ULM and Tech recently, they haven’t met regularly since the 1990’s. In football, Tech leads the series 48–33–6.
Men’s basketball has historically been hotly contested, with Louisiana-Lafayette holding a narrow edge 45–43, thanks to strong runs in the 1980s and early 2000s. On the baseball diamond, Tech maintains a tighter lead, with the Bulldogs holding a 64–58 advantage in a series filled with one-run classics and postseason implications.
Arkansas State
Louisiana Tech and Arkansas State were conference foes across multiple decades — in the Southland, Big West, and briefly in the early Sun Belt years. Football has seen Tech control the series with a 25–12 edge, highlighted by dominant stretches in the 1970s and late 1990s.
In men’s basketball, Tech leads the series 35–19, a rivalry that saw its peak in the American South Conference, while the baseball teams have met sparingly in recent years but historically played over 70 games, with Tech leading the series 41–30.
Marshall
One of Tech’s more recent conference foes, Marshall and the Bulldogs share a Conference USA history dating back to 2005 until 2022. In football, the series has been tightly contested, with Tech holding a slim 5–4 edge.
Men’s basketball between the two has been a high-scoring affair, with Tech leading the all-time series 10–6. In baseball, where the teams met less frequently, Tech holds a 17–10 series lead.
Old Dominion
Though not regional rivals, Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion have developed competitive ties since both joined Conference USA in 2013 until 2022. In football, the programs are tied 3–3, trading close wins over the last decade.
Men’s basketball has been more active, with Tech holding a narrow lead 9–7 in a series defined by contrasting styles — Tech’s uptempo attack versus ODU’s defensive grind. On the baseball field, Tech leads the all-time series 12–5, with most meetings coming in C-USA play.
What truly links the two schools, however, is their storied women’s basketball histories. Old Dominion and Louisiana Tech were two of the sport’s national powerhouses in the 1980s and 1990s. Tech won national titles in 1981 and 1988, while ODU claimed championships in 1979 and 1985. The Lady Techsters and Lady Monarchs faced off in multiple NCAA tournaments, symbolizing the height of women’s college basketball excellence. Tech leads the all-time women’s basketball series 17–14, including memorable showdowns with national implications.
Southern Miss
Arguably the most familiar name on the list, Southern Miss has been a consistent rival for Louisiana Tech across all sports. The programs share roots in the Gulf States Conference and have renewed the rivalry annually in Conference USA play.
In football, the two have clashed 56 times, with Southern Miss leading the series 35–18–1, though Tech has won six of the last eight. In men’s basketball, the Bulldogs hold a strong edge 46–25, dominating the series especially in the 2000s and 2010s.
Baseball between the two has become one of the South’s top matchups, with Tech trailing slightly in the all-time series 51–57, but often splitting season series in dramatic fashion, especially in postseason play.
As Louisiana Tech returns to the Sun Belt in 2026, the move reunites old friends and reignites historic rivalries. From hardwood battles with ODU to decades-long grudge matches with ULL, Southern Miss, and ULM Tech’s entrance won’t feel like a beginning — it’ll feel like coming home.
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