Baylor Red-Zone Report: Dawson Pendergrass Brings the Hammer in Week 3

As the dust finally settles in the aftermath of the Baylor Bears' 36-19 victory over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, the unpacking of Saturday's game can begin in earnest. That includes a breakdown of how the Bears' offense performed in the red zone.

In Week 3, Baylor appeared seriously threatened by Louisiana Tech, who played with a backup quarterback making his first start of the season. Granted, the Bears took the field without their starting signal-caller as well, though the drop-off from DJ Lagway to Nate Bennett seems less precipitous than the one the Bulldogs had to endure.

With that out of the way, let's dive into the Bears' offensive performance inside the red zone this week.

Red-zone offense by the numbers

For the second time in two weeks, the Bears' penchant for explosive plays effectively helped them skip over the red zone for much of the game. Bennett connected with Jayden McGowan for touchdowns of 36 yards or longer. The third-year quarterback also hit Louis Brown IV for a 51-yard score. Baylor actually produced touchdowns on each of its first three possessions, which provided all the scoring actually required to overcome the Bulldogs.

Still, the Bears did end up inside Louisiana Tech's 20-yard line on three occasions. Two of those trips culminated in trips to the end zone, one a long run by Bennett and another a short touchdown for Dawson Pendergrass. That score marked the running back's first of the 2026 season.

Pound the rock 🪨 @Dawson_penni pic.twitter.com/ZEwamhAvaH
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) September 19, 2026

As for Bennett's rushing touchdown, the offense technically scored from outside the red zone. However, the drive itself reached the Bulldogs' 18-yard line before a negative run and a subsequent false start pushed Baylor back to the 25. Regardless, the drive counts for purposes of assessing the red-zone performance.

On the Bears' third red-zone trip, they faced a fourth-and-3 from the Louisiana Tech 6-yard line when head coach Dave Aranda opted to attempt a field goal. Prior to the kick, Baylor held a 26-7 lead, already a decisive three-possession advantage. In a tighter contest, Aranda could have (and probably would have) left the offense on the field instead and pushed to extend the drive or score.

Red-zone turning point

Though a one-sided contest ultimately unfolded in Waco this week, that outcome hardly appeared assured when the Louisiana Tech defense forced the Bears out of the red zone on their opening possession. Still, Bennett overcame back-to-back mistakes by the offense that pushed the Bears from inside the red zone to the 25-yard line. With the Bulldogs manned up against the outside receivers and blitzing, he maneuvered around multiple pass rushers and found the open space to his left.

Quick flash and a mad dash by @n8_bennett 💥 pic.twitter.com/x9OE9Lx2ZO
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) September 19, 2026

Baylor controlled the game from that point forward. The Bulldogs eventually drew the final score closer, but they never seriously threatened to steal the win again.

Adjustments for next week

With Lagway emphatically saying that he will play in next Saturday's tilt with the Colorado Buffaloes, the offense could have an extra gear in the red zone. Though Bennett offers a more-than-credible threat as a runner, Lagway's physical skill set represents a different level of athleticism.

Of course, that only applies if Lagway can indeed move as he did before his ankle injury. Lagway told Baylor Bears On SI that he plans to play "his brand of football" upon returning, a not-so-subtle suggestion that he expects to regain his mobility by next week. If that indeed happens, Colorado will have to change the way it approaches the Baylor offense, both in the red zone and otherwise.

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