Staff Predictions: Baylor Football Hosts Louisiana Tech Ahead of Big 12 Play

The Bears will take on the Bulldogs in a battle of backups.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the first time since 1996, Baylor will take on Louisiana Tech. The Bears hold a 5-1 all-time record against the Bulldogs. Baylor will enter Waco with a 1-1 record on the season, and the same goes for LA Tech, who played LSU tough for the first half last weekend.

But it's going to be backup QBs who take the field. Neither starter is expected to play this weekend. DJ Lagway is set to miss his second game and it will be Nate Bennett who starts again. As for LA Tech, Blake Baker will miss the game and backup Trey Kukuk is expected to start.

Here is what Baylor on SI thinks happens this weekend.

Trent Knoop

I originally thought this game could be a touch closer than what I'm ultimately going to predict. I doubted DJ Lagway would play, and most thought we would see Nate Bennett again. The Bears need Lagway for Big 12 play and that's what's going to happen.

It will be the Bennett show once again, and he will look early and often toward Gavin Freeman. The hope is that the Bears' run game gets going even more this weekend. And Baylor's defense won't have to deal with Blake Baker, who helped LA Tech generate 47 points per game through two games.

The Bulldogs will likely score on Baylor, but the Bears won't have many challenges in this one.

Final score: Baylor 38, LA Tech 10

Bennett Parker

Assuming DJ Lagway gets back on the field against LA Tech, I think Baylor wins this one handily and improves to 2-1. But the Bulldogs will not go away in this game, and the Bears will have to play 4 quarters of solid football.

Final score: Baylor 37, LA Tech 17

Tyler Gillum

Nate Bennett gets his second start of the year against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, who had a surprisingly good defense in the first half against LSU, so don't be surprised if Bennett throws an interception or two, but we should see another dominant performance on the ground involving Pendergrass and Turner each going for 50 plus yards. Baylor starts slow, and then comes out in the second half and derails the Bulldogs.

Final score: Baylor 38, LA Tech 13

Brad Teague

With Baylor fresh off of a comfortable 44-3 win against Prairie View A&M, and within a few feet of beating Auburn, I expect the Bears to try and start off the Louisiana Tech game both fast and strong. It's a home game, the fans will be in full support-mode as a sea of gold will be the visual in the stands. This one could effectively be over by halftime, and the second half could be loaded with the second and third string players getting some live-game reps.

Louisiana Tech is a respectable team with some solid performers and athletes, and their offense will provide their own unique challenges for Coach Aranda, Coach Klanderman, and the Baylor defense to overcome. The use of the stretch play that Louisiana Tech likes to run has big play potential if every gap isn't sealed shut. However, I fully expect Baylor's defense to smother the running attack of Louisiana Tech. And if (or rather when) Baylor's score increases to the point where LA Tech starts becoming one-dimensional and having to try and air the ball out, that's when the cornerbacks and safeties of the Bears will get their chances to watch, wait, and strike.

Whether DJ Lagway or Nate Bennett is in at quarterback isn't going to change the expected end-result. However, it will be nice to see a healthy Lagway and how well he can succeed in a Baylor offense finding itself more and more comfortable with each game.

Will Gavin Freeman have another 10+ catch and 100+ yard game? Will Baylor finally have a running back break out for a long touchdown or have a 100+ yard game? Can the Bears keep the penalties and turnovers to a minimum? I have a fair amount of confidence saying "yes" to all of those questions.
I feel rather comfortable in predicting a Baylor win for this Saturday.

Final score: Baylor 45, LA Tech 7

Jason B. Hirschhorn

For the second straight week, Baylor approaches its upcoming matchup with ambiguity at quarterback. However, unlike Week 2's tilt with Prairie View A&M, Louisiana Tech has a real path to an upset. Bears head coach Dave Aranda didn't tip his hand during his media availability earlier this week, but it remains possible, if not likely, that the coaching staff will hold out DJ Lagway until conference play. In that scenario, Nate Bennett will make his second career start on Saturday.

Bennett under center hardly precludes Baylor from emerging victorious, but he will face a stronger opposition than he did last week. According to SP+, Louisiana Tech's defense currently ranks only 16 spots behind Baylor's. In the Bulldogs' only FBS game this season, they did a commendable job slowing the opposing passing game, intercepting LSU signal-caller Sam Leavitt three times. In contrast, Leavitt and the Tigers racked up four touchdowns on the ground.

Baylor can follow that script on Saturday. The backfield tandem of Dawson Pendergrass and Caden Knighten can figuratively and literally carry the offense, limiting Bennett's exposure to must-pass situations.

Prediction: Baylor over LA Tech

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