Saturday, September 19
Waco, Texas
3 p.m.
Baylor
vs
Louisiana Tech
Bears Host Louisiana Tech on Saturday at McLane Stadium
9/14/2026 8:47:00 AM | Football
WACO, Texas -- Baylor continues a three-game home stand to start the schedule at McLane Stadium, hosting Louisiana Tech in the non-conference, regular-season finale on Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPNU and the Baylor Sports Media Network.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU, with Chucki Kempf (play-by-play) and Dustin Fox (analyst), on the call. The game will also be broadcast live on the Baylor Sports Media Network, with John Morris (play-by-play), Geff Gandy (analyst) and Bryson Jackson (sideline) on the call.
The Bears are coming off a 44-3 defensively dominant win over Prairie View A&M, the defending SWAC Champions, in the home opener, holding PVAMU to just 110 yards, including just 54 yards over its final 12 possessions, which featured 11 punts and a forced fumble. It was the fewest yards allowed by the Bears since 2016. The Bears allowed only seven first downs - fewest since 2014 - and 36 rushing yards, the fewest of the Coach Dave Aranda era.
The clash with Louisiana Tech is presented by McDonald's and is dubbed several things, including Family Weekend, Gold Rush, Childhood Cancer Awareness Game and Vamos Osos. Fans are encouraged to wear gold for the Gold Rush game, the Bears are wearing a special helmet decal designed by McLane Children's patient ILaria Ramirez – which supports the Childhood Cancer Awareness initiatives, including presenting sponsor McLane Children's Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Program. Vamos Osos includes celebrations recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• Louisiana Tech enters the game with Baylor owning a 1-1 record that featured a season-opening rout of Northwestern State, 80-6 in Ruston, La., before falling vs. No. 8 LSU on Saturday, 45-14. The Bulldogs used a 42-point second quarter to throttle Northwestern State, allowing only seven first downs and 43 yards passing. Offensively, LA Tech had 296 yards in the air and 232 rushing.
• Through just two games, the Bulldogs have ben led by WR Jalen Mickens offensively, who has nine catches for 234 yards and two TDs. Blake Baker has thrown for 360 yards with four TDs and an interception, while Trey Kukuk has a team-high 58 rushing yards. As a team, LA Tech averages 334 yards of offense, with 114.5 rushing and 219.5 passing, allowing 328.5 yards defensively, with 212 passing and 116.5 rushing. Defensively, Alonzo Jackson has five TFLs and three sacks through the firs two games, adding an interception. Jordan Mcrae has a 100-yard interception return, one of four picks for the Bulldog defense.
• The Bulldogs are led by Sonny Cumbie, who is in his fifth year leading the Bulldogs. Cumbie took over in 2022 following a five-game run as the interim head coach at Texas Tech, where he led the Raiders to a 27-24 loss to eventual Big 12 Champion Baylor at McLane Stadium. Cumbie is coming off an 8-5 season in 2025 with the Bulldogs winning the Independence Bowl after a fourth-place finish in Conference USA. LA Tech is in its first year returning back to the Sun Belt Conference.
• Cumbie served as the Texas Tech OC/QB coach in 2021 before taking over for Matt Wells as the interim head coach with five games remaining. He served as the OC at TCU from 2014-2020, which followed time at Texas Tech as a GA, WR coach, and co-OC from 2009-13. Cumbie played at Tech from 2000-04, serving as the backup to Kliff Kingsbury and BJ Symons in 2001, completing his first career pass vs. Baylor in 2002, before earning the starting job in 2004, when he threw for 4,742 yards with 32 TDs, leading the Raiders to an 8-4 record. He played for the Los Angles Avengers and the San Angelo Stampede Express in arena and indoor football leagues following stints with the Colts and Ravens.
• Cumbie is assisted by assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Dan Sharp, who was a legendary figure on Gary Patterson's staff at TCU for 21 years. Luke Olson is in his second year as the defensive coordinator, which followed the 2024 season as the DC for nine-win Jacksonville State. He spent the 2023 year on the staff at TCU, and was the defensive coordinator for Tulsa in 2022, a program he worked with since 2012. Nathan Young is the OC, after serving as the offensive line coach from 2022-25 for LA Tech. He was the OL coach at SFA in 2022 and was the offensive coordinator at San Antonio Madison High School from 2017-18. He also served nine years at Abilene Christian, including time as the OC.
