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 Louisiana Tech finished the season with a 9-5 record after its
first win inside the Cotton Bowl. The Bulldogs are also 2-0 all time
against the Fighting Illini.
"This was the opportunity to finish this season the right way,"
Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz said. "And I couldn't be more proud
of this football team, the way they competed."
Dixon became the career rushing leader at Louisiana Tech after a
28-yard run in the first quarter and ended with 63 yards on 13
carries. The junior, who also had a receiving touchdown, has 3,410
yards rushing in three years.
Bulldogs defensive end and game MVP Houston Bates, a transfer from
Illinois, racked up 4 1/2 sacks against his former teammates.
Louisiana Tech quarterback Cody Sokol passed for 247 yards and a
score.
"I felt like our defense kept us in it with some executions they
were doing," Dixon said. "Houston did a good job and everything. And
as far as my play, just did what it takes to win and made a couple
little plays and ran behind some of the blocks and just did it."
 The Illini (6-7) reached a bowl game for the first time since 2011,
but they head into the offseason with a losing record for the third
consecutive year. Illinois gained more yards (450-361) and held the
ball longer (35:00-25:00) but was undone by mistakes.
"Points are all that matters," Illini coach Tim Beckman said. "They
had more points than we did, so our football team realizes what we
have to do to make sure that next year, when we're in a bowl game,
that we're victorious."
The Bulldogs were the first to get on the board midway through the
first quarter. An Illinois penalty on fourth down kept the 63-yard
touchdown drive alive.
Needing less than a yard at the Illini 26-yard line, Sokol dropped
back to pass after a play-action fake. The pass fell incomplete, but
Illinois defensive back Darius Mosley was flagged for grabbing the
jersey of tight end Josh Gaston.
Louisiana Tech running back Jarred Craft scored on the next play
from 16 yards.
The Illini responded on the ensuing drive with a short field goal
set up by receiver Mike Dudek's 51-yard reverse.
The Bulldogs needed just one play to strike back. Sokol found Dixon
on a wheel route out of the backfield and he raced 80 yards
virtually untouched.
Illinois cut the deficit to 14-9 on quarterback Reilly O'Toole's
25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jon Davis early in the second
quarter.
A missed extra point attempt by Taylor Zalewski underlined the
Illini's kicking woes. Zalewski and backup kicker David Reisner both
missed field goal tries in the first half.
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The country's most opportunistic defense made it 21-9 in the
second quarter on safety Xavier Woods' 69-yard interception return
for a touchdown. Louisiana Tech came into the game leading the
nation in turnovers forced and points off turnovers.
The Bulldogs went into halftime up 12 points despite being nearly
doubled in total yardage (291-154) and Illinois controlling the ball
for nearly 21 minutes. Illinois made it a six-point game with a
long touchdown drive halfway through the third quarter. Running back
Donovonn Young punched it in from the 3 to make it 21-15. The Illini
opted to go for 2, but O'Toole's pass fell incomplete.
Reisner finally gave Illinois some good news in the kicking game
early in the fourth by knocking home a 43-yard field goal. The kick
hit the right upright before bouncing through to cut Louisiana
Tech's lead to 21-18.
The Illini appeared to be in position to score again on the next
drive after linebacker LaKeith Walls forced a fumble by Sokol.
Defensive end Jihad Ward picked up the ball and returned it inside
the Louisiana Tech 20 before fumbling himself.
"It was misfortunate," Beckman said. "Again, when you rush and pass
and create the fumble, Jihad picks the ball and ... runs down the
field and fumbles that football."
Sokol ended up recovering the fumble and took advantage of the
second chance. Four plays later, he found receiver Carlos Henderson
down the sideline on a 70-yard pass to the Illini 3.
 Dixon powered in for his 53rd career rushing touchdown to give the
Bulldogs a 28-18 lead.
NOTES: Louisiana Tech RB Kenneth Dixon's 80-yard touchdown catch in
the first quarter represented the fasted scoring drive in Heart of
Dallas Bowl history (12 seconds). Dixon scored at least one
touchdown in every game this season. ... Louisiana Tech improved to
3-3-1 in bowl games and Illinois dropped to 8-10. The Bulldogs have
also won their last three games against Big Ten teams. ... Louisiana
Tech S Xavier Woods' 230 return yards on interceptions this season
set a school record. ... WR Mike Dudek became the first freshman and
ninth Illinois player overall with 1,000 yards receiving in a
season.
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