Arkansas State vs. Louisiana Tech, 2015 New Orleans Bowl results: Jeff Driskel got his NOLA redemption

Including a delightful Celebration Bowl between NC A&T and Alcorn State — a 41-34 A&T win — there were eight return touchdowns (three punt returns, a kick return, three interception returns, and a fumble return) and 10 touchdowns on gains of 30-plus yards in Saturday’s six bowls.

Eighteen touchdowns via defense, special teams, or huge gainer, combining to gain 1,082 yards. Are you not entertained?

It was quite the career capper for Louisiana Tech’s seniors, as the Bulldogs rode a huge second half to a 47-28 New Orleans Bowl win over Arkansas State.

Louisiana Tech jumped out to a big 17-3 lead behind the arm of former Florida Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel and the legs of NCAA record-setting running back Kenneth Dixon. However, Arkansas State came back and tied the game up at 17 by halftime, and the Red Wolves answered the Bulldogs’ first touchdown of the second half.

Louisiana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon scored his NCAA-record 86th touchdown in the New Orleans Bowl with this score. But is it really him? We’ll never know, because he scored with no number.

Dixon’s number had been falling off throughout the third quarter.

Did you know the New Orleans Bowl is really just one of those holiday parties where they tell you wear a garish sweater? It’s true. Look at Arkansas State graduate assistant Kyle Cefalo:

He’s probably wearing a colorful sweater so players can spot him more easily on the sideline, like other grad assistants have been known to do in the past. As for the turtle theme, his boss is reportedly leaving for Maryland, whose mascot is a turtle. Those are both guesses, though.

For the second time, the New Orleans Bowl has featured someone bleeding profusely from their head. This year, a referee kept on chugging, despite the blood coming out of his head.

The New Orleans Bowl has been all ref carnage so far, as right before this, a ref got knocked down.

It’s the first of two trips to New Orleans for this bowl season, as Conference USA’s Arkansas State (9-3, 8-0 in league play) takes on the Sun Belt’s Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (8-4, 6-2 in conference).

The Red Wolves, meanwhile, closed the year out with eight straight wins, averaging 41 points under second-year head coach Blake Anderson. Arkansas State came in at 31 in rushing offense S&P+, with an attack that averages 235 yards per game and had three different backs rush for more than 500 yards on the season. On defense, the Red Wolves led the country in interceptions with 26, six of which were run back for touchdowns. The secondary checked in at seventh in passing effectiveness rate, but they were vulnerable to big plays at times, allowing 31 passes of 20 yards or more.

Louisiana Tech pulled a mini-Memphis, losing key contributors and a defensive coordinator (Manny Diaz) from a breakthrough team (the Bulldogs went 9-5 in 2014 and ranked 34th in S&P+), watching its defense regress, and winning with offense.

Skip Holtz’s Bulldogs can’t defend the pass, but they stuff the run, and they outscore you ... usually. In their eight wins, they scored 41 points per game, and in their four losses, they allowed 46.

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Before the Mercedes-Benz Superdome plays host to the Sugar Bowl, the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl is set for its 15th edition of the Sun Belt Conference against the Mountain West Conference. Or at least, it was until Conference USA’s Louisiana Tech stepped in as an at-large instead of a Mountain West representative.

In the previous four New Orleans Bowl games, the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns made it to the game and earned a victory each time. Not since Troy defeated Ohio nearly five years ago has the New Orleans Bowl not featured ULL.