• Louisiana Tech athletics is under the direction of Ryan Ivey, who is in his third year in Ruston. He has helped navigate the transition from C-USA to the Sun Belt. He previously was the AD at SFA for six years, which followed four years as the AD at Austin Peay, and time as the AD at Texas A&M-Commerce. He previously worked at McNeese State and ultimately served as the interim AD at McNeese. A native of Mayfield, Ky., he played football at Memphis. Mary Kate Hungate is the Associate VP/Deputy AD and is in her 40th year at LA Tech, serving as COO and SWA. Gerald Jordan is Deputy AD, coming to LA Tech as the head of the university sports medicine program, before moving to Senior Associate AD for Competitive Excellence in 2019.
CONNECTING THE TEAMS
• The teams have a bevy of connections, including most notably BU Coach Dave Aranda serving as a graduate assistant on the Texas Tech coaching staff when LA Tech Coach Sonny Cumbie was playing QB. Cumbie and Aranda overlapped for three seasons, from 2000-02. Tech won seven games in both 2000 and 2001 and had a nine-win season, including a win in the Tangerine Bowl in 2022 under Coach Mike Leach.
• Baylor TE Coach Jarrett Anderson, in his third year in Waco, was at TCU from 1998-2021, overlapping with LA Tech special teams coordinator Dan Sharp throughout his career.
• LA Tech's Carlton Buckels, the CB coach, worked for the Bears from 2011-16, helping spur Baylor to a pair of Big 12 Championships under Coach Art Briles.
• Josh Creech, the LA Tech linebackers coach, served as the DC at Waco's Midway High School in 2024, which followed the 2022-23 seasons at TCU as the linebackers coach.
• LA Tech OL Coach Vincent Johnson III was on the same Kansas State staff as Joe Klanderman in 2023, where he was an OL graduate assistant coach.
• LA Tech Deputy AD Gerald Jordan served as the football trainer at Delta State University when Aranda was on the staff in 2007.
DEFENSE DOMINATES IN HOME OPENER
• The Bears opened the home schedule with a dominating defense performance in a 44-3 win over defending SWAC Champion Prairie View A&M.
• Baylor held PVAMU to just 110 yards of total offense, the fewest yards allowed since 2016, and just 36 yards rushing, the fewest in the Coach Dave Aranda Era, while also surrendering just seven first downs, the fewest since 2014. After allowing a 57-yard drive that ended in a field goal on PVAMU's first drive, the Bears allowed only 53 yards over the final 12 drives, which featured 11 punts and one forced fumble.
• The game marked the first career start for junior QB Nate Bennett, who was filling in for DJ Lagway, who suffered a lower leg injury during the opener vs. Auburn in Atlanta. Bennett set career highs in passes (36), completions (24), yards (314) and TDs (three), while also rushing for a 17-yard TD in the first half. The Bears continued to find WR Gavin Freeman often, with the fifth year going for 10 catches for 104 yards, including 92 yards after the catch. WR Jayden McGowan made his first BU start, and the 20th of his career, and had four catches for 80 yards and two TDs. The Bears spread the ball around to 11 different receivers, and were led on the ground by RBs Dawson Pendergrass (15 carries, 69 yards), Caden Knighten (12 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD), Michael Turner (5 carries, 41 yards) and Ryelan Morris (5 carries, 32 yards).
• Defensively, Baylor collected four sacks, a week after going for five vs. Auburn, with a forced fumble and seven TFLs. Garrick Ponder, Ryan Davis, Zavion Hardy and JJ Shelton each had sacks, with Ponder going for 1.5 TFLs.
SERIES HISTORY
• Baylor leads the all-time series with Louisiana Tech, 5-1, including a 3-1 mark in games played in Waco.
• The Bears have won two straight in the series, the last two meetings coming in 1994 in Waco and 1996 in Shreveport, a 24-16 BU win.
• In the 1996 meeting, the Bears jumped out early 14-0 with TDs from Jeff Watson to both Dexter Ford and Kalief Muhammad. Jerod Douglas added a 51-yard TD rush to give BU a 21-3 lead in the third quarter. The Bears rushed for 150 yards, and held LA Tech to just 68 rushing yards, while throwing for 163 vs. LA Tech's 324 yards passing. Douglas rushed 18 times for 92 yards and Lee Radsale led LA Tech with 15 totes for 77 yards and Chad Mackey had a game-best six catches for 128 yards.
FREEMAN FINDING HOME
• Baylor WR Gavin Freeman is off to a historic start to the 2026 season in his debut season for the Bears after transferring from Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
• He had 12 catches for 154 yards and a TD in the opener vs. Auburn and 10 catches for 104 yards - including 92 yards after the catch - in the win over PVAMU.
• Freeman has had back-to-back 10+ and 100+ yard games to open his BU career and ranks among the nation leaders in yards (seventh), yards per game (sixth), receptions per game (first) and all-purpose yards (27th).
