RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — Blake Baker threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, and home Louisiana Tech held off visiting Louisiana 32-31 on Saturday at Joe Aillet Stadium in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game. The Bulldogs improved to 3-2. The Ragin’ Cajuns fell to 4-2. A crowd of 20,035 watched Louisiana Tech survive a late charge from Louisiana.

Baker, the Louisiana Tech quarterback from Cypress, Texas, completed 32 of 42 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran 11 times for 35 yards and a score. Baker was the Bulldogs’ top star. Eli Finley caught nine passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Jalen Mickens had nine receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown and added a 3-yard rushing score. Talyn Shettron caught eight passes for 102 yards and ran once for 1 yard. Jay Wilkerson had two receptions for 2 yards. Marcus Calwise Jr. caught one pass for 10 yards.

Louisiana quarterback Lunch Winfield went 14 of 24 for 239 yards and a touchdown. He ran 13 times for 34 yards and a touchdown and made one tackle. KeDarius Wade caught two passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. Shelton Sampson Jr. had two receptions for 60 yards. Landon Strother caught two passes for 19 yards. Kristion Brooks had one catch for 12 yards. Anthony Reagan Jr. ran three times for 6 yards, caught two passes for 9 yards and returned two kickoffs for 48 yards. Steven Blanco ran eight times for 36 yards and caught one pass for 4 yards. Rahji Dennis added a 23-yard run.

The quarter scoring kept the game close throughout. Louisiana scored 10 points in the first quarter, 14 in the second and 7 in the third. Louisiana Tech scored 13 in the first and 19 in the third. The Bulldogs’ defense made the final stand after Louisiana had moved into scoring position late.

Louisiana’s defense was led by Jake St. Andre, who made 14 tackles. Micah Johnson added 10 tackles and one quarterback hurry. Maurion Eleam had nine tackles. Brent Gordon Jr. recorded seven tackles and one quarterback hurry. Chase Edwards, Lake Bates and Kody Jackson each made six tackles. Lance Williams had six tackles and two quarterback hurries. Fitzgerald West Jr. made two tackles and two quarterback hurries. Ashley Williams had four tackles and two quarterback hurries. Maxie Baudoin IV added four tackles. Brodrick Stewart and Luke Green each had three tackles. Lester Jones made two tackles and one sack. Harrison Kidder, Princeton Malbrue, Kailep Edwards, Jayden Reed, Avery Demery and Kerry Wilson each made two tackles. Jayden Glosten, Na’Tori Brown, Caden Jensen and Logan Klotz each had one tackle. Mason Golding punted three times for 123 yards. Tony Sterner handled kicking duties and also made one tackle.

Louisiana Tech’s defensive efforts included nine tackles from Sam Fongang. Taeden Rogers made seven tackles. Alonzo Jackson Jr. recorded seven tackles, one sack and one quarterback hurry. Zheric Hill and Janard Lockhardt each had six tackles and one quarterback hurry. Jordan McRae made six tackles and intercepted a pass. Kolbe Fields had four tackles. Jacob Bradford added three tackles.

The game featured a back-and-forth sequence of big plays. Baker opened the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Finley. Winfield answered with a 7-yard touchdown run. Tony Sterner then made a 30-yard field goal. Baker found Mickens for a 14-yard touchdown, but Hunter Rioux’s extra point failed. Hunter Rioux later missed a 50-yard field goal. JJ Garner broke free for a 20-yard Louisiana touchdown. Trenton Chaney added a 25-yard scoring run. Mickens scored on a 3-yard run for Louisiana Tech, but Baker’s two-point pass failed. Winfield connected with Wade for a 45-yard touchdown. Baker ran 12 yards for a touchdown, and Rioux made the extra point. Baker then hit Finley for a 7-yard touchdown, but Baker’s two-point run failed.

Louisiana entered at 4-1 after a 23-20 win over Arkansas State, a 34-7 win at Charlotte, a 21-14 win over UAB, a 49-30 loss at Southern California and a 38-7 win over Lamar. Louisiana Tech entered at 2-2 after a 31-29 win over Army, a 36-19 loss at Baylor, a 45-14 loss at LSU and an 80-6 win over Northwestern State. The Bulldogs improved to 3-2 with the win, while Louisiana slipped to 4-2. Louisiana Tech next visits Louisiana-Monroe. Old Dominion then visits Louisiana Tech, followed by trips to South Alabama and Troy. Southern Mississippi, Arkansas State and a trip to Georgia Southern round out the Bulldogs’ upcoming schedule. Louisiana next hosts Troy before visiting Southern Mississippi. The Ragin’ Cajuns then host South Alabama, visit Louisiana-Monroe, host Coastal Carolina and visit Georgia State.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Louisiana Tech 41, Louisiana 33. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Louisiana Tech with a 52.7 percent probability to win. Louisiana had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +3. The total score of 63 went under the over/under line of 48.5.