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

39,221 Views | 459 Replies | Last: 9 days ago by FLBear5630
BellCountyBear
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In reply to bear2be2 • 3:33p, 9/19/26
bear2be2 said:
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.

You are touched in the head.
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bear2be2
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3:33p, 9/19/26
I may have to change my opinion on Bennett as a starting-caliber QB. He looks damn good today.
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bear2be2
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 3:34p, 9/19/26
BellCountyBear said:
bear2be2 said:
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.

You are touched in the head.

The lines are public. I'm sure you'll admit it if you're wrong.
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Guitarbiscuit
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In reply to BUGWBBear • 3:34p, 9/19/26
BUGWBBear said:
Mommy Linda won't allow it. She uses that bald head for many purposes.


Care to elucidate? Inquiring minds.
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guadalupeoso
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In reply to Stranger • 3:35p, 9/19/26
Stranger said:
ugly velveeta outfits with pink hat decals

division 2 here we come

Don't call what you're wearing an outfit
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BUGWBBear
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In reply to Guitarbiscuit • 3:36p, 9/19/26
Ask the AD because he's forced to watch.
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whitetrash
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3:36p, 9/19/26
Aaaaand it's time for another Vacation Bible Camp praise band singalong.
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Guitarbiscuit
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In reply to BUGWBBear • 3:36p, 9/19/26
BUGWBBear said:
Ask the AD because he's forced to watch.


This sounds like Big Lebowski action.
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bear2be2
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In reply to IowaBear • 3:37p, 9/19/26
IowaBear said:
Baylor's not being favored at Az St lol

What has Arizona State done this year that has impressed you so much?

Completely self destructing against a four- or five-loss A&M team or scoring 24 against a ****ty Kansas team?

That team is solid defensively and well-coached, but Boley is really erratic and they can't run the football offensively.
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bear2be2
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In reply to Danielsjackson114 • 3:39p, 9/19/26
Danielsjackson114 said:
We said the same bs last year game after game after game and the year before that

I still think Aranda would have been fired last year if Rhoades hadn't had his midlife crisis.

But the seat is much hotter this year regardless.
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Big12Fan2024
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3:39p, 9/19/26
That was a good catch by Freeman. Bad throw behind him could have been picked.
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IowaBear
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In reply to bear2be2 • 3:40p, 9/19/26
What has Baylor done to deserve to be favored on the road against a mid team? I'll wait
And to answer your question Kenny Dillingham > Dip**** Dave and it's not even close
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bear2be2
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3:41p, 9/19/26
Our inability to get consistent push in the run game is going to make scoring in the red zone difficult all season.
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Big12Fan2024
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3:41p, 9/19/26
Gotta be a hold or PI in the end zone.
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bear2be2
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In reply to IowaBear • 3:41p, 9/19/26
IowaBear said:
What has Baylor done to deserve to be favored on the road against a mid team? I'll wait
And to answer your question Kenny Dillingham > Dip**** Dave and it's not even close

Vegas doesn't work like that. They judge the rosters and analytical trends.

Unless we look like **** against Colorado, the spread on that game will be a field goal either way at most.

And if we look like **** against Colorado, there's no reason for all of this angst in the first place.
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BellCountyBear
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In reply to bear2be2 • 3:42p, 9/19/26
bear2be2 said:
BellCountyBear said:
bear2be2 said:
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.

You are touched in the head.

The lines are public. I'm sure you'll admit it if you're wrong.

Yes, I hope I can.
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ImABearToo
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3:42p, 9/19/26
Bailed out again.
“Life is short, eat desert first!”
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JXL
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3:42p, 9/19/26
Grabbing that jersey will get you called for PI
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BellCountyBear
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3:43p, 9/19/26
Oline is still soft.
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Big12Fan2024
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3:43p, 9/19/26
How did the ground not cause the fumble?

EDIT: okay they got it right.
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bear2be2
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In reply to ImABearToo • 3:43p, 9/19/26
ImABearToo said:
Bailed out again.

It's not a bail out when the call is obviously correct.
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Team America
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 3:43p, 9/19/26
BellCountyBear said:
Oline is still soft.


We are missing 2 or 3 starters.
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JXL
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3:44p, 9/19/26
That's not a fumble
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bear2be2
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In reply to BellCountyBear • 3:44p, 9/19/26
BellCountyBear said:
Oline is still soft.

This is a fact. We're solid in pass protection, but our run blocking is suspect at best.

Fortunately, we have a No. 1 back who can turn nothing into 3- or 4-yard gains consistently, so we don't get too far behind the chains.
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BUGWBBear
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In reply to Team America • 3:44p, 9/19/26
Then the replacements better STEP THE HELL UP WITH BALLS DROPPED!
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bear2be2
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In reply to Team America • 3:45p, 9/19/26
Team America said:
BellCountyBear said:
Oline is still soft.


We are missing 2 or 3 starters.

We didn't get any push in the run game when healthy. This just isn't a very good run blocking line.
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whitetrash
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3:45p, 9/19/26
Clouds!!!!!
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Team America
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In reply to bear2be2 • 3:47p, 9/19/26
bear2be2 said:
Team America said:
BellCountyBear said:
Oline is still soft.


We are missing 2 or 3 starters.

We didn't get any push in the run game when healthy. This just isn't a very good run blocking line.


Not going to disagree with you. Just providing some context for this game. Our run blocking has been extremely lacking.
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bear2be2
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3:47p, 9/19/26
La. Tech has a pretty good defensive front for its level. LSU didn't run all over them either. But you'd like to have some bigger holes to run through.

I can't complain about two touchdowns in two possessions, though, especially with a backup quarterback.
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bear2be2
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In reply to Team America • 3:49p, 9/19/26
Team America said:
bear2be2 said:
Team America said:
BellCountyBear said:
Oline is still soft.


We are missing 2 or 3 starters.

We didn't get any push in the run game when healthy. This just isn't a very good run blocking line.


Not going to disagree with you. Just providing some context for this game. Our run blocking has been extremely lacking.

We also lost our projected starting center before the season even began. But that's our fault for relying on a transfer with no eligibility remaining.
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bear2be2
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3:49p, 9/19/26
Our D-line is legit. This is probably the best group we've had up front since 2019.

The fact that we could lose Tezino and not even feel it is a substantial development for a program that has no D-line depth the past several years.
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BUATX2000
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3:50p, 9/19/26
My goodness these are ugly uniforms. Banana and pickle with cotton candy.
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bear2be2
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3:51p, 9/19/26
That defensive possession looked much, much better. Score here and we'll be able to pull away.
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Big12Fan2024
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3:51p, 9/19/26
LSU averaged 1.8 yards a carry until they broke a single 47 yard run in the 4th quarter and the majority of their rushing yards came from Leavitt on bootlegs. Backs did very little until late in the game when they finally wore La Tech down. La Tech's front 7 is pretty solid.

But this O line is gonna struggle in the run game all year so I'm not making any excuses for them.
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bear2be2
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3:52p, 9/19/26
What a throw. Nate the great is on fire today.
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