NEXT UP
• Baylor will continue a three-game homestand by hosting Colorado in the conference opener on Saturday.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU, with Chucki Kempf (play-by-play) and Dustin Fox (analyst), on the call. The game will also be broadcast live on the Baylor Sports Media Network, with John Morris (play-by-play), Geff Gandy (analyst) and Bryson Jackson (sideline) on the call.
The Bears are coming off a 44-3 defensively dominant win over Prairie View A&M, the defending SWAC Champions, in the home opener, holding PVAMU to just 110 yards, including just 54 yards over its final 12 possessions, which featured 11 punts and a forced fumble. It was the fewest yards allowed by the Bears since 2016. The Bears allowed only seven first downs - fewest since 2014 - and 36 rushing yards, the fewest of the Coach Dave Aranda era.
The clash with Louisiana Tech is presented by McDonald's and is dubbed several things, including Family Weekend, Gold Rush, Childhood Cancer Awareness Game and Vamos Osos. Fans are encouraged to wear gold for the Gold Rush game, the Bears are wearing a special helmet decal designed by McLane Children's patient ILaria Ramirez – which supports the Childhood Cancer Awareness initiatives, including presenting sponsor McLane Children's Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Program. Vamos Osos includes celebrations recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
• Louisiana Tech enters the game with Baylor owning a 1-1 record that featured a season-opening rout of Northwestern State, 80-6 in Ruston, La., before falling vs. No. 8 LSU on Saturday, 45-14. The Bulldogs used a 42-point second quarter to throttle Northwestern State, allowing only seven first downs and 43 yards passing. Offensively, LA Tech had 296 yards in the air and 232 rushing.
• Through just two games, the Bulldogs have ben led by WR Jalen Mickens offensively, who has nine catches for 234 yards and two TDs. Blake Baker has thrown for 360 yards with four TDs and an interception, while Trey Kukuk has a team-high 58 rushing yards. As a team, LA Tech averages 334 yards of offense, with 114.5 rushing and 219.5 passing, allowing 328.5 yards defensively, with 212 passing and 116.5 rushing. Defensively, Alonzo Jackson has five TFLs and three sacks through the firs two games, adding an interception. Jordan Mcrae has a 100-yard interception return, one of four picks for the Bulldog defense.
• The Bulldogs are led by Sonny Cumbie, who is in his fifth year leading the Bulldogs. Cumbie took over in 2022 following a five-game run as the interim head coach at Texas Tech, where he led the Raiders to a 27-24 loss to eventual Big 12 Champion Baylor at McLane Stadium. Cumbie is coming off an 8-5 season in 2025 with the Bulldogs winning the Independence Bowl after a fourth-place finish in Conference USA. LA Tech is in its first year returning back to the Sun Belt Conference.
• Cumbie served as the Texas Tech OC/QB coach in 2021 before taking over for Matt Wells as the interim head coach with five games remaining. He served as the OC at TCU from 2014-2020, which followed time at Texas Tech as a GA, WR coach, and co-OC from 2009-13. Cumbie played at Tech from 2000-04, serving as the backup to Kliff Kingsbury and BJ Symons in 2001, completing his first career pass vs. Baylor in 2002, before earning the starting job in 2004, when he threw for 4,742 yards with 32 TDs, leading the Raiders to an 8-4 record. He played for the Los Angles Avengers and the San Angelo Stampede Express in arena and indoor football leagues following stints with the Colts and Ravens.
• Cumbie is assisted by assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Dan Sharp, who was a legendary figure on Gary Patterson's staff at TCU for 21 years. Luke Olson is in his second year as the defensive coordinator, which followed the 2024 season as the DC for nine-win Jacksonville State. He spent the 2023 year on the staff at TCU, and was the defensive coordinator for Tulsa in 2022, a program he worked with since 2012. Nathan Young is the OC, after serving as the offensive line coach from 2022-25 for LA Tech. He was the OL coach at SFA in 2022 and was the offensive coordinator at San Antonio Madison High School from 2017-18. He also served nine years at Abilene Christian, including time as the OC.
• Louisiana Tech athletics is under the direction of Ryan Ivey, who is in his third year in Ruston. He has helped navigate the transition from C-USA to the Sun Belt. He previously was the AD at SFA for six years, which followed four years as the AD at Austin Peay, and time as the AD at Texas A&M-Commerce. He previously worked at McNeese State and ultimately served as the interim AD at McNeese. A native of Mayfield, Ky., he played football at Memphis. Mary Kate Hungate is the Associate VP/Deputy AD and is in her 40th year at LA Tech, serving as COO and SWA. Gerald Jordan is Deputy AD, coming to LA Tech as the head of the university sports medicine program, before moving to Senior Associate AD for Competitive Excellence in 2019.
