The 1971 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Louisiana Tech University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. In their fifth year under head coach Maxie Lambright, the team had an impressive season, they achieved a 9–2 record and secured the Southland Conference championship in addition they emerged victorious in the pioneer bowl defeating 1971 Eastern Michigan Hurons football team with a score of 14-3 .
- The Pioneer Bowl may not be as well-known as some of the major college football bowls, but it holds a special place in the history of college football, especially for programs like Louisiana Tech.
| 1971 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football | |
|---|---|
NCAA College Division Midwest Region champion Southland champion Pioneer Bowl champion | |
Pioneer Bowl, W 14–3 vs. Eastern Michigan | |
| Conference | Southland Conference |
| Record | 9–2 (4–1 Southland) |
| Head coach |
|
| Captain | Ken Lantrip, Chris Richardson |
| Home stadium | Louisiana Tech Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Louisiana Tech + | 4 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trinity (TX) + | 4 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lamar + | 4 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SW Louisiana | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas State | 1 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas–Arlington | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abilene Christian | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 18 | at Tampa* | W 28–20 | 27,333 | [1] | ||
| September 25 | Lamar | No. T–9 | W 26–7 | 13,800 | [2] | |
| October 2 | at McNeese State | No. 7 | L 22–29 | 13,500 | [3] | |
| October 9 | Southwestern Louisiana |
| W 35–15 | 15,200 | [4] | |
| October 16 | No. 6 Arkansas State |
| W 28–27 | 14,600 | [5] | |
| October 23 | vs. Northwestern State* | No. 10 | W 33–21 | 27,000 | [6] | |
| October 30 | at Southeastern Louisiana* | No. 8 | W 24–9 | 7,000 | [7] | |
| November 6 | at Chattanooga* | No. 5 | W 35–20 | 5,000 | [8] | |
| November 13 | Southern Miss* | No. 4 |
| L 20–24 | 17,000 | [9] |
| November 20 | Northeast Louisiana* | No. 5 |
| W 23–0 | 12,500 | [10] |
| December 11 | vs. No. 3 Eastern Michigan* | No. 4 | W 14–3 | 8,156 | [11] | |
| ||||||