Star tailback Ryan Moats says he expects to play this week despite an ankle injury that gave Louisiana Tech a scare.

Moats grabbed his right ankle and writhed in pain midway through the first quarter of Saturday's 52-7 loss at Auburn. He entered the game as the second-leading rusher in the nation and left with zero yards on three carries.

"My ankle is OK," Moats said.

"I got caught up a little bit and just stepped on the side, so I just rolled it. The doctors did not want to chance the injury. ... In my heart, I plan to be ready (this week). We will just have to see how it feels. I'm going to do everything I can to be ready."

Backup Freddie Franklin rushed for 75 yards on 13 carries. Coach Jack Bicknell said Moats is questionable this week.

"It's important that we prove we can win without (Ryan)," Bicknell said. "We are not a one man team."

GAME BALL GOES TO: WR Johnathan Holland -- He made three grabs for 122 yards, including a 78-yarder that accounted for the Bulldogs' only touchdown against Auburn. He only had eight catches in the first five games.

KEEP AN EYE ON: RB Freddie Franklin -- He played well against Auburn and likely will carry at least some of the load this week against SMU. He could provide valuable relief for Ryan Moats as the WAC race heats up.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're 2-0 in the WAC and now we get back to the WAC. We've had fun in the SEC, but I've had my fill." -- Louisiana Tech coach Jack Bicknell, whose team lost to Tennessee and Auburn (as well as the ACC's Miami) in the past four weeks

LOOKING GOOD: The remainder of the schedule -- The Bulldogs play four of the final six on the road, but only one of them comes against a Top 25 team (Boise State). That's an improvement after playing four straight Top 25 teams.

STILL NEEDS SOME WORK: Non-conference scheduling -- It doesn't do the Bulldogs, or the WAC, any good to have one of its teams play Miami, Tennessee and Auburn in a four-week span. There aren't many above-average big-conference teams that could survive that.

ROSTER REPORT: Tailback Ryan Moats (ankle) is questionable this week at SMU.