CONNECTING THE TEAMS
• The teams have a bevy of connections, including most notably BU Coach Dave Aranda serving as a graduate assistant on the Texas Tech coaching staff when LA Tech Coach Sonny Cumbie was playing QB. Cumbie and Aranda overlapped for three seasons, from 2000-02. Tech won seven games in both 2000 and 2001 and had a nine-win season, including a win in the Tangerine Bowl in 2022 under Coach Mike Leach.
• Baylor TE Coach Jarrett Anderson, in his third year in Waco, was at TCU from 1998-2021, overlapping with LA Tech special teams coordinator Dan Sharp throughout his career.
• LA Tech's Carlton Buckels, the CB coach, worked for the Bears from 2011-16, helping spur Baylor to a pair of Big 12 Championships under Coach Art Briles.
• Josh Creech, the LA Tech linebackers coach, served as the DC at Waco's Midway High School in 2024, which followed the 2022-23 seasons at TCU as the linebackers coach.
• LA Tech OL Coach Vincent Johnson III was on the same Kansas State staff as Joe Klanderman in 2023, where he was an OL graduate assistant coach.
• LA Tech Deputy AD Gerald Jordan served as the football trainer at Delta State University when Aranda was on the staff in 2007.
DEFENSE DOMINATES IN HOME OPENER
• The Bears opened the home schedule with a dominating defense performance in a 44-3 win over defending SWAC Champion Prairie View A&M.
• Baylor held PVAMU to just 110 yards of total offense, the fewest yards allowed since 2016, and just 36 yards rushing, the fewest in the Coach Dave Aranda Era, while also surrendering just seven first downs, the fewest since 2014. After allowing a 57-yard drive that ended in a field goal on PVAMU's first drive, the Bears allowed only 53 yards over the final 12 drives, which featured 11 punts and one forced fumble.
• The game marked the first career start for junior QB Nate Bennett, who was filling in for DJ Lagway, who suffered a lower leg injury during the opener vs. Auburn in Atlanta. Bennett set career highs in passes (36), completions (24), yards (314) and TDs (three), while also rushing for a 17-yard TD in the first half. The Bears continued to find WR Gavin Freeman often, with the fifth year going for 10 catches for 104 yards, including 92 yards after the catch. WR Jayden McGowan made his first BU start, and the 20th of his career, and had four catches for 80 yards and two TDs. The Bears spread the ball around to 11 different receivers, and were led on the ground by RBs Dawson Pendergrass (15 carries, 69 yards), Caden Knighten (12 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD), Michael Turner (5 carries, 41 yards) and Ryelan Morris (5 carries, 32 yards).
• Defensively, Baylor collected four sacks, a week after going for five vs. Auburn, with a forced fumble and seven TFLs. Garrick Ponder, Ryan Davis, Zavion Hardy and JJ Shelton each had sacks, with Ponder going for 1.5 TFLs.
SERIES HISTORY
• Baylor leads the all-time series with Louisiana Tech, 5-1, including a 3-1 mark in games played in Waco.
• The Bears have won two straight in the series, the last two meetings coming in 1994 in Waco and 1996 in Shreveport, a 24-16 BU win.
• In the 1996 meeting, the Bears jumped out early 14-0 with TDs from Jeff Watson to both Dexter Ford and Kalief Muhammad. Jerod Douglas added a 51-yard TD rush to give BU a 21-3 lead in the third quarter. The Bears rushed for 150 yards, and held LA Tech to just 68 rushing yards, while throwing for 163 vs. LA Tech's 324 yards passing. Douglas rushed 18 times for 92 yards and Lee Radsale led LA Tech with 15 totes for 77 yards and Chad Mackey had a game-best six catches for 128 yards.
FREEMAN FINDING HOME
• Baylor WR Gavin Freeman is off to a historic start to the 2026 season in his debut season for the Bears after transferring from Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
• He had 12 catches for 154 yards and a TD in the opener vs. Auburn and 10 catches for 104 yards - including 92 yards after the catch - in the win over PVAMU.
• Freeman has had back-to-back 10+ and 100+ yard games to open his BU career and ranks among the nation leaders in yards (seventh), yards per game (sixth), receptions per game (first) and all-purpose yards (27th).
NEXT UP
• Baylor will continue a three-game homestand by hosting Colorado in the conference opener on Saturday.
- BaylorBears.com -
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