LaTech vs ULM

[qng001]

Why did it take complete upheaval to get Louisiana Tech and ULM to play? | bannersociety.com
​By Steven Godfrey Aug 19, 2020, 2:15pm EDT

"If Tech-ULM can regain its standing as an annual rivalry and in turn draw sellout crowds post-COVID and build a regional tradition — it will be because of their obvious similarities, not their perceived differences. Tech has been the superior program and a coaching cradle. ULM, at least as a FBS entity, is a historically moribund outfit famous only for their spectacular upsets as a cupcake paycheck opponent."

[qng001]

Similarities? Just because we are in the same region...
They are a program with one winning season since we last played them. They canned 3 coaches. Their facilities ain't great.

Year	Conf	W	L	T	Coach(es)	Bowl
2020	Sun Belt				Matt Viator (0-0)
2019	Sun Belt	5	7	0	Matt Viator (5-7)
2018	Sun Belt	6	6	0	Matt Viator (6-6)
2017	Sun Belt	4	8	0	Matt Viator (4-8)
2016	Sun Belt	4	8	0	Matt Viator (4-8)
2015	Sun Belt	2	11	0	Todd Berry (2-11)
2014	Sun Belt	4	8	0	Todd Berry (4-8)
2013	Sun Belt	6	6	0	Todd Berry (6-6)
2012	Sun Belt	8	5	0	Todd Berry (8-5)	Independence Bowl-L
2011	Sun Belt	4	8	0	Todd Berry (4-8)
2010	Sun Belt	5	7	0	Todd Berry (5-7)
2009	Sun Belt	6	6	0	Charlie Weatherbie (6-6)
2008	Sun Belt	4	8	0	Charlie Weatherbie (4-8)
2007	Sun Belt	6	6	0	Charlie Weatherbie (6-6)
2006	Sun Belt	4	8	0	Charlie Weatherbie (4-8)
2005	Sun Belt	5	6	0	Charlie Weatherbie (5-6)
2004	Sun Belt	5	6	0	Charlie Weatherbie (5-6)
2003	Sun Belt	1	11	0	Charlie Weatherbie (1-11)
2002	Sun Belt	3	9	0	Bobby Keasler (0-3), Mike Collins (3-6)
2001	Sun Belt	2	9	0	Bobby Keasler (2-9)

[PawDawg]

“Spectacular upsets” ?

[qng001]

Yeah, that chest pumping win against a suckass Arkansas (2012) team. The Razorbacks had that temporary one-year HC John Smith to coach that season after the Petrino incident.

[Blue Dawg]

They did beat Bama in 07, I think? But beating Bama ain't hard when you're from North Louisiana

Why do people have such a hard-on for this game? I just don't get it.

[qng001]

They beat Bama on their worst year (Saban's first year)

[jharris]

The author is spot on here: "In order to be considered something better than they are, schools like Tech need to tell other programs they’re better than them."

And here: " And that’s beside the point, because there is virtually no chance for Tech (or Houston or UCF or Boise or Cincinnati) to break into the Big 12 or another Power 5 conference."

And here: "These schools are more interesting sharing local history together than grasping for a rung that isn’t there."

Great rivalries are a part of great programs.

I've never understood why, if P5 teams like Florida State and Oklahoma aren't diminished by playing them, we are.

[inudesu]

Similarities? Just because we are in the same region...

It's all relative. If you zoom out to a P5/G5 level - then, yeah. Similar to that degree. We're both in the "have not" category and that's unlikely to change for either school anytime soon.

And while I don't think playing them really hurts us (the way many Tech fans do), there really is a difference between the top of the G5 and the bottom of the G5, even if that difference isn't ever going to mean the big jump to P5 levels (although - TCU, Utah, Louisville, etc might beg to differ).

[inudesu]

I've never understood why, if P5 teams like Florida State and Oklahoma aren't diminished by playing them, we are.

Do you think they'd play us under the same conditions that they get from Florida State and Oklahoma? We can't pay them as much, but even if we could, would they come play at our place without a return game? You're comparing apples to oranges.

[inudesu]

Great rivalries are a part of great programs.

Is this a "great" rivalry?

[jharris]

We can't pay them as much, but even if we could, would they come play at our place without a return game?

My point was those teams aren't diminished by having ULM on their schedules, so why would we be?

But I imagine we'd play them home-and-home. I remember playing them in Monroe in '90, back when we almost always had fewer home games than away games. I was glad that one of the away games was in Monroe, because practically it was almost as easy to attend as a home game.

We used to have a great rivalry with them. It's been non-existent for 20 years.

[qng001]

I would play them on a yearly base, @Ruston @Shreveport. I'm not going to step foot in Malone Stadium.

[jharris]

I would play them on a yearly base, @Ruston @Shreveport. I'm not going to step foot in Malone Stadium.

"In order to be considered [by themselves and themselves only] something better than they are, schools like Tech need to tell other programs they’re better than them."

[brtransplant]

My point was those teams aren't diminished by having ULM on their schedules, so why would we be?

But I imagine we'd play them home-and-home. I remember playing them in Monroe in '90, back when we almost always had fewer home games than away games. I was glad that one of the away games was in Monroe, because practically it was almost as easy to attend as a home game.

We used to have a great rivalry with them. It's been non-existent for 20 years.

It's a matter of their financial survival. We compete with them for state support, media coverage, fan support, and to a lesser extent, players. Playing them every year would help them way more than it would help us. I say to hell with ULM. We should do nothing that would ever help them.

[DawgFaninHous]

From a perspective of living outside of N La and seeing it for what it is, anyone that doesn't consider La Tech far above and beyond ULM is delusional. Talking with anyone interested in college football in any place of this country knows who La Tech is and can even site some of our more famous players of the past. No one knows who ULM is, except for a very miniscule group who travel in Sunbelt circles. The athletic programs, academics, and even the campus are so much better perceived.

ULM should never be in the G5 or playing FBS football. They are on par with the Southland schools and should still be a member of FCS. They have the history and budget for that and nothing more. The reason we are playing them this year - especially in Shreveport- is pure laziness on the part of our AD. He took the easiest way out and we will be no better for it. That's not just my opinion, but one shared by some very big $$ donors. I've heard them say it. The article listed is way off base and, if we believe it, then we're not seeing the big picture.