Boise State officially says good-bye to the WAC this summer, leaving behind rivalries, mismatches, and a whole lot of memories. For the next week or so, OBNUG will be bidding adieu to each and every WAC team. Today: LaTech.
Boise State had some good times with the Bulldogs over the years, mostly at the expense of Taylor Bennett and Derek Dooley, and rarely in Ruston, Louisiana. In fact, I would be fine if the Broncos never set foot in Ruston again. Every game they play there is closer than it should be; you never know when Karl Malone might come out from around a corner, tell a joke, and awkwardly put his hand on your knee; and come on, it's Ruston. Do they even have a Best Buy?
After the jump, I dredge up some LaTech memories, and you're invited to do the same in the comments. Remember the 2003 shootout? Does the name Ryan Moats ring any bells? Think we'll ever see the Bulldogs on the schedule again? Let's discuss.
Record against Boise State in WAC play
1-9
Believe it or not, the Bulldogs held a three game winning streak in this series with wins in 1997 and 1998 (non-WAC years) and 2001 (Boise State's first WAC year). Since then it has been all Broncos. Avenge Dirk Koetter!
Most memorable game
Boise State 43, Louisiana Tech 37 (2003)
This game featured the Brady-Manning QB matchup of early 00's WAC football: Ryan Dinwiddie versus Luke McCown. LaTech's McCown had a good enough day - 437 yards and two scores. But Dinwiddie had a GREAT day - a school-record 532 yards and five total touchdowns. He led the Broncos back from a halftime deficit with touchdown passes to Trent Lundin and Jerry Smith. He and Tim Gilligan hooked up 16 times for 255 yards. He vultured two one-yard touchdown runs from David Mikell. Gauntlet thrown, Kellen Moore.
Sappy 80's song to play them off
"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
As featured in the film Dirty Dancing, which I believe was a documentary feature on the BYU honor code.
Person I will miss the most
Derek Dooley
The Bulldogs were a lot easier to dislike when Dooley was roaming the sidelines. He had that air of invincibility that inspired sportswriters to peg him as the Next Big Thing, and he won a total of 12 WAC games in three years, which inspired the University of Tennessee to hand him their head coaching job.
Dooley was the epitome of a WAC coach - good enough to get fans excited every offseason but bad enough that he never won the big game (usually against Boise State). At least Dooley was good for some easy ribbing for his red-hot intensity. That man could seethe.
Favorite memory
Louisiana Tech quarterback Taylor Bennett was originally a Boise State Bronco commitment. That got old for him pretty fast, so he up and left for Georgia Tech, which got old once they started running the triple option, so he up and left for Ruston and a starting spot with the Bulldogs.
Cosmic justice prevailed, however, when Bennett returned to Boise in 2008 to have his rear end handed to him by the Broncos. Bennett went 9-for-27, and the Broncos won 38-3. He was a backup to Ross Jenkins two weeks later.
When Boise State will see the Bulldogs again
Probably never
Traveling halfway across the country to play in Louisiana was neither enjoyable nor prudent for the Boise State athletic office, so I can't foresee Gene Bleymaier willingly scheduling any games with the Bulldogs in the future. Now, if the future happened to contain a Mountain West - CUSA championship game, then I could see it happening. However, that future would also have to contain Sonny Dykes finding a good quarterback.
Your turn
What is your favorite memory of Boise State and Louisiana Tech? Share your thoughts in the comments.