Baylor Football

Game Thread: Baylor Battles Louisiana Tech Before Big 12 Play Begins

Game thread ahead of Baylor versus Louisiana Tech.
By SicEm365 Staff
September 18, 2026
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SICEM365 GAME THREAD

Baylor vs. Louisiana Tech

Non-Conference Finale • Family Weekend
Saturday, September 19, 2026 • 3:00 p.m. CT • ESPNU
McLane Stadium • Waco, TX • Home
Records Baylor 1-1 (0-0 Big 12) | Louisiana Tech 1-1 (0-0 Sun Belt)
Coaches Dave Aranda (Year 7) vs. Sonny Cumbie (Year 5)
Kickoff 3:00 p.m. CT / 4:00 p.m. ET
TV ESPNU
Radio John Morris, Geff Gandy, Bryson Jackson • KRZI 1660 AM / 92.3 FM
Stream ESPNU / ESPN app • BaylorBears.com radio
Series Baylor leads 5-1 • 3-1 in Waco
Last meeting Baylor 24, Louisiana Tech 16 (Shreveport, Sept. 7, 1996)
Last game Baylor 44, Prairie View A&M 3 (Sept. 12)
Line Baylor -19.5 • O/U 51.5 • as of Sept. 17

Why This Game Matters

  • Final non-conference game before Colorado opens Big 12 play next week
  • Family Weekend at McLane; Baylor Backyard Live with Members Only
  • Both starting QBs are out: DJ Lagway (ankle) and Blake Baker (hand)
  • Nate Bennett makes his second start after 314 yards and 4 TDs vs. PVAMU
  • Need to clean up 9 penalties and 3 turnovers from last Saturday

Series History

  • Baylor leads 5-1 all-time; last meeting was 1996 in Shreveport (24-16 BU)
  • Tech’s only win: 10-9 at Floyd Casey in 1992
  • Tech this year: W 80-6 vs. Northwestern State, L 45-14 at No. 8 LSU
  • Tech trailed LSU just 10-7 at half after four first-half takeaways

Keys for Baylor

  1. Protect the ball. Tech is +2 in turnover margin and picked Sam Leavitt three times.
  2. Cut the flags. Aranda: “Right now, it’s too easy to beat us, with the penalties and the turnovers.”
  3. Start fast. Tech hung around into the third quarter at LSU. Do not wait for a punch.
  4. Win the line without Tezino. Season-ending leg injury last week. Mitchell’s injunction keeps him available.
  5. Let Bennett play on schedule. Run Pendergrass, take the easy throws, avoid the two-pick repeat.

Players to Watch

Baylor: QB Nate Bennett • RB Dawson Pendergrass • WR Gavin Freeman, Louis Brown IV, Dre'lon Miller • DE Kyler Jordan • DL Hosea Wheeler, Traevon Mitchell • LB Travion Barnes

Louisiana Tech: QB Trey Kukuk (start with Baker out) • WR Jalen Mickens • DB Jordan McRae (100-yard INT return vs. LSU) • a DL/LB group Aranda called talented and takeaway-heavy

SicEm365 Louisiana Tech week reading

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Discussion from...

Game Thread: Baylor Battles Louisiana Tech Before Big 12 Play Begins

31,553 Views | 459 Replies | Last: 4 days ago by FLBear5630
bear2be2
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3:16p, 9/19/26
That was a great drive for Bennett. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the offensive line.
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historian
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In reply to boognish_bear • 3:18p, 9/19/26
boognish_bear said:
historian said:
Why hot pink? That's so ugly on a football uniform?





Baylor football will wear a special "Helmet of Hope" decal during its Sept. 19 Gold Rush game against Louisiana Tech, featuring artwork created by 6-year-old Ilaria Ramirez of Cameron, Texas.

The design includes the words "faith," "victory" and "strength," creating a powerful symbol of support for children and families battling childhood cancer.

Thanks for the explanation. I like all of that! I still don't like the hot pink.
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”
Psalm 119:36
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bear2be2
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In reply to IowaBear • 3:18p, 9/19/26
IowaBear said:
Doubt many had a long Bennett rushing TD on their bingo cards

He's had one in both of his starts so far. It may be time for defenses to respect his legs a little more.
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bear2be2
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In reply to JXL • 3:19p, 9/19/26
JXL said:
Bailed by a stupid penalty on la tech

It should have been PI, too.

The receiver got behind the CB and Nate put a good ball on him under pressure.
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Team America
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3:22p, 9/19/26
HOLY CRAP THE END OF THE VANDY GAME!!!!!!!!!
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JXL
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3:22p, 9/19/26
Run defense is not distinguishing itself so far
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bear2be2
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3:22p, 9/19/26
I love that we have a disruptive defense again. We haven't had one since 2021.
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Space Cutter
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3:22p, 9/19/26
Announce after game Bennett will be starter versus CU. Sit Lagway and hold all his NIL money. Maybe his ankle will heal miraculously.
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bear2be2
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3:23p, 9/19/26
Barnes almost picked that. Nice play.
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Team America
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3:23p, 9/19/26
NC State up by 3 with the ball. QB running around in the end zone to run out the clock, fumbles and Vandy recovers for the TD!
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bear2be2
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In reply to Space Cutter • 3:23p, 9/19/26
Space Cutter said:
Announce after game Bennett will be starter versus CU. Sit Lagway and hold all his NIL money. Maybe his ankle will heal miraculously.

Why would you punish a guy for injuring his ankle? This is dumb.
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bear2be2
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3:24p, 9/19/26
Got to hold them to three here.
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BellCountyBear
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3:25p, 9/19/26
We will be lucky to go .500 in conference play.
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bear2be2
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 3:25p, 9/19/26
BellCountyBear said:
We will be lucky to go .500 in conference play.

Have you watched the rest of the Big 12 this year? We'll be in every game except for maybe BYU on the road.

We may or may not win those games, but no one on our schedule except for BYU has looked substantially better than we have.
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BellCountyBear
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3:26p, 9/19/26
This defense is really not that much better than last year's.
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bear2be2
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3:27p, 9/19/26
We've got to do a better job against the quarterback run. We're getting good pressure and push. But their QB is killing us right now.
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BUGWBBear
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3:27p, 9/19/26
They're finding out LA Tech is no PVAM.
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bear2be2
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 3:27p, 9/19/26
BellCountyBear said:
This defense is really not that much better than last year's.

Based on one scripted drive by La. Tech? Let the game play out.

I trust Klanderman to make the necessary adjustments.
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Danielsjackson114
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3:27p, 9/19/26
Wish Dave would just fkn quit already
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perrynative
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3:27p, 9/19/26
fenseless
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IowaBear
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3:28p, 9/19/26
I don't believe for 1 second than this defense is anything other than average at best.
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ImABearToo
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3:28p, 9/19/26
We are not able to show up defensively for the opening drive.
“Life is short, eat desert first!”
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BUGWBBear
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3:28p, 9/19/26
Davey gets confused again. Fire him. Do it at the half.
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BellCountyBear
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In reply to bear2be2 • 3:28p, 9/19/26
bear2be2 said:
BellCountyBear said:
We will be lucky to go .500 in conference play.

Have you watched the rest of the Big 12 this year? We'll be in every game except for maybe BYU on the road.

We may or may not win those games, but no one on our schedule except for BYU has looked substantially better than we have.

Name 4 conference games we will be favored.
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davesburgerbarn
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3:29p, 9/19/26
Can't wait to see who Doug bring in for the next HC.
http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/texas/mouthwatering-burgers-tx/

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Guitarbiscuit
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3:30p, 9/19/26
If we lose this game, I'm wondering what effect, if any, this would have on CDA's job security. Guessing nothing would happen immediately but perhaps the administration would finally start squirming. Then again they have not done anything yet despite a large sample size of crap football.
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bear2be2
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 3:30p, 9/19/26
BellCountyBear said:
bear2be2 said:
BellCountyBear said:
We will be lucky to go .500 in conference play.

Have you watched the rest of the Big 12 this year? We'll be in every game except for maybe BYU on the road.

We may or may not win those games, but no one on our schedule except for BYU has looked substantially better than we have.

Name 4 conference games we will be favored.

Colorado, Kansas, UCF and Iowa State.

Maybe Arizona State and TCU, too, depending on how things play out the next two weeks.

The Big 12 is not good this year. No one but the Utah schools look like anything special, and they haven't played anyone yet.
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IowaBear
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 3:31p, 9/19/26
I can name 4 that we won't. Probably a few Baylor will be slight favorites in. But that's the go to line here. Baylor has chances because the B12 sucks. That logic completely ignores the elephant in the room… Baylor sucks as well
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Guitarbiscuit
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In reply to davesburgerbarn • 3:31p, 9/19/26
davesburgerbarn said:
Can't wait to see who Doug bring in for the next HC.


Guessing that losing this game could hasten his departure.
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Stranger
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3:31p, 9/19/26
ugly velveeta outfits with pink hat decals

division 2 here we come
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IowaBear
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In reply to bear2be2 • 3:31p, 9/19/26
Baylor's not being favored at Az St lol
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bear2be2
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In reply to Guitarbiscuit • 3:32p, 9/19/26
Guitarbiscuit said:
If we lose this game, I'm wondering what effect, if any, this would have on CDA's job security. Guessing nothing would happen immediately but perhaps the administration would finally start squirming. Then again they have not done anything yet despite a large sample size of crap football.

If we lose this game, he'll get fired at some point this season ... and deservedly so.

But we're not going to lose this game.
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BUGWBBear
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In reply to Guitarbiscuit • 3:32p, 9/19/26
Mommy Linda won't allow it. She uses that bald head for many purposes.
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JXL
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3:33p, 9/19/26
That was quite a throw and catch
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Danielsjackson114
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In reply to bear2be2 • 3:33p, 9/19/26
We said the same bs last year game after game after game and the year before